News

Feb 01

Why We As Muslims Must Challenge Antisemitic Language Like This

The sad fact is that both Christian and Muslim communities have been affected by antisemitic tropes and language over specific times in history and in the modern world. The language and the tropes remain similar though historical events and linguistic impacts may be different. These tropes against Jews heighten when power relations are misused to blame or demonise Jews for problems that may be taking place in society, or when Read more

Jan 27

This Holocaust Memorial Day, we need to stand together against antisemitism

By Elizabeth Arif-Fear, Trustee Every year, on 27th January, the world commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day. Remembering the horrors of the past is essential in order to ensure to stop such tragic events from repeating themselves. This date is particularly poignant as it marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where at least 1.1 people were murdered. Throughout the Holocaust, Jews, Roma, members of the LGBT+ community, political prisoners, disabled individuals Read more

Jan 11

The U.A.E. unites Yemeni Jewish Families Separated for Decades

The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) has facilitated two families of Yemeni Jewish heritage in their re-unification in the country. The U.A.E. helped in bringing together two Jewish Yemeni families and their relatives who had not seen each other for decades, this coming after the country facilitated the re-unification of another family of Jewish heritage a few months ago. These re-unification drives have been part of a warming of relations between Read more

Dec 15

Thousands of Israelis Will Visit the United Arab Emirates

The Abraham Accords have moved the politics of division in the Middle East to the point where flights of tourists are travelling to both Israel and the United Arab Emirates, with more visitors heading from Israel to the Gulf State. We believe that the mixing and engagement of communities is the only way to create stronger and more resilient cultural, research and economic links. This leads to less conflict in Read more

Oct 06

Growing antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate in Europe is a wake up call

Last Sunday, on the 5th of October 2020, a young Jewish student coming out of a synagogue in Hamburg was attacked by a man wearing army fatigues. He was carrying a shovel with him, which was used in the antisemitic attack. This came less than a year from another antisemitic attack in the eastern city of Halle. The perpetrator in the latest attack was arrested and a piece of paper Read more

Sep 22

With a new year comes renewed commitments – Including fighting Holocaust denial

[By Elizabeth Arif-Fear, Trustee (MAAS)] Just when we think things couldn’t get any more shocking when it comes to antisemitism, a recent survey came out, with once again disheartening results. Commissioned by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), the research looked into the views of millennial and Generation X adults’ (aged 18 and 35) in the USA surrounding the Holocaust. The results revealed some disturbing realities Read more

Sep 13

The strange case of the ‘Holohoax’: How social media is providing a warm home to conspiracy theories

Jewish communities have, for as long as history has been recorded, faced a significant threat because of who they are. These threats have materialised in a number of ways, for example, through the use of conspiracy theories. Such theories are, but not limited to, Jews running the global financial markets, or controlling the media. The prevalence of such theories can be found on the world wide web, a place where Read more

Aug 22

There is a New Wind of Change for Stronger Muslim and Jewish Relations

A wind of change is coming and it has been re-ignited by national and political alliances between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Whatever the dynamics behind the politics, the truth is that Muslims and Jews are in a better place by hands of peace being offered, rather than the dialogue of conflict and the force of arms. One of the most divisive elements between both faith communities has been Read more

Aug 11

As the Economy Falters Post Covid, Jews & Muslims Have Joint Risks

As we still work our way through this pandemic, the numbers of people who are being made redundant is rapidly growing. More and more people are losing their jobs, this after a decade plus of austerity that was felt in local communities by pressures on local services, including slow rates of wage growth. History has shown us that a ‘perfect storm’ of conditions, including large scale unemployment, political instability, societal Read more

Aug 10

Appeals against conviction of Nazi camp guard dropped

All appeals against the conviction of a 93-year-old Nazi concentration camp guard have been dropped, a Hamburg court has said. The move makes the decision legally binding and paves the way for possible future prosecutions. Bruno Dey was convicted last month of 5,232 counts of accessory to murder in Hamburg state court – equal to the number of people believed to have been killed at Stutthof during his service there Read more