A busy, lonely Ramadan at a New Jersey family's restaurant

When the Awda family of Patterson, New Jersey, sits down to break their daily fast during Ramadan, it is different than in years past.

This report produced by Zachary Goelman.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is marked by day-long fasts broken nightly with a feast called iftar.

But this year the need to self-isolate has meant a different sort of Ramadan for the Awda family of Patterson, New Jersey.

Not just for their personal lives, but for their business, running the Al-Mazaq restaurant.

No customers will be dining here after dark.

Lafta Mansour Awda told Reuters that Ramadan is normally spent praying in groups and socializing between dusk and dawn, but this year everything has moved into the house.

Family member Nizar Awda, who helps run the restaurant, said Al-Mazaq will be open for delivery and takeout.

But even with the business operating, the family matriarch says she can't wait to get back to normal.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JERSEY RESIDENT AND AL MAZAQ RESTAURANT OWNER, OM ANMAR, SAYING: "I hope to see an end to the epidemic and see life back to normal as it was before - beautiful.

We used to be busy with the customers in these kinds of days of Ramadan.

These circumstances are sad circumstances, but we have to be optimistic, and God-willing this ordeal will reach its end and life will be beautiful again, and we'll see our costumers having iftar with us." At sundown, the family were the only people in the restaurant, gathering to break the fast.