Joel Geffen, Director of the Religious Studies program at Henry Ford College, embarked on a fasting journey for one day this Ramadan to better understand what some of his students, and what poor people around the world, experience with hunger on a daily basis.“A former student of mine invited me to iftar,” Geffen said. “I didn’t want to be fat and happy when I got there. I wanted to have a similar experience with others who showed up. I wanted to know what it feels like to fast and cut off food and water, even for a day.”Geffen said his experience was strenuous. He fasted on a day that was sunny and warm, and he was required to work outdoors for many hours. “To be honest, it was very difficult,” he said. “I was thinking about food and water all day. It was a big challenge, maybe the largest one in my life. And I say that having earned one Ph.D and nearly two, along with two master’s degrees.” He added that the experience was enlightening because he got to sense at least a fraction of what people who struggle with poverty go through.As a professor, he has witnessed students go through hardships. Fasting gave him an opportunity to be in their some of their shoes for a day. “I asked myself, ‘What would it be like being one of my students, being that hungry and trying to focus on school work?” Geffen said. “Fasting increased my level of compassion for those who can’t afford food. I’m not a Muslim and could’ve broken my fast at any point during that period, but I chose not to. My thought was, ‘What if they can’t open up a fridge. What’s it like to go to class hungry?’ That was profound.” Geffen broke his fast at the end of the day with a Muslim family. He indulged in traditional Middle Eastern dishes such as fattoush, kibbe, falafel and chicken with garlic.Geffen’s journey deepened his sympathies with the Muslim community. He said it saddens him that its members are facing such heavy scrutiny, especially after seeing and experiencing how they are sincerely dedicated to a month long effort of spiritual and physical purification.   “I’m extraordinarily impressed with Muslims who fast,” Geffen said. “Also, I feel a sadness that Muslims are getting such a horrible reputation when the overwhelming majority are doing their best to be good people and become even better people.”