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Established to develop the cultural and social ties between the Muslim and Jewish communities of Greater Manchester

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Greater Manchester’s Faith Communities Respond to Woolwich Attack

23 May 2013

The brutal and senseless killing of Drummer Lee Rigby has caused great sadness in our communities. It is always difficult to know how to respond to such acts but we join our prayers alongside those of his local community in Middleton for his family and friends and all who are offering care and support at this time.

Over the course of the day, faith and interfaith leaders from Greater Manchester have contacted each other to put together a response from across our diverse communities. We drafted a statement, below, and you will see that many leaders of our communities have put their names to it. Many more would probably wish to do so but may not have seen it yet.

"We, as representatives of many of Greater Manchester’s faith communities, deplore the terrible attack that took place yesterday in Woolwich. We pray for the victim of this attack, his family and all who witnessed this tragic event. We call for peaceful responses that repudiate hatred and build bridges across our communities.

All our religions hold the sanctity of human life as a core principle. No grievance can justify such a barbaric assault that has cost a young man his life. Terrorism has no place on our streets.

We will redouble our efforts to work for peace, love, understanding and hope."

Ann Angel
Member of Jewish Community and Altrincham Interfaith Group

Catherine Pridgeon
Altrincham Interfaith Group

Rev Danny Crosby
Unitarian Minister at Dunham Road Unitarian Chapel, Altrincham and Queens Road Unitarian Free Church, Urmston

Councillor Afzal Khan CBE
Chair of Manchester Council of Mosques

Mohammed Amin
Co-Chair Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester

Jonny Wineberg
Vice-Chair Faith Network 4 Manchester, Co-Chair Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester

Heather Fletcher
Company Secretary Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester

Bob Day
Chair, Faith Network 4 Manchester

Charles Kwaku-Odoi
Faith Network 4 Manchester, Command Prayer Centre Ministries Int.

Qaisra Shahraz
Faith Network 4 Manchester

Ravi Kakkar and Poonam Kakkar
Hindu representatives Manchester

Frank Baigel
President, Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region

Sharon Bannister
Vice-President, Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region

Warren Elf
Faith Network 4 Manchester and Salam Shalom

Irfan Syed
UK Unity Group

Carolyn Jones
Hon Sec of Altrincham Interfaith Group and member of Dunham Road Unitarian Chapel

Rabbi Haim Shalom
Rabbi of Menorah Synagogue, Cheshire Reform Congregation

Rev John Rafferty
Chair, Altrincham Interfaith Group

Lucille Cohen
Altrincham Interfaith Group, former President of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester

Gordon Levy

Chan Parmar
Bolton Interfaith Council

Altrincham Muslim Association

Michael Cooke, Philip Austin, Tony McNeile, Faruk Ali, Bolton Interfaith Council and The Faith Leaders Forum of Bolton

Faiths United (Tameside)

Suresh Mehta
Jain Community

Councillor Nilofar Siddiqi
Sufi Muslim community

David Arnold (former President of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester) and Region & Revd Canon Steve Williams (Secretary of Greater Manchester Faith Community Leaders)
Co-chairs Manchester Council of Christians and Jews

Revd Richard Church
Moderator, North West Synod, United Reformed Church

Revd Keith Davies
Chairman, Manchester and Stockport District, Methodist Church

Revd Paul Martin
Chairman, Bolton and Rochdale District, Methodist Church

 

 

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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

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