Rabbi Helen Freeman, West London Synagogue 

“West London Synagogue has always wanted to extend the hand of friendship to those struggling to adapt to a new country. In the war years, the Synagogue was a home from home. For many Jewish refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe, it was open 24 hours a day.

“West London was hit by a bomb and its beautiful ornate painted ceilings were destroyed. Our community raised much money to repair and restore it but was then asked to use the money to rescue Jewish children traumatized from Nazi death camps. Of course, children’s lives matter more than buildings however beautiful, and the money was used to save many lives.

“We keep the Synagogue ceiling plain ever since as reminder that human beings matter more than buildings, and it is our religious duty to help refugees and asylum seekers.”

Jonathan Miller, American International Church London

“Whether we’re British, whether we’re European, whether we’re American, or from somewhere else no matter where we come from, and this is true for many who are here tonight, we didn’t come from London. This isn’t our original home.

“Many of us were able to choose to be here. But we know that is not the case for many people. Many who come to London do not have a choice, they are fleeing war or the bindings of poverty. And we want to extend the welcome that we received when we came to London (to them) in the same way.”

Tim Finch, Peckham Sponsors Refugees

“The Al-Shaabins are a Syrian family, they’re from Daraa. Like so many Syrians they had to flee their home because of the conflict and persecution. They then lived for a number of years in Jordan, in an increasingly precarious situation.”

During the following Q&A, Mohammad the eldest son of the Shaabin family, through a translator, shared the challenges they faced, the relief they felt settling here in the UK, and his excitement about one day setting up his own business. Like almost all refugees, the objective for seeking refuge in another country is to find safety, followed by a strong desire to be self-sufficient. Their work ethic is excellent.

Gulwali Passarlay, an Afghan refugee and author of The Lightless Sky

Speaking of the complications of asylum, “The journey of bureaucracy was much harder than the journey I took halfway across the world which took me about a year. The reason I was able to overcome it is that people supported me, people helped me.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the things we do for people, over a coffee, just go and sit down and listen to them. Especially refugees who have been through so many difficulties and hardships.

“This evening shows that by coming together we have so much more in common than our differences. We have the ability to touch people’s lives and I think we should do that in a positive way. Friendship plays a really big role in integrating refugees and helping them overcome their adversity.”

Ben Walker, Co-Chair, The City Circle

“We should also remind ourselves how fortunate we are to live in a society that openly encourages’ learning and interfaith friendship. For, in far too many parts of the world, faith is still used to divide rather than unite societies.

“When City Circle was set up 20 years ago, one of our charitable objectives was to increase the understanding of the Muslim faith. An open circle for open minds was the motto and we encouraged people to keep learning into adulthood and to be a platform for people to discuss issues that matter to people. It’s in this spirit that we are gathered here tonight.

The tradition and concept of seeking refuge can be traced back to the earliest period of Islam when the Muslim residents of Makkah were being persecuted by some of the pagans of the city, so they had to migrate to Madinah.

Checking the Islamic history and the Prophet’s biography, one would find a term called “the Ansars“, meaning, “the Helpers”, and referring to men and women who opened their homes to the Muslim refugees seeking shelter and safety.

The month of Ramadan is one in which many Muslims do more to help those in need. Part of this falls within the Prophetic example of migrating away from places where a person is not free or safe to practice their faith, to places where these freedoms are granted.

This is why the city of Madinah has such importance, as does the Constitution of Madinah, which brought Muslims and non-Muslims together into a treaty where they support one another’s freedoms and right to live.

One of the best ways to respond to this Prophetic example is to provide support for those seeking safety and the opportunity to live their lives freely.

Whether it’s opening up a synagogue to help refugees, opening up a mosque to help refugees, working with community initiatives to find housing for refugees, or simply contributing financially to initiatives that support refugees. May we all be blessed with the ability to extend the hand of friendship?

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