So do Jews hate Muslims and visa versa do Muslims hate Jews?
The answer to that is simple: NO! I can only relate to stories of my experience in Marbella. When I came to Marbella first I noticed that a mosque sat on a very prominent site on Marbella’s Golden Mile. I heard that the then King of Saudi Arabia built it alongside his Marbella palace. Not far from the mosque is the synagogue in Marbella , in fact the first purpose built synagogue in Spain since the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 under the orders of Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was the royal decrees issued in 1492 and 1501 ordering Jews and Muslims to convert or leave. A large majority of Jews did leave and settled in Morocco, Casablanca etc. Those who stayed did convert and to this day many Spanish Catholic families have Jewish blood flowing through their veins.
The Marbella Jewish community has a close and warm relationship with the Marbella Muslims community, in fact the Imam of the Marbella Mosque has spent many happy times attending functions in our synagogue. The relationship between the two communities I believe is an example that should be followed throughout the world. This morning I came across this article in the UK press that an organisation which works to foster links between Jews and Muslims has won a national interfaith award. The Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester was named as winners of the Spirit of Britain prize at the British Muslim Awards 2014 last night. A spokes person said.
“I hope more people join us and spread our positive message that Muslim people and Jewish people can work together and learn from each other. There is a need for all of us to try and unite in our global village. It is important that we reach out to one another.”
In fact Manchester and Marbella are not the only Jewish/Muslim communities that this hand of friendship is achieved. There are many Facebook and Twitter sites that promote friendship between the two faiths i.e. www.facebook.com/pages/Jews-love-Muslims-Muslims-love-Jews/540043582672884 who have close to 100,000 ‘Likes’ . There are charities that also promote friendship like Children of Peace www.childrenofpeace.org.uk which is a UK based charity that works with both Israeli and Palestinian children to build positive relationships for a future generation, whose communities might live and work in peace, side-by-side. It was In 1999, Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said founded the West-Eastern Divan as a workshop for Israeli, Palestinian and other Arab musicians. www.west-eastern-divan.org
I believe there are a lot of myths printed and reported about the hatred between Jews and Muslims. I hope I have dispelled a lot of those myths today. And for those of you who are disappointed to learn the truth perhaps you could spend less of your time writing about the hatred of Jew and Muslim and possibly more time to studying the facts.
Good morning Mr Boland. I am part of an organisation that helps promote friendship between Jews and Muslims. I read with great interest you blog and thank you for your words. I have your email address from your Facebook and I will send you information of our organisation.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent article. I hope this will let people know and understand that the only way to everlasting peace is through friendship and understanding. I enjoy your blog so much Maurice thank you
ReplyDeleteDitto to all that Naomi says. Keep up your excellent work.
ReplyDeleteWe spend six months of the year in our home Bradford and the remainder in thankfully Calahonda, Costa del Sol. In reference to your blog, did you know for years, the Jews and Muslims of Bradford have lived in close proximity to each other: Bradford's only remaining synagogue sits just 500 meters from the city's main mosque in the inner city neighborhood of Manningham. But both communities kept themselves to themselves. That was until the synagogue's roof started to leak and Bradford's Muslim community stepped in as a surprise donor for the repairs. Needles to say both community's now share a very friendly relationship. Nothing annoys me more than ignorant people writing about Jews and Muslims hating each other.
ReplyDeleteAs an Israeli I am very much for the co existence of jews and Arabs in the goal of peace. Let's hope that the current negotiations between Israel and the Palestiniens will end up in success.
ReplyDelete