Home Secretary joins Muslims and Jews for Sadaqa Day

Theresa May Cooking with Mitzvah Day founder Laura Marks (right) and Daniela Pears (left) (Yakir Zur)

Home Secretary Theresa May joined Muslims and Jews for a day of charity, inspired and partnered by Mitzvah Day.

Marking the Muslim-led day of social action – Sadaqa Day – Theresa May joined members of the Jewish and Islamic faith at JW3 in London, to cook for the homeless.

The team of 14 cooks,  delivered their three course meal to a community centre in Cricklewood, in one of many events across the UK. 

The Home Secretary said: “This event – and hundreds like it around the country – show how coming together can help us create resilient, cohesive communities.”

May added, she “was delighted to see first-hand some of the important work that Mitzvah Day and Sadaqa Day are doing.”

Hampstead and Kilburn MP Tulip Siddiq participated in another interfaith cooking event at JW3 earlier in the week. 

Jewish-Muslim friendship group ‘Unity’ also marked the day, packing and donating items for Goods4Good – a charity assisting refugees in Borehamwood – where they packed items including socks, clothing, toothbrushes and stationary.

Packing clothes and other items ((C) Photo by Yakir Zur -9726-2)

They also supported the Jewish-Muslim Women’s Network Nisa Nashim in Harrow for their project, funding and packing lunches for the homeless at Stanmore Mosque.

Unity Goods4good packing

Unity project co-ordinator Radha Dudhia said: “Working together in this way on social action initiatives is really important and means a great deal to our members. We are able to build understanding and friendship between our communities whilst helping those in real need.”

Rosalind Bluestone the CEO of Goods4Good said: “Its inspiring that Jewish and Muslim women have united to make a huge impact and difference”.

Sadaqa Day, which was started in 2015 by Julie Siddiqi was inspired by Mitzvah Day, a Jewish-led day of social. 

Siddiqi said: “People rose to the challenge with those of all ages, and all backgrounds, joining in and creating a great buzz.” Mitzvah Day founder Laura Marks said Sadaqa Day “is a gift for the Jewish community. It provides another day for Jewish/Muslim engagement.”

Mitzvah Day’s interfaith chair Daniela Pears said: “It is a privilege for Mitzvah Day to partner with Sadaqa Day, which offers both Jews and Muslims another opportunity to get together through a mutual desire to help those in need around us”

Other interfaith projects took place across the country between 17 and 20 March.

http://www.jewishnews.co.uk/home-secretary-joins-muslims-and-jews-for-sadaqa-day/