RAMALLAH, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of the Eid al-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, many Palestinian women made homemade traditional feast cakes to sell to neighbors or on online platforms in a bid to help support their families.
"I have been making traditional cakes since my husband died a few years ago. This helps me earn some money to sustain my kids," said Um Yusef, a widow from Qabatiya town in the West Bank city of Jenin.
Flipping some dough in a bowl, Um Yusef told Xinhua that the Eid al-Adha festival represents "a lifeline and a good source of income," noting that customers prefer to send orders hours before the festival in order to offer fresh cakes to their guests.
"Despite the hardship of working long hours, the economic return is really satisfying. The day before the festival is always busy," the mother of three said as she put trays full of cakes into the oven.
Um Youssef used to promote her cakes through acquaintances and neighbors. Recently, she started to market them on her Facebook page, hoping to receive more orders via the online platform.
Some Palestinian women, especially the employed ones, prefer to buy homemade festival cakes from housewives instead of from the shops.
"My friends recommend Um Yusef's traditional cakes to me and I really like them," Kifah Alawneh, a school principal, told Xinhua.
Alawneh, who looked happy after receiving the cakes to cater to her visitors on the first day of Eid al-Adha, said dealing with Um Yusef has established a mutual trust between them.
Um Mohammed, a woman from the West Bank, also has been working for years in making homemade Eid cakes.
"Homemade Eid cakes are usually of better quality than those sold in shops, and this is why people prefer to buy Eid cakes from housewives," the woman in her 60s told Xinhua.
Um Mohammed, who makes cakes together with other women, used to sell cakes up to 70 kg during the festive season.
"This year, it seems different because the required quantities are fewer than previous years," she said. Enditem