25 March 2019

Nottingham Liberal Synagogue and Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community both took part in Sadaqa Day, the Muslim day of social action inspired by Mitzvah Day that took place on Sunday.

The Nottingham event was held at the Salaam Shalom Kitchen – a joint enterprise led by the synagogue and Muslim charity Himmah – where members of all faiths got to together to provide food and care parcels to some of the city’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

They served a delicious hot meal of vegetable rice and dhaal with samosas and salad, before giving out mishloach manot parcels (pictured below) that cheder children had made during Purim. The parcels contained sweets as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Peterborough Liberal Jewish Community also supported the homeless by taking part in a baking project (pictured above) run by Nisa-Nashim, the Jewish Muslim women’s network.

As well as baking cakes for those at Peterborough Soup Kitchen, they also prepared 50 rounds of sandwiches and 50 food bags containing the cake, fruit and crisps. Enough food was made to last for the next day too.

In total there were 15 joint Jewish/Muslim projects on Sadaqa Day, with interfaith social action events also taking place in London, Manchester, Leeds, Bournemouth and Cardiff, all helping some of the most vulnerable in society.

Sadaqa Day founder Julie Siddiqi praised the support of the Jewish community, especially coming in the wake of the terrorist attack at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Julie said: “Now in its fifth year, I love seeing the creativity of people and the different activities they organise on Sadaqa Day. After the horrors of Christchurch it has meant so much to British Muslims that our Jewish and other friends have reached out and shown so much love and support.

“Sadaqa Day is a time to come together and really get active in helping and serving others”