Senator David Knezek

Senator David Knezek, who resides in Dearborn Heights and represents the  fifth district, is dedicated to fasting for the full 30 days of Ramadan.

Knezek, a Catholic, told the AANews that he first began observing the holy month when he was a student at Crestwood High School. Growing up alongside his Muslim peers, he decided to fast with them. 

“It’s a great way, first and foremost, to connect with the community and understand what it is they are experiencing,” Knezek said.

Knezek said fasting is a good opportunity to do soul searching and be thankful for having the privilege to break bread at the end of the day. 

“It’s a great way to slow down, reflect and reconnect with yourself and to have a better understanding of who you are and what it is other people in the world go through each and every day,” he said. 

He admits fasting has become more challenging in the summer months, compared to when he would do it in the winter.

He noted that he learned a hard lesson on what not to eat for Sahoor. 

“I woke up for Sahoor and had peanut butter, which is not good for the rest of the day; it dried up my mouth,” he quipped. “But I think the whole point is to give you an opportunity to reconnect with your faith, renew your sense of purity and understand the struggles other go through around the world.”

As a state senator, Knezek travels to Lansing a few times a week. There, his colleagues have expressed interest in learning more about Ramadan once they’ve discovered that he’s abstaining from food and water from sunrise to sunset.

 “People first question me, ‘are you a practicing Muslim?’ And I say no, but many people in my community are,” Knezek said. “The feedback has been really good. Some people are really supportive off the bat and others open up to dialogue about things they don’t know about the faith. I am able to explain to them elements they may have not understood otherwise.”