Ramadan 2024 will be upon us before we know it. Muslims around the world eagerly anticipate the arrival of this sacred month, marked by fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. If you’re wondering about the timing of Ramadan in 2024, let’s delve into the specifics and the significance of this holiest month in Islam:

When is Ramadan 2024?

In 2024, Ramadan is expected to begin at sunset on Sunday, March 10. Ramadan 2024 will conclude with the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which begins at sunset on Tuesday, April 9. Ramadan’s start and end dates can vary slightly depending on location, based on the sightings of the moon and local customs.

Why is it so difficult to know when Ramadan starts? Because the start and end dates of Ramadan shift each year. Each occurrence of Ramadan is determined by the Islamic calendar, which is based on the lunar cycle, unlike the Gregorian calendar used in the United States. Because the lunar cycle is a bit shorter (about 29.5 days) compared to the typical 30- or 31-day Gregorian month, Ramadan’s start date moves forward in the secular calendar each year by roughly 11 days. For example, in 2025, Ramadan is expected to start on February 28.

Ramadan: A Time of Discipline and Growth

Ramadan holds immense spiritual significance for Muslims globally. During this month, Muslims commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad by fasting from dawn until sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and serves as a means of self-discipline, empathy for the less fortunate, and spiritual growth.

The days of Ramadan are characterized by increased worship, including the performance of special nightly prayers known as Taraweeh, recitation of the Quran, acts of charity (Zakat), and heightened devotion to prayer and reflection. The pre-dawn meal, Suhoor, and the evening meal to break the fast, Iftar, become special communal moments for families and communities.

Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan with diverse traditions and cultural practices. Each region infuses its unique customs into the observance of this holy month. Ramadan’s spirit fosters unity, empathy, and generosity among believers, transcending geographical boundaries.

Make your Ramadan count by donating to Embrace Relief’s International Hunger Relief!

Here at Embrace Relief, we have our own Ramadan tradition, as this time of year is home to one of our annual International Hunger Relief campaigns.

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you during this time of charity and giving Embrace Relief has been able to deliver nutritious food packages and meals to nearly 100,000 people in over 15 countries over our last three International Hunger Relief: Ramadan campaigns. We aim to reach even more families in need during Ramadan 2024, but we can’t do it alone!

The human body is resilient, but when it comes to a lack of food, even it has its limits.

We of course need a steady supply of calories from the food we eat in order to function. And our bodies are self-regulating, if we listen to them. When we go long stretches of time without eating, our stomach alerts us with a grumble, and our brain signals that we are hungry.

But what happens when we ignore those signals? And how long can we go without food before causing serious damage?

You can suffer serious health issues if you go too long without eating (or if you consume a less-than-adequate amount of food over a long-enough period of time), up to and including death. The time frame for these health issues varies based on your age, sex, body mass, water intake, and your environment. It’s believed that the average healthy person can survive approximately three weeks without eating, with more or less time depending on the above factors.

What happens when I don’t eat for a long time?

When you don’t eat for long periods of time, your body is not getting the energy it needs to keep your organs functioning properly. Normally, your body converts the food you eat into glucose, which provides energy. Once you’ve gone without eating long enough, your body begins looking for other sources it can burn:

• After eight hours or so without eating, your body will begin to break down the glucose stored in your liver and muscles (glycogen) to fuel organ function.
• After your body has used up all of its glycogen – usually 24 hours after the process begins – it will begin to use the fat stored in your body for energy. This is when health issues can begin to get really serious, including significant and dangerous weight loss, decreased brain function, and dizziness and fatigue.
• It may take days or weeks to burn through all of the fat stored in your body, depending on your body’s composition. But once your body has used up all of the fat, its only remaining source of fuel is muscle. This last stage of starvation sees muscles beginning to wither, causing grave and potentially irreversible damage to your heart (which is, of course, a muscle) and organs.

Starvation is a terrible ailment, breaking our regular organ functions and destroying our bodies from within. Obviously, going days or weeks without eating will cause starvation. But many around the world also suffer from long-term starvation, as they consume enough calories to survive, but not enough to keep the body functioning properly.

Especially in poorer and less-developed countries, millions of people – especially children – are dangerously underweight because they are undernourished. A calorie deficit can add up over months and years, leading to chronic health problems and shorter life spans.

In a world where we have more than enough food for every person on Earth, there is no reason for anyone to ever have to face this grim situation. Indeed, we all have a responsibility to ensure that our neighbors have enough to eat.

Help Embrace Relief provide food to people in need!

That spirit, and that commitment to easing hunger wherever it exists on the planet is one of the foundations of our work here at Embrace Relief. Hunger Relief is one of our flagship programs, and over the past decade we have shown our dedication by providing foot to vulnerable communities in more than 40 countries.

Right now, we are focused on the country of Yemen, where a conflict ongoing since 2014 has forced many people to flee their homes, and created conditions ripe for famine. As a result, nearly half of the country’s population of 33 million is undernourished and at risk for the long-term starvation we discussed earlier in this article.

To help the people of Yemen, Embrace Relief is providing food packages to families in need. These food packages will provide up to two weeks’ worth of nutritious, healthy food for a family of six. They will go a long way towards reversing the worst effects of long-term hunger.

But we need the generous support of people like you to make this happen!

Donate to our Ramadan 2024 campaign by using the field below and help us bring much-needed staple foods like pasta, beans, rice, lentils, and more to those in need. Every dollar makes a difference, and a gift of just $50 will help one more family go to bed on a full stomach.

Donate to Embrace Relief today and let’s work together to ease world hunger!

Bread: The Universal Food

Bread is a food for all occasions, seasons, and times of day. From toast at breakfast to sandwiches for lunch, and as an accompaniment for soups and salads during dinner, it adapts to various culinary contexts. It can star in celebratory feasts, like the stuffing we eat at Thanksgiving or as the foundation of a burger at a summer barbecue.

You can find good bread almost anywhere, but there’s something special about crafting your own. Baking homemade bread is a fun, simple and delicious task that can be done by just about anyone, just about anywhere. But what if I’m a beginner at baking? How do I make my own bread? Even if you’re just learning, simply follow our recipe below and soon you’ll have created a special, delicious loaf of bread of your own.

Before we begin, we would also like to ask you to help Embrace Relief share bread with others in need around the globe. At the end of this piece, we’ll tell you about our Breaking Bread With Yemen campaign, which is providing fresh bread to tens of thousands of Yemenis who are struggling due to the decade-long conflict there. You can donate to support this wonderful cause by clicking the red button below:

or you can read on to the end to learn more. But first, let’s bake some delicious bread!

Homemade Bread Recipe for Beginners

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110°F or 43°C)
  • Note: If your water is too hot, it will kill the yeast and result in dense, flat bread.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Equipment:

• Large mixing bowl
• Large kneading bowl
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Clean kitchen towel
• Plastic wrap
• 9×5-inch loaf pan

Instructions:

1. Gather your supplies

Before you begin, make sure you have all the above ingredients and equipment ready

2. Active the yeast

In the large bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Once dissolved, stir in the yeast. Let it stand for about 5-10 minutes, until the mixture becomes frothy.

3. Combine ingredients

Once the mixture is frothy, add the salt and oil into the large bowl. Begin by adding 3 cups of flour and mix with the spatula or spoon to combine. Mix in more flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. You may not need to use all 6 cups of flour; once the dough pulls away, you have completed this step.

4. Knead the dough

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, and knead with your hands for approximately 7-10 minutes. This involves folding the dough in half, pushing it down with the heel of your hand, and turning it a quarter turn. Once the dough is smooth and elastic, and only slightly sticky, you have completed this step.

5. First rise

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for about 60-90 minutes in a warm, draft-free place. It should double in size. During the last 15-20 minutes of this process, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

6. Shape the dough

Punch down the risen dough to release any air bubbles, and knead for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a loaf that is roughly the same width as your loaf pan.

7. Second Rise:

Place the shaped dough into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Cover the pan with the towel or plastic wrap again and let the dough rise for another 30-45 minutes. The top of the bread should be about 1 inch above the pan.

8. Bake the Bread:

Remove the cover and place the loaf pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

9. Enjoy!

Carefully remove the bread from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Once cooled, slice and enjoy your homemade, handmade bread with whatever spreads or toppings you prefer.

Share your bread with our friends in Yemen!

The pleasant scent and delicious taste of a fresh loaf of bread is a reminder of the abundance we share, especially during the holiday season. What if you could share your bread with those less fortunate?

Now, you can, thanks to Embrace Relief’s Breaking Bread With Yemen campaign. This campaign is raising money to support the operation of bakeries in Yemen’s capital city, Sanaa, which is supplying freshly baked bread – just like the bread you’re making today – to more than 100 families every single day.

The conflict in Yemen is nearing the end of its 10th year, and the resulting humanitarian crisis continues to affect most of the country. An estimated 17 million people, more than half of the Yemeni population, are food-insecure and at risk of severe short- and long-term effects of hunger and malnourishment. Additionally, more than 2.2 million children are unable to meet their nutritional needs on a daily basis, which puts them at risk for stunted physical, mental and emotional development.

Embrace Relief’s bread distribution program is doing its part to ensure that the people of Yemen receive the food they need for as long as the crisis continues. But we can’t do it without you.

Donate today to our Breaking Bread With Yemen campaign in the donation box below. Every dollar matters – just $100 will feed a Yemeni family for an entire month. This holiday season, give the gift of bread to a family in need!