In a unique ceremony at King David High School to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, students from the school and from the KD (Islamic) Grammar School and Manchester Islamic High School for Girls read stories from the Holocaust and paid tribute to Muslims who had saved Jews during WWII as well as speaking of similarities between the two faiths.

There was also a moving rendition by Dania Wineberg of the theme from Shindler’s List played on a violin which survived the death camps.

Rabbi Rickman announced a ‘world first’ when the Muslim sheikh chanted a prayer in Arabic followed by Rabbi Rickman adding a prayer for world peace in English.

Photograph by kind permission of Lawrence Purcell

From l to r: Frank Baigel, President of JRC, Brian Levy, Headmaster KDHS, Lord Mayor of Manchester, Naeem ul Hassan and KDHS Chair of Governors, Joshua Rowe

Also attending were MPs Ivan Lewis and John Leech, teachers from St Monica’s High School, Jonny Wineberg of the Muslim Jewish Forum and Ray Cook from the JRC as well as Anjum Anwar MBE the Muslim dialogue development officer of Blackburn Cathedral.