The Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester
Established to develop the cultural and social ties between the Muslim and Jewish communities of Greater Manchester
10 August 2024
Adam Day is organised each year on 10 August by the UK arm of the Azeemia Foundation. The purpose of the event is to bring people together to reflect on mankind's common descent from Adam. The 2024 event was the 22nd year that an event has taken place in Manchester to commemorate Adam Day.
Our Co-Chair Cllr Heather Fletcher was one of the speakers.
Heather has consented to our publishing her speech below.
Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished guests. I am delighted to be speaking at this 22nd Adam Day
As some of you may recall, being Jewish, I like to consider a different Jewish concept each year and tie this in with Adam Day. Tonight, I wish to turn to the Jewish concept of MISHPOCHA. In its narrowest sense this simply means "THE FAMILY" consisting of blood relatives or relatives by marriage.
The family is very important in Jewish life and a big family meal is an integral part of every major festival such as Jewish New Year and Passover. It is also customary for the family to eat together every Friday night when the Sabbath commences.
MISHPOCHA in a broader sense includes friends as well as family. On another level I believe that we are part of a huge extended family which is the human family of all Adam’s descendants. Families are there for each other in both good times and bad times and must help each other face difficult challenges.
In the past few years there have been many instances of people helping out fellow members of the human family notwithstanding they are of different faiths and cultures. I will mention three such instances.
Firstly, after the murder of Lee Rigby, many Mosques in the London area were targeted and damaged. The Shomrim, a police-trained Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood patrol, stepped up to help their Muslim neighbours and provided extra security for the Mosques.
Secondly, further afield, Muslim groups raised over half a million dollars to the help the families of the victims who were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Thirdly, when a kosher restaurant in Prestwich was subject to an antisemitic arson attack, members of Khizra Mosque came to stand in solidarity with its owner and the wider Jewish community.
I am the Co-Chair of the Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester which has now been in existence for 19 years. It was co-founded by Afzal Khan MP and the late Henry Guterman.
In this time have organised 147 diverse events bringing together Muslim and Jewish people from across Greater Manchester. Many have become good friends, and I view our Muslim Jewish Forum as family/mishpocha too.
Recently one of our members, our good friend, Cllr Rabbi Arnold Saunders, was the victim of vitriolic abuse when he visited a Mosque in Prestwich. Our Forum immediately issued a statement condemning the abuse and showed solidarity with Rabbi Saunders who has attended a large number of our events. He is very much an integral part of our Muslim Jewish Forum family, and it was imperative we stood up for him. Afzal Khan MP and Forum Executive Committee Member Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar also rang up Rabbi Saunders to offer their support as soon as they heard what had happened.
It is pleasing to note that in these past 12 days, during these appalling riots, the number of anti-racists has vastly exceeded the racists. I believe that we should all mix together, like a large extended family, and learn from each other. This eradicates ignorance and intolerance and gives rise to a more cohesive, peaceful society.
Finally, I would like to thank the organisers for putting on another successful Adam Day. They have managed to get many people of all faiths and cultures together in one room chatting together displaying UNITY in DIVERSITY. In fact, we have chatted together and soon we shall eat together just like one big happy family or Mishpocha!
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The Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester
Established to develop the cultural and social ties between the Muslim and Jewish Communities of Greater Manchester