Eid al-Fitr Marks End of Ramadan
For the past month, many of our Muslim colleagues have been celebrating the holy season of Ramadan. From sunup to sundown each day they have been fasting from food and beverages, including water. They will break their fast on the last day of Ramadan, called Eid al-Fitr (meaning “break the fast”), expected to be observed with morning prayers on April 21.
Narjess Kardan, chaplain, Houston Methodist Hospital, offers reflections on the significance of the festival.
“As a Muslim, I experience it as a day of thanksgiving and joy. It is when we feel happy and give thanks to God that He enabled us to obey His commands.
“The spirit of Eid al-Fitr is marked by distinguished values and virtues, such as:
- Thanksgiving to God. It is a festival that marks the successful completion of an act of duty and devotion. It teaches me that real happiness results from performing one’s duty and making sacrifices for a noble objective.
- Experiencing joy and rejoicing. The month of Ramadan is a test from Almighty God. At the end of the month, we experience a great sense of achievement, joy, fulfillment and closeness to God.
- Maintaining ties of kinship. Eid al-Fitr is a day when Muslims become more keen to visit their relatives or friends. Muslim brothers and sisters greet one another by saying ‘Happy Eid’ or ‘May God accept your good deeds and ours’.
- Taking care of the poor and the needy. Although God commanded us to take care of the poor and the orphans throughout the year, taking care of them during Eid al-Fitr is given greater emphasis.”
Tell Us About Heritage Observances
Is there a heritage month or day you would like for others to learn more about? Please let us know. Contact theofficeofdei@houstonmethodist.org.
Fathers in Health Care Host Investing in the Future Discussion
The Fathers in Health Care ERG and Fidelity present a discussion on investment options for you and your family during the Investing in the Future discussion on Friday, April 28 from noon to 1 p.m. The virtual discussion will cover topics such as how to save for college, building wealth for retirement and being financially prepared for unexpected life events. Membership in the ERG is not required for participation. For more information, email FathersInHealthCare@houstonmethodist.org.
Use Your 2023 DEI Personal Day
Have you used your 2023 DEI Personal Day PTO hours? Eligible employees are free to use the PTO hours to celebrate days that are special to them or other members of their faith, race, nationality or anything else that makes them unique. Please note that unlike standard PTO, the hours do not roll over to the next year, so don’t forget to use your personal day before the last day of the final pay period of 2023, which is December 16, 2023. For more details, see HR Policy 72.
We would love to see how you spend your DEI Personal Day this year so we can share with your colleagues in upcoming editions of the DEI Corner. Please forward photos of you enjoying your DEI Personal Day to theofficeofdei@houstonmethodist.org.
Spanish Language DEI Learnings Available
The DEI Learning Team provides Spanish language sessions for three of its current learnings—Managing Unconscious Bias, Navigating Multi-Generational Teams and Recognizing the Impact of Microaggressions. Sign up today in LMS. For more information and to request a group session, email DEItraining@houstonmethodist.org.
DEI Glossary in DEI Toolkit
A “Glossary of Important DEI Terms” is available in the DEI Toolkit. The glossary provides definitions of more than 100 terms and is intended to provide clarity and context to help encourage the conversation around DEI topics.
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