1、Syrian Culture Resource,Heather Franks Cohort 34 Spring 2005,Topic References,Religions Holidays Education Family Life What Teachers Should Understand Literature Teacher Guidelines The Katreeb Family: Journey to America,Religions,Majority religion: Sunnite Muslim Other Muslim religions: Alawites, Is
2、mailis, and Shiite Non-Muslim majority religion: Christian Greek Orthodox and American Orthodox Minority religions: Druses (related to Islam), Jewish (dwindlingmost have moved to the US or Israel),Majority Religion,Muslims practice the five pillars of Islam. Shahada is the profession of faith: “Ther
3、e is no God but God (Allah) and Mohammed is his prophet.” Salat is the requirement to pray five times a day: at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. Zakat is the giving of alms to the poor. Saum is the requirement to fast from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan. Hajj is the pi
4、lgrimage to Mecca that Muslims must make at least once in their lives. May include a stop in Medina to pay respects at the Prophets grave. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/,Majority Religion,Sunnite Muslim: A member of the branch of Islam that accepts the first four caliphs as rightful successo
5、rs to Muhammad. Caliph: the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth; “many radical Muslims believe a Khalifah will unite all Islamic lands and people and subjugate the rest of the world.” Khalifah: synonym of caliph http:/,Majority Religion,Mu
6、slim: A believer or follower of Islam Islam: the monotheistic religion of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran. Koran: The sacred writings of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at Mecca and Medina. Mu
7、hammad: The Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632) Mecca: joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia; located in western Saudi Arabia; as the birthplace of Muhammad it is the holiest city of Islam. Medina: city in western Saudi Arabia; site of the tomb of Muhammad; the second most holy city of Is
8、lam http:/,Minority Religion,Druze: an adherent of an esoteric monotheistic religious sect living in the relative security of the mountains of Syria and Lebanon who believes that Al-hakim was an incarnation of God. Esoteric: confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle. Al-haki
9、m: an Ismaili caliph of Egypt who declared himself an incarnation of God and founded the Druze religious sect (985-1021). http:/,Holidays,Syrian Muslim Holidays Ramadan Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Adha Muharram Syrian Christian Holidays Christmas Catholic or Orthodox Easter,Syrian Muslim Holidays,The dates o
10、f Muslim holidays change yearly The Islamic religion follows the Lunar calendar. 354 days in a year Each year the holidays are 11 days earlier than the previous year.,Syrian Muslim Holidays,Ramadan: Ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Fast from sunrise to sunset. A time for reflection of spiritual
11、matters. Shows devotion to Allah and Mohammed. Builds self-discipline and encourages compassion for those who are less fortunate. During Ramadan families eat their evening meal with each other. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html,Syrian Muslim Holidays,Eid al-Fitr: The “breaking of t
12、he fast” at the end of Ramadan. People eat special foods, including sweets, and many people stay up all night. Visit family and wear new clothes. Children receive gifts of money from their relatives. There are rides for children in the streets and fireworks at night. The celebration is three days. h
13、ttp:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html,Syrian Muslim Holidays,Eid al-Adha: Lasts four days and comes at the end of the traditional season of pilgrimage to Mecca. Celebrates Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son to God. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html,Syrian Muslim
14、 Holidays,Muharram: The beginning of the first month in the Hijara (lunar) calendar. Is the Muslim New Year. Commemorates the day on which Mohammed and his followers left Medina for Mecca. Festivals held throughout the year: Palmyra Festival: Held in the desert and features singing and dancing as we
15、ll as camel and horse races. Latakia, Syria: A peace festival is held during the month of August. September, an international folk festival is held in Busra. The festival continues every night for three weeks. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html,Syrian Christian Holidays,Christian Sy
16、rians celebrate Christmas and the Catholic or Orthodox Easter. Communities celebrate these holidays. Only a few decorations appear in Christmas time Christmas lights are uncommon. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html,Education,Primary education is free. Attendance is mandatory for age
17、s 6 to 15. Students wear a green, military-style uniform. Taught in Arabic. Learning a second language is mandatory at eight years-old. Most students study English. Religion is taught also.,Education,Secondary education is free at state schools. Ages 15 to 18. Four universities. Students pay a small
18、 tuition to attend. Literacy rate has increased significantly over the last 20 years. About 71%. 86% of men and 56% of women. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/,Family LifeChildren,Having children is very important. When a couple has a son, the parents take the name of their first son. i.e.: If
19、they name their son Yassar, the father becomes Abu Yassar or “father of Yassar” and the mother becomes Umm Yassar or “mother of Yassar.” http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/,Family LifeMarriage,Children do not leave their parents home until marriage. Some newlywed couples live with their parents f
20、or a few years after marriage. Weddings are major social events. Arranged marriages are common in Syria. In the city there is usually more freedom to choose a marriage partner. Parents of couple must OK the marriage. The groom pays a bride-price (majr) to the brides family. http:/cp.settlement.org/e
21、nglish/syria/,Family LifeStatus,Men have a strong individual and family honor (ird). Women do not have equal status. Men and women rarely socialize together outside the home. It is legal for Muslims to have multiple wives. Rare for Syrian families to divorce. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/,F
22、amily LifeRelatives,The elderly are respected. Elders live with their families their entire life. Nursing homes are not available. A death in the family entails three days of mourning. Women relatives of the deceased must wear black months after their passing. http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/,
23、Family LifeStructure,Patriarchal: The husband or “head man” is the leader of the home. Females, beginning at a young age, are expected to “help raiseed younger brothers and sistersand continued that obligation until her death” The Katreeb Family,Aspects of Culture that Teachers Should Understand,Fem
24、ale students may seem to be reclusive. This can be attributed to their lack of social standing in Syria. Syrian students of Muslim decent will need to pray during the school day. Set up a “special” place where they can go to pray. Syrian students of Muslim decent are not going to eat at school durin
25、g lunch while they are observing Ramadan. Be understanding of their religious holiday. This is a practiced Muslims have been observing for centuries.,Aspects of Culture that Teachers Should Understand,The term Mohammedanism is offensive to Muslims who believe that Allah, not Muhammad, founded their
26、religion. Teachers should be careful of the questions they ask or comments made about a students religion. Teachers should research the students religion to preempt a faux pas. http:/,Aspects of Culture that Teachers Should Understand,When you need to speak with a parent of your Syrian student the m
27、other may not be allowed to make a “decision” about her child without first consulting her husband. The most important piece of information to keep in mind is that there is no “typical” Syrian student or family, just as there is not in the US.,Aspects of Culture that Teachers Should Understand,Some
28、families have come here to find safety aware from the constant war in the Middle East that has been going on for centuries, while others are coming for better opportunities. Treat each family as their own unit. The way you will handle situations regarding a student depends a lot on the religious and
29、 social background that student comes from in Syria and the amount of education the parents have had.,Aspects of Culture that Teachers Should Understand,Syria is an old country with an extensive religious and political background. Holy wars have been constant in Syria and surrounding countries for a
30、 long time. Syria used to be a larger country containing the land of what is not Israel and Lebanon. Because of Syrias extensive history students may have mixed emotions regarding the US and Syria. Take the students feelings into consideration. Be both patient and understanding of their countrys his
31、tory.,Literature,Disney is universal! Middle Eastern children are very familiar with Disney. You may consider using a Disney book, such as “The Lion King,” to provide the student a comfort zone. Cookbooks Let the children share their “Funds of Knowledge” through different cookbooks. Believe it or no
32、t, Betty Crocker has cultural foods!,Literature,Concept Books Concept books tend to be filled with pictures. Students can learn the English terms and share the Arabic terms in the concept book with the class.,Literature,Use these titles in your classroom as a reference for you, as a learning experie
33、nce for your native students, and as a familiar experience for your Syrian student(s): Ahsan, M.M. Muslim Festivals. Illustrated by M.M. Ahsan. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Enterprises, 1987. Bloom, Jonathan, and Sheila S. Blair. Islamic Arts. Art and Ideas. London: Phaidon Press, 1997.,Literature,Bloom,
34、Jonathan and Sheila S. Blair. Islam : A Thousand Years of Faith and Power. New Haven, CT and London: Yale University Press, 2002. Burns, Khephra. Mansa Musa. Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon. San Francisco: Harcourt Brace, 2001. Chalfonte, Jessica. I Am Muslim. New York : PowerKids Press, 1996.,Lit
35、erature,Ellis, Deborah. The Breadwinner. Toronto, CA: Groundwood, 2000. Goodwin, Jan. Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World. New York: Plume, 1995. Kessler, Cristina. One Night: A Story from the Desert. Illustrated by Ian Schoenherr. New York: Philomel Books, 199
36、5.,Literature,Naff, Alixa. The Arab Americans. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. Nye, Naomi Shihab. The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2002. Nye, Naomi Shihab. The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East. New York: Simon & Schu
37、ster, 1998.,Literature,Weiss-Armush, Anne Marie. Arabian Cuisine. Illustrated by John Berry. Beirut, Lebanon : Dar An-nafas, 1984. Wprmser, Richard. American Islam: Growing Up Muslim in America. New York: Walker & Co., 1994.,Guidelines for Teachers,Know that females may not have the same amount of e
38、ducation as males the same age because women do not have the same rights as men. When probing the class, do not put students on the spot unless they are comfortabletheir education has been more formal that what is in the US.,Guidelines for Teachers,For counselorsNote that religion plays a major role
39、 in most Syrian families. You must respect the rules those families follow. Some towns do not have electricity or indoor plumbingthere may be cultural bias that you will have to overcome or work around.,Guidelines for Teachers,Though these students have been educated, many times the schools are over
40、crowded, on double session and without up-to-date information. You may have build an entirely new foundation of knowledge for that student and overcome their misconceptions or out-of-date conceptions regarding academics.,The Katreeb Family: Journey to America,1894Elias Thanaus Katreeb begins his jou
41、rney to America. Burj Safita, Syriaby donkey to Beirut, Syria (now Beirut, Lebanon) Boarded at a house in town for a few weeksStop in Marsilles, FranceEllis Island Processed and sent to Pennsylvania with many other Syrians.,The Katreeb Family: Journey to America,1894-1896Elias begins his living Esta
42、blished a local grocery in Southside Pittsburgh Returns to Syria in 1986 to marry Sarah Libbos Katreeb. Sarah and Elias returned to the US taking the same long journey.,The Katreeb Family: Journey to America,1897-few years Elias and Sarah were able to afford to bring Elias sister and husband to the
43、US, and Sarahs two brothers. Ann and her husband moved to McKeesport. Sarahs brothers moved to West Newton. The majority of Syrian immigrants from Burj Safita were living in West Newton at that time.,The Katreeb Family: Journey to America,Not all of the Katreeb-Libbos family was able to enter the US
44、 because of quota reasons. Many members of my family immigrated to Brazil, where that part of the family still is today.,Resources and References,http:/ http:/www.scils.rutgers.edu/%7Ekvander/ChildrenLit/islamicliterature.htm http:/www.scils.rutgers.edu/%7Ekvander/ChildrenLit/index.html,Resources and References,http:/cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html http:/ Katreeb, Charles. The Katreeb Family. Florida, 1995.,
