Your EDI Stories

Different dates across 2024 each bring moments of observance, reflection and celebration for many people and cultures who live and/or work in Haringey. Here we hear from some of our team members why these dates are important to them, and how they will be marking them. 

Passover 22nd April

How is Passover usually observed?

During the first and second nights of Passover we traditionally have a meal with all our family called a Seder, when we read the story of the exodus from Egypt and eat special Passover food like matzah which is unleavened bread. The story starts when the youngest person asks the ‘four questions’ The Seder is a response to those questions.

What three things should everyone know or understand about this festival?

1. As with most Jewish festivals there is a focus on special festival food. Because the Jewish people left Egypt in such a hurry, their bread didn’t have time to rise so we cannot eat any food which rises, including bread, corn and wheat as well as beans or lentils.  This means that the food we eat at Passover is totally different from the rest of the year.  Matzah is eaten instead of bread and biscuits seem to feature lots of almonds and coconut instead of flour.
2. The Seder meal is a very important part of the festival, because this is where the story of the exodus is re-told and passed down amongst the generations. There is a special plate called the Seder plate that includes all the symbolic foods that have a part in the story.
3. Jewish people from different parts of the world have different traditions.  For jews whose families originate from the Middle East or Spain will often be able to eat rice and couscous, whereas people whose families originate from Eastern Europe wouldn’t eat these foods at all.

What do you like most about this time of year in your culture?

This is one of the most important festivals of the year and a real opportunity for me to get together with all my family.  As we don’t live too close to each other this doesn’t happen very often.  I also like the opportunity to cook special food that I only cook at this time of year.   

Ramadan 10th March

How is Ramadan usually observed?

We follow a strict fast from dawn until sunset. We are not allowed to eat or drink anything until we break our fast. We perform additional prayers during this holy month. We also regularly meet family and friends over dinner.

What three things should everyone know or understand about this festival?

Ramadan is a month of blessing, charity and self-discipline

What do you like most about this time of year in your culture?

That as a family we all wake up at around 3am to eat, have a variety of snacks during sunset 😊 then pray together when we all are available, go to mosques together, meet family and friends, devote ourselves fully to the teachings of Islam. We often visit Ilford Lane or Green Street in East London to get the celebratory vibes of Ramadan

Where can we all find out more?

There are many Muslim scholars, I particularly follow Nouman Ali Khan, Mufti Menk, Omar Suleiman   

Holi, 25th March

How is Holi usually celebrated?

Some families hold religious ceremonies, but for many Holi is more a time for fun. It's a colourful festival, with dancing, singing and throwing of powder paint and coloured water.

There are planned festivals and events hosted at temples, fields, and even grand scale parks/concert style. On the first night of Holi, people light bonfires and throw roasting grains, popcorn, coconut and chickpeas onto them. The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing. Everyone gets involved! Hindus have fun by smearing each other with paint and throwing coloured water.

What 3 things should everyone know or understand about this festival?

The crux of the story is about a King who experienced delusions of grandeur and let power get to his head. He believed he commanded a higher authority than God himself. His son (Prahlad) was a devout devotee of God and this angered his Father. So much so his Father asked his sister Holika to kill him. She had a superpower that enabled her to be protected from fire and her plan was to trick Prahlad into a fire but because she was using her powers for evil her plan failed and she was burnt to smithereens and Prahlad survived. Prahlads prayers led to a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who annihilated his father the evil King.

To apply this to everyday life the story teaches us about of ensuring power, ignorance and ego never gets to our head and that God will protect against evil.

What do you like most about this time of year in your culture?

I love the fun events (at a Holi event in university we had the best time throwing colours and water using water balloons and guns - although it was freezing it was also really fun).

Holi and Gaura Purnima at Bhaktivedanta Manor