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The Rabbi, The Imam and The Power of Dialogue

The Rabbi, The Imam and The Power of Dialogue

By: Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions
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Since October 7th many Muslims and Jews the world over have stopped talking and in some cases turned on each other.


Amid this turmoil a Rabbi and an Imam managed to keep their friendship alive and have launched this podcast to show the power of dialogue in bridging divides between the two communities.

This bi-weekly podcast will explore how Imam Nasser Kurdy and Rabbi Dovid Lewis have, despite their many disagreements, managed to stay friends while war rages thousands of miles away.


They are two men of faith who speak to each other in 'good faith.'


Imam Nasser Kurdy, originally from Jordan, is a Manchester-based surgeon and lay Imam.

Rabbi Dovid Lewis, is a native Mancunion and has led the south Manchester Jewish Community since 2011.


They’ve been friends since 2012, but became closer after Nasser was stabbed in his neck outside his mosque (as reported in The Guardian) in South Manchester in 2017.


Together, they’ve championed dozens of interfaith initiatives across schools and premiership football clubs in the north west of England since October 7th. For example, they recently co-led an assembly for teenagers on navigating difficult conversations about Israel-Palestine.


Imam Nasser Kurdy: "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict affects relationships within our local communities. Jews and Muslims are having great difficulty speaking to each other. There's no dialogue. Hence this podcast, it's about dialogue."


Rabbi Dovid Lewis: "In our own communities, we might like to think we are influential: Nasser leads the mosque, I lead the synagogue. However, neither of us are able to make a direct difference to what's happening in Israel, Palestine, Gaza, the West Bank. But what is our responsibility? It is to make sure that it doesn't spill over into our communities, into the friendships that we have made with one another."


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This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production, supported by the Cardinal Partnership Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions Islam Judaism Spirituality
Episodes
  • When empathy feels impossible: A Rabbi and an Imam confront their own biases

    When empathy feels impossible: A Rabbi and an Imam confront their own biases
    Jun 18 2025

    In this episode, Dovid and Nasser discuss the difficulties of showing empathy between Muslims and Jews, especially during times of conflict. They share their own experiences and explain how personal pain can make it hard to recognise the suffering of others. Drawing on lessons from their faiths, they highlight the value of compassion and respect for others, and offer advice on how listeners can develop empathy towards people from different backgrounds.

    This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production, supported by the Cardinal Partnership Foundation.


    If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: mark@schweigers.uk or philip@larchmontfilms.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Why the word Zionism connects some and divides us all

    Why the word Zionism connects some and divides us all
    Jun 4 2025


    Zionism is a deeply complex and contested word, which acts as idea, a movement and a label.


    For many Jews Zionism represents the fulfilment of a centuries-old longing for self-determination, safety, and a homeland in Israel.


    It has served as a unifying force, giving a sense of purpose, identity, and collective belonging. For these people, Zionism is a source of pride and connection—spiritually, culturally, and historically.


    At the same time, Zionism is a source of profound division—between Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and Palestinians, and even within Jewish and broader communities.


    Its association with nationalism, the founding of the State of Israel, and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict makes it a flashpoint for political, religious, and ethical debates.


    For Palestinians and many others, Zionism is linked to displacement, loss, and ongoing struggle, while for some Jews it has come to mean different things depending on their relationship to Israel and diaspora life.


    In this episode The Rabbi and The Imam discuss the origin of the word Zionism, how its meaning has evolved through the centuries - from its ancient religious roots to modern political manifestations - and what it means to both of them today.


    On this journey Nasser explains why his upbringing initially made him an anti-Zionist, Dovid tries to distinguish between religious and political zionists, and both discuss how the idea of Zionism has been weaponised by all sides in this conflict.


    Links to topics mentioned in the show

    Roots

    This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production, supported by the Cardinal Partnership Foundation.


    If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: mark@schweigers.uk or philip@larchmontfilms.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Whose side are you on?

    Whose side are you on?
    May 21 2025

    In episode two, Imam Nasser Kurdy and Rabbi Dovid Lewis explore the roots of their connections to the land at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, questioning whether an attachment to a land is about ownership, heritage or spiritual longing. They discuss what it means to care so deeply about a place neither was born in, and how faith and religion have shaped their perspectives as a pro-Palestine Muslim and a pro-Israel Jew - both living in Manchester. Can a sense of belonging be shared by different peoples with overlapping histories?




    This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production, supported by the Cardinal Partnership Foundation.


    If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: mark@schweigers.uk or philip@larchmontfilms.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins

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