Community members gather for an iftar dinner at the Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto on Feb. 28. Photo courtesy Asad Mohammed
If Uzma Minhas had to use one word to describe her third annual city-sponsored community iftar dinner, she would say “inspiring.”
Close to 200 people shared a meal together at the Lucie Stern Community Center last Saturday to break the fast many practicing Muslims partake in during the month of Ramadan, which is from Feb. 17 to March 19 this year. During this period, Muslims fast every day from dawn to dusk, and iftar is the fast-breaking meal each night at sunset, normally spent as a time for reflection.
Many Muslim Palo Alto residents attended the dinner, but friends and neighbors of varying faiths and ethnicities also joined in celebrating, she said.
The night emphasized that “the themes of Ramadan, about inclusion and generosity, are not only Muslim values but they’re Palo Alto values as well,” event organizer Minhas said.
“It forces us to slow down, really meet face to face and engage in person and humanize each other,” Minhas said
Minhas first came up with the idea to host a community-wide iftar dinner in 2024 after she heard Islamophobic sentiments circulating in Palo Alto after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel. At the time, the City Council was in the midst of a community debate over whether it should pass a resolution supporting a ceasefire in Israel. With tensions running high, the council opted not to pursue a ceasefire resolution but instead adopted a “unity statement” that recommitted the city to creating “inclusive communities that uphold human rights and reject discrimination and hate.”
That spirit was on display at Lucie Stern, as residents of various faiths, ages and ethnicities mingled and feasted. Local dignitaries offered brief speeches and a panel of students from local elementary, middle and high schools spoke about what it’s like for them to be Muslim and celebrate Ramadan in Palo Alto.
The city has sponsored the event each year, and even allocated $2,500 from its newly formed community grant to help offset the dinner’s expenses this year. The funds primarily went toward the catered food from Palo Alto restaurants, Zareen’s and Cafe 220. State of Mind Slice House donated pizza for the children attending the event.
Community members gather for an iftar dinner at the Lucie Stern Community Center in Palo Alto on Feb. 28. Photo courtesy Asad Mohammed
Minhas said she wanted to create an opportunity for residents of all faiths to meet and understand each other’s traditions.
“In a world that often feels divided, the iftar Ramadan dinner is a way of opening our doors and hearts,” Minhas said. “It’s about hospitality and breaking bread with neighbors we might only pass on the street or never actually speak to.”
State Sen. Josh Becker and Mayor Vicki Veenker both spoke at the event, and other local officials joined the festivities, including Fire Chief Stephen Lindsey, city council members and Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education members. Becker said the holiday is about “family, friends and service” and recalled the iftar dinner he hosted at his house several years ago.
“To have people praying in my house at iftar – it was just such a sacred moment for me,” Becker said.
Minhas said the community leaders’ presence was especially meaningful for the local Muslim community.
“It makes us feel like we’re included when the mayor speaks…it really makes us feel that we’re part of Palo Alto and we’re part of the fabric of the city and part of their story,” she said.
Lubna Quraishi, who helped organize the event, offered the crowd her rules for fasting. Among them was: Lean on your community.
“Breaking fast with friends – it isn’t just festive, it carries you through the month,” Quraishi said. “Even though your schedule is upside down, when we gather with friends as a community, we support and encourage each other. We remind each other of a deeper purpose – to have a spiritual connection, to give to the less fortunate, to practice gratitude, to become stronger mentally.”
Community members and Palo Alto’s public safety leaders mingle at the Feb. 27 iftar dinner at Lucie Stern Community Center. Photo courtesy Asad Mohammed
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