Bagels and bhajis....

We need cheering up during this dismal week post Nairobi, so here’s a ‘feel-good’ story that has had very little coverage outside the area .

 

Remember how the Muswell Hill mosque was destroyed (allegedly by the EDL)after the murder of a soldier ?

 

Where does the local Muslim-Somali community pray now?

 

Why, in the local synagogue.

 

Almost immediately after the outrage, the Rabbi offered  to share the building with them. More than that, they invited them to Sukkot.

 

Here is what the local paper had to say:

 

‘Sukkot remembers the way Jewish people lived wandering in the desert for 40 years, building tents to give them temporary shelter - a message all the more poignant for the two communities this year.

 

 

Rabbi Berger said: “I couldn’t stand idly by when I heard they didn’t have anywhere to pray. We wanted to do this as a public display of solidarity and in it, we’ve actually formed a unique friendship. At a time when there’s animosity between the two religions, we are trying to show people we are neighbouring communities who have a lot in common’.

 

 

The synagogue was used for prayer during Ramadan, and Jews and Muslims celebrated Eid together; bagles and bhajis; kosher and halal.

 

 

And when I was devilling this story I was surprised to see that in the US it is becoming increasingly common for the local synagogue to be used by both Jews and Muslims.