submitted by Rich Leffler
Fellow Rotarian and board member Nasra Wehelie spoke to us virtually via YouTube this week. Her subject was the traditions of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which are both rewarding and challenging. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, said to be when the Koran was revealed to Muhammad. Because it is based on the lunar calendar, it varies according to the Roman calendar.
One of the more well known traditions of Ramadan is fasting from sunrise to sunset. This fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it offers several benefits: self-discipline, empathy, closeness to God and health. All adult Muslims are required to fast, except the ill, travelers or pregnant women.
Important elements of the holiday are the fellowship and community that take place at Iftar, the evening meal at the end of the daily fast. The current Covid-19 pandemic has made this difficult. But Zoom is being used in lieu of personal engagement.
Muslims who are celebrating Ramadan need some support at work or at school. It is best to avoid activities in the evenings, when the end of the fast is celebrated. And the scheduling of school activities should be sensitive to the demands of Ramadan.
The end of Ramadan is traditionally a time of celebration and community. But not this year, because of Covid-19. This will be a hard time for everyone, even if there is Zoom.
After the YouTube session, there was a question-and-answer session via Zoom. Nasra mentioned some of the benefits of this year of the pandemic and quarantine: Being home provides an opportunity for contemplation and self-reflection, and it helps eliminate temptations during the fast.
If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch the video here.
Dr. Jesslyn Hollar is an Edgewood College Professor, and she teaches education courses, “a teacher educator.” She is well qualified to talk about engaging kids in learning amidst COVID-19 school closures as she is the mother of a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old. Her roles of parent and teacher educator are no longer separate but overlapping.
ellow Rotarian Lynn Brady, who is President and CEO of Journey Mental Health Center, shared her insights on “Dealing with Mental Health in the Time of the Coronavirus, a Unique National Emergency!” Brady’s presentation to the club through a virtual meeting platform on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, was an immediate reminder of the significant disruption that all of us are facing in our daily routines. Brady reflected that we are social creatures, and so this required isolation is inevitably going to have an impact. We feel uncertainty about when things will return to normal. In Brady’s work, she says that they are not currently seeing a lot of calls. Rather, people are asking for tips on dealing with stress; how to talk to children about the issue; and how they might reach out in the future to a mental health professional. The mental health professionals that she works with also need a chance to talk through the issues.
Rotarians heard online April 8 from Benjamin Eithun how Madison is part of several networks to plan for medical emergencies. Eithun is Director of Pediatric Trauma, Surgery, Injury Prevention and Child Protection at American Family Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Ankur Desai, professor of climate, people and environment at UW-Madison, addressed the first ever virtual meeting of the Club on the effect of climate change on local weather. He stated that climate is personality, and weather is mood.
Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin 