​Friday marked the first night of the blessed month of Ramadan. Mashallah, it appears that the three principal ways of determining the matla’ produced the same result: a) Global moonsighting b) Local moonsighting c) Astronomical calculation.

I was genuinely pleased at this outcome. In years past, I would celebrate the diversity of opinion on this issue. “The fact that Muslims disagree on matters such as the beginning of Ramadan is proof of our sincerity. Each group is exhausting the full stock of its resources to determine God’s Will. Disagreement exists because these things matter to us.” In a certain sense, I would use the contentiousness of the Muslim community to explain what made us distinct in a time of widespread nihilism. That really strikes me as strange now.

​Although I haven’t repudiated my initial embrace of intramural religious pluralism, this year’s ALIM Winter Program, held at MCC East Bay, was a reminder of the value of unity. Disagreement is inevitable. However, elevating disagreement to being a “distinguishing feature” and badge of honor might have been a miscalculation. We are stronger and more capable of realizing the objectives of our collective mission when we are united.