Syrian Culture Resource

8/19/2019 Syrian Culture Resource

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Syrian Culture Resource

Heather Franks

Cohort 34

Spring 2005


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Topic References

1. Religions

2. Holidays

3. Education

4. Faily !i"e

5. #hat $eachers Should %nderstand

&. !iterature'. $eacher (uidelines

). $he *atree+ Faily, -ourney to erica


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Religions

/aority religion, Sunnite /usli ther /usli religions, laites sailis

and Shiite 6on7/usli aority religion, Christian

(reek rthodo8 and erican rthodo8

/inority religions, 9ruses :related tosla; -eish :dindling


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Majority Religion

/uslis practice the "i=e pillars o" sla. Shahada is the pro"ession o" "aith, >$here is no (od

+ut (od :llah; and /ohaed is his prophet.?

Salat is the re@uireent to pray "i=e ties a day, atdan idday id7a"ternoon sunset and e=ening.

Zakat is the gi=ing o" als to the poor.

Saum is the re@uireent to "ast "ro sunrise tosunset during the onth o" Raadan.

Hajj is the pilgriage to /ecca that /uslis ust

ake at least once in their li=es.A /ay include a stop in /edina to pay respects at the

Brophets gra=e. http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaD


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Majority Religion

Sunnite /usli, e+er o" the +ranch o"

sla that accepts the "irst "our caliphs as

right"ul successors to /uhaad. Caliph, the ci=il and religious leader o" a /usli state

considered to +e a representati=e o" llah on earth any

radical /uslis +elie=e a *hali"ah ill unite all slaic lands

and people and su+ugate the rest o" the orld.?

A *hali"ah, synony o" caliph http,DD.orldre"erence.co

http://www.worldreference.com/http://www.worldreference.com/


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Majority Religion

/usli, +elie=er or "olloer o" sla sla, the onotheistic religion o" /uslis "ounded

in ra+ia in the 'th century and +ased on the

teachings o" /uhaad as laid don in the *oran.A *oran, $he sacred ritings o" sla re=ealed +y (od to the

prophet /uhaad during his li"e at /ecca and /edina.

A /uhaad, $he ra+ prophet ho "ounded sla :5'07&32; /ecca, oint capital :ith Riyadh; o" Saudi ra+ia located in

estern Saudi ra+ia as the +irthplace o" /uhaad it is theholiest city o" sla.

/edina, city in estern Saudi ra+ia site o" the to+ o"/uhaad the second ost holy city o" sla

G http,DD.orldre"erence.co



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Minority Religion

9rue, an adherent o" an esoteric onotheisticreligious sect li=ing in the relati=e security o"the ountains o" Syria and !e+anon ho+elie=es that l7haki as an incarnation o"(od. Esoteric, con"ined to and understanda+le +y only an

enlightened inner circle.

l7haki, an saili caliph o" Egypt ho declaredhisel" an incarnation o" (od and "ounded the9rue religious sect :I)571021;.

A http,DD.orldre"erence.co



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Holidays

Syrian /usli Holidays Raadan

Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Adha

/uharra

Syrian Christian Holidays Christas

Catholic or rthodo8 Easter


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Syrian Muslim Holidays

$he dates o" /usli holidays change

yearly

$he slaic religion "ollos the !unar

calendar.

354 days in a year

A Each year the holidays are 11 days earlier thanthe pre=ious year.


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Raadan, 6inth onth o" the slaiccalendar.

Fast "ro sunrise to sunset. tie "or re"lection o" spiritual atters.

Shos de=otion to llah and /ohaed.

Juilds sel"7discipline and encourages copassion"or those ho are less "ortunate.

9uring Raadan "ailies eat their e=ening ealith each other.

A http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaDholidays.htl

http://cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.htmlhttp://cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html


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Eid al-Fitr , $he >+reaking o" the "ast? at theend o" Raadan.

Beople eat special "oods including seets andany people stay up all night.

Kisit "aily and ear ne clothes.

Children recei=e gi"ts o" oney "ro their relati=es.A $here are rides "or children in the streets and "ireorks at

night. $he cele+ration is three days.




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Eid al-Adha, !asts "our days and coes

at the end o" the traditional season o"

pilgriage to /ecca. Cele+rates +rahas illingness to

sacri"ice his son to (od.


http://cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.htmlhttp://cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.htmlhttp://cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.htmlhttp://cp.settlement.org/english/syria/holidays.html


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/uharra, $he +eginning o" the "irst onth inthe Hijara :lunar; calendar. s the /usli 6e Lear.

Coeorates the day on hich /ohaed andhis "olloers le"t /edina "or /ecca.

Festi=als held throughout the year,A Balyra Festi=al, Held in the desert and "eatures singing

and dancing as ell as cael and horse races.

A !atakia Syria, peace "esti=al is held during the onth o" ugust.

A Septe+er an international "olk "esti=al is held in Jusra. $he "esti=al continues e=ery night "or three eeks.

G http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaDholidays.htl



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Syrian Christian Holidays

Christian Syrians cele+rate Christas

and the Catholic or rthodo8 Easter.

Counities cele+rate these holidays.

nly a "e decorations appear in

Christas tie

A Christas lights are uncoon. http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaDholidays.htl



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Education

Briary education is "ree.

ttendance is andatory "or ages & to 15.

Students ear a green ilitary7style uni"or. $aught in ra+ic.

!earning a second language is andatory at

eight years7old. /ost students study English.

Religion is taught also.


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Education

Secondary education is "ree at state schools.

ges 15 to 1).

Four uni=ersities. Students pay a sall tuition to attend.

!iteracy rate has increased signi"icantly o=er

the last 20 years.

+out '1M.

A )&M o" en and 5&M o" oen.

http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaD


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Family Life—Children

Ha=ing children is =ery iportant.

#hen a couple has a son the parents

take the nae o" their "irst son.

i.e., " they nae their son Lassar the

"ather +ecoes Abu Lassar or >"ather o"

Lassar? and the other +ecoes Umm Lassar or >other o" Lassar.?

A http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaD


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Family Life—Marriage

Children do not lea=e their parents hoeuntil arriage. Soe nelyed couples li=e ith their parents "or

a "e years a"ter arriage.

#eddings are aor social e=ents. rranged arriages are coon in Syria.

n the city there is usually ore "reedo to choosea arriage partner.

A Barents o" couple ust * the arriage.

$he groo pays a +ride7price :ar; to the +rides"aily.



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Family Life—Status

/en ha=e a strong indi=idual and "ailyhonor :ird;.

#oen do not ha=e e@ual status. /en and oen rarely socialie together

outside the hoe.

t is legal "or /uslis to ha=e ultiplei=es.

Rare "or Syrian "ailies to di=orce.A http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaD


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Family Life—Relatives

$he elderly are respected.

Elders li=e ith their "ailies their entire li"e.

6ursing hoes are not a=aila+le. death in the "aily entails three days o"

ourning.

#oen relati=es o" the deceased ust ear +lackonths a"ter their passing.



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Family Life—Structure

Batriarchal, $he hus+and or >head

an? is the leader o" the hoe.

Feales +eginning at a young age aree8pected to >help raiseNedO younger

+rothers and sistersPand continueNdO

that o+ligation until her deathP? $he *atree+ Faily


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spects of Culture that Teachers Should !nderstand

Feale students ay see to +e reclusi=e.$his can +e attri+uted to their lack o" socialstanding in Syria.

Syrian students o" /usli decent ill need topray during the school day. Set up a >special? place here they can go to pray.

Syrian students o" /usli decent are notgoing to eat at school during lunch hile theyare o+ser=ing Raadan. Je understanding o" their religious holiday. $his is

a practiced /uslis ha=e +een o+ser=ing "orcenturies.


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$he ter /ohaedanis is o""ensi=eto /uslis ho +elie=e that llah not

/uhaad "ounded their religion. $eachers should +e care"ul o" the

@uestions they ask or coents adea+out a students religion.

$eachers should research the studentsreligion to preept a "au8 pas.

A http,DD.orldre"erence.co


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#hen you need to speak ith a parento" your Syrian student the other ay

not +e alloed to ake a >decision?a+out her child ithout "irst consultingher hus+and.

$he ost iportant piece o" in"orationto keep in ind is that there is no>typical? Syrian student or "aily ust asthere is not in the %S.


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Soe "ailies ha=e coe here to "ind sa"etyaare "ro the constant ar in the /iddle Eastthat has +een going on "or centuries hileothers are coing "or +etter opportunities.

$reat each "aily as their on unit. $he ayyou ill handle situations regarding a studentdepends a lot on the religious and social

+ackground that student coes "ro in Syriaand the aount o" education the parents ha=ehad.


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Syria is an old country ith an e8tensi=e religious andpolitical +ackground.

Holy ars ha=e +een constant in Syria and

surrounding countries "or a long tie. Syria used to +e a larger country containing the land

o" hat is not srael and !e+anon. Jecause o" Syrias e8tensi=e history students ay

ha=e i8ed eotions regarding the %S and Syria. $ake the students "eelings into consideration. Je

+oth patient and understanding o" their countryshistory.


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Literature

9isney is uni=ersalQ

/iddle Eastern children are =ery "ailiar ith

9isney. Lou ay consider using a 9isney +ooksuch as >$he !ion *ing? to pro=ide the student a

co"ort one.

Cook+ooks

!et the children share their >Funds o" *noledge?through di""erent cook+ooks.

A Jelie=e it or not Jetty Crocker has cultural "oodsQ


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Literature

Concept Jooks

Concept +ooks tend to +e "illed ith

pictures. Students can learn the Englishters and share the ra+ic ters in the

concept +ook ith the class.


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Literature

%se these titles in your classroo as are"erence "or you as a learning e8perience"or your nati=e students and as a "ailiare8perience "or your Syrian student:s;, hsan /./. Muslim Festivals. llustrated +y

/./. hsan. Kero Jeach F!, Rourke Enterprises1I)'.

Jloo -onathan and Sheila S. Jlair. IslamicArts. Art and Ideas. !ondon, Bhaidon Bress1II'.


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Literature

Jloo -onathan and Sheila S. Jlair.

Islam : A Thousand Years of Faith and

Power. 6e Ha=en C$ and !ondon, Lale%ni=ersity Bress 2002.

Jurns *hephra. Mansa Musa. llustrated

+y !eo 9iane 9illon. San Francisco,

Harcourt Jrace 2001. Chal"onte -essica. I Am Muslim. 6e Lork

, Boer*ids Bress 1II&.


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Literature

Ellis 9e+orah. The Breadwinner . $oronto

C, (roundood 2000.

(oodin -an. Price of Honor: MuslimWomen Lift the eil of !ilence on the

Islamic World. 6e Lork, Blue 1II5.

*essler Cristina. "ne #i$ht: A !tor% from

the &esert. llustrated +y an Schoenherr.

6e Lork, Bhiloel Jooks 1II5.


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Literature

6a"" li8a. The Ara' Americans. 6e Lork,

Chelsea House 1I)).

6ye 6aoi Shiha+. The Fla$ of (hildhood:Poems from the Middle )ast. 6e Lork,

laddin Baper+acks 2002.

6ye 6aoi Shiha+. The !*ace Between

"ur Footste*s: Poems and Paintin$s fromthe Middle )ast. 6e Lork, Sion

Schuster 1II).


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Literature

#eiss7rush nne /arie. Ara'ian

(uisine. llustrated +y -ohn Jerry.

Jeirut !e+anon , 9ar n7na"as 1I)4. #prser Richard. American Islam:

+rowin$ ,* Muslim in America. 6e

Lork, #alker Co. 1II4.


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"uidelines for Teachers

*no that "eales ay not ha=e the

sae aount o" education as ales the

sae age +ecause oen do not ha=ethe sae rights as en.

#hen pro+ing the class do not put

students on the spot unless they areco"orta+le


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For counselors


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$hough these students ha=e +een

educated any ties the schools are

o=ercroded on dou+le session andithout up7to7date in"oration.

Lou ay ha=e +uild an entirely ne

"oundation o" knoledge "or that studentand o=ercoe their isconceptions or out7

o"7date conceptions regarding acadeics.


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The #atree$ Family% &ourney to merica

1)I4


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1)I471)I&


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1)I'7"e years

Elias and Sarah ere a+le to a""ord to +ring

Elias sister and hus+and to the %S andSarahs to +rothers.

A nn and her hus+and o=ed to /c*eesport.

A Sarahs +rothers o=ed to #est 6eton.

$he aority o" Syrian iigrants "ro Jur Sa"ita

ere li=ing in #est 6eton at that tie.


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6ot all o" the *atree+7!i++os "aily as

a+le to enter the %S +ecause o" @uota

reasons. /any e+ers o" y "aily iigrated to

Jrail here that part o" the "aily still is

today.


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Resources and References

http,DD.orldalanac"orkids.coDe8

ploreDnationsDsyria.htl

http,DD.scils.rutgers.eduDM'Ek=anderDChildren!itDislaicliteratur

e.ht

http,DD.scils.rutgers.eduDM'Ek=anderDChildren!itDinde8.htl


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Resources and References

http,DDcp.settleent.orgDenglishDsyriaDhol

idays.htl

http,DD.orldre"erence.co *atree+ Charles. $he *atree+ Faily.

Florida 1II5.

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