Jews and Muslims celebrate Succot in a mosque

Jews and Muslims celebrated Succot together this week when The Al Khoei Islamic Centre hosted Brondesbury Park Synagogue’s succah..

Organised by Faiths Forum For London, this was the second year that the Jewish and Muslim communities have come together to celebrate the festival of Succot, which saw them share a Kosher Succot brunch.

The partnership – between a British mosque and synagogue – was initially inspired by the terrorist attack on a Jewish Kosher Supermarket in Paris 2015, the events of that day motivating the local Imam and Rabbi from Brondesbury Park to build on the bridges created between their two communities.

This year’s gathering was about reinforcing the cohesion between the two communities and set a practical example to both the immediate and wider communities across the UK.

The event included talks on faith, communities and homelessness, while attendees brought non-perishable food items that were donated to a local food bank.

Rabbi Natan Levy, Head of Operation for Faiths Forum for London, said: “The Succah in a Mosque initiative, supported by The Faiths Forum for London, commemorates the Jewish Festival of Succot. A seemingly simple project but it represents so much more as it brings together the Muslim and Jewish communities promoting dialogue and learning about our commonalities. Food, people and a hut with no doors, where everyone is invited, is a great combination to build on the foundations created from last year’s event.”