Being told to behave isn’t always something children want to hear, but many delighted in good deeds during a recent Ramadan story hour in Palos Heights.
Families were treated to an interactive reading of the children’s book “Ilyas & Duck Ramadan Joy!” by Omar S. Khawaja during Welcome, Ramadan! Storytime at the Palos Heights Public Library.
A YouTube video of the book was flashed on a large screen as organizers Amani Rashid, youth services assistant, led the reading with Reema Dana from the outreach department at the Palos Islamic Center. Malak Alrashed, a student at the University of Illinois Chicago, and Marian Ahmed, a student at Governors State University, both also from the Islamic Center, helped out.
Everyone also received a little shaker to rattle at different points in the presentation.
“Fasting is a chance to nourish your soul and your relationship with Allah,” read one phrase from the book. “They met their friends,” read Rashid, adding her own question “Who’s here with their friends and family?”
The character Mr. Mean, who was played by student helper Ahmed, said he didn’t like Ramadan and all the goodwill, so the other presenters chased him away.
“There’s no room for meanness in Ramadan,” said Rashid.
Children also received a Good Deed Chart with sayings like “Offer to help someone” and “Give an old toy to charity,” which they could color and decorate. Each left with a goodie bag with stickers, a small scratch art picture with an Islamic theme and a little bag of tasty dates.
“You feel like it’s an obligation, but when you make it fun they really want to do it,” said Safa Salamah, of Palos Heights, who came with her daughter Jorie, a third grader, and her son Jad, in preschool. “We try to make good things look pleasant … we believe every good deed you do, you get a multiplication of rewards.”
Salamah also said it was good to among others who share their beliefs.
“It’s really important for us to feel like we’re part of a community … for the kids to feel like we’re celebrating a holiday too,” she said.
That sense of belonging was one of the reasons that Rashid started the story hour last year, as well as a monthly Arabic story time. When she began her internship at the library, she didn’t see that strong sense of community.
Rashid also works at Orland Park Public Library as an adult services assistant, where she teams up with Alexander Pappas, youth reference librarian, on a monthly Arabic story time.
She has another Ramadan program at 5 p.m. March 10 at Acorn Public Library in Oak Forest, and an Arabic storytime at 4:30 p.m. March 19 and an Eid Al-Fitr celebration to break the fast at 1:30 p.m. April 4, both at the Palos Heights Public Library.
Rashid said library director Jesse Blazek and staff embraced her events when she suggested them. But Rashid said a goal was to make children happy.
“I love when I see children happy,” said Rashid, who has three sons, ages 8, 13 and 16 and lives in Palos Park.
It was also good to see their community, growing, she said. While 30 people attended the story hour last year, there were 65 this time.
“We all know each other,” said Rashid. “We are kind of community where we just grow together.”
This was the first year she teamed up with Dana and others from the Palos Islamic Center in Palos Park.
“This month we’re going to try to be extra good Muslim kids,” Dana told the children.
The participants seemed to be the stars of the event.
“It was so cute working with all the kids,” said Ahmed. “It looked like they had fun.”
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
