Jewish and Muslim students make challah for the homeless
Youngsters at Wimbledon Cheder and Minhaj-ul-Quran Mosque in Forest Hill used their second Interfaith Student Exchange to help those in need
Jewish and Muslim students in London have teamed up to make challah for the homeless after swapping information about each other’s cultures.
Youngsters at Wimbledon Cheder and Minhaj-ul-Quran Mosque in Forest Hill used their second Interfaith Student Exchange, held over the last two weekends, to do something to help those in need of help.
When students from the mosque visited the synagogue and got involved, they came up with the idea of helping a local shelter during Challah braiding workshop. A second workshop investigated the Hebrew roots of many words in the Quran, particularly the names of the prophets and certain concepts related to Islamic belief.
There was even a competition, in which Jewish and Muslim teams had to read certain Arabic and Hebrew words and explain the significance behind them, before enjoying a meal which reflected European and Middle Eastern Jewish cuisine.
Then, when students from the shul came to the mosque, they took part in a short role-play involving a Muslim couple and a non-Muslim couple reacting to the same item of news, a terrorist attack including the shout of “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great).
Organiser Zain Hussain said: “As a Hebrew teacher at the Wimbledon Synagogue, and as a Muslim who is affiliated with the mosque, organising interfaith exchanges such as these has taught me much about what still needs to be done in terms of interfaith dialogue.”
He added: “While it is important to look at religious similarities, I believe interfaith dialogue is most beneficial when we discuss social and political issues that affect Jewish and Muslim communities, and even issues that we may not agree on.”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
