Jewish primary school hosts Imam in groundbreaking interfaith project

A  London Imam has spoken at a Jewish primary school as part of a groundbreaking interfaith project.

Imam Abdullah Hasan addressed students at Rosh Pinah primary last week, speaking at the school assembly before engaging with fifth and sixth year classes.

Organised by the Joseph Interfaith Foundation (JIF) as a part of its “Confronting Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia” project, the Imam spoke about charity, prayer, halal food and fasting, in Islam.

After being introduced by Rabbi David Lister at the assembly, who along with Hasan sits on the National Council of Imams and Rabbis of the foundation, the Imam then answered quuestions from students in their classes.

Imam Hasan told Jewish News, he was “very pleased to have participated”.

“Such interfaith interactions provide the foundation for mutual respect and genuine cooperation between the Muslim and Jewish communities.”

Rabbi Jonathan Spector, Deputy Head of Rosh Pinah said “it was an excellent morning” that the children found fascinating and “learnt a tremendous amount”.

“It was pitched at just the right level and the Imam did a brilliant job explaining difficult things in a child friendly way.”

Mehri Niknam, Executive Director of JIF commended Rosh Pinah “for showing leadership in promoting greater community cohesion”, in becoming the first primary school to invite an Imam.

The Joseph Interfaith Foundation has been running this project at Muslim schools for the last two years and is now expending it to Jewish primary and secondary schools.