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Good morning

Tomorrow I’ll be at a London synagogue as one of the speakers and lighting a candle for the annual Jewish festival of Hannukah. It's a wonderful event that brings people of different faiths together and is especially important now during these troubled times.

By contrast the Hannukah festival hasn't gone so well for the French President Emmanuel Macron. He'd invited the Chief Rabbi of France to the Elysée Palace - the official presidential residence - to light a candle. This was a first and in a country where secularism, the separation of religion and state, is itself a religion, the event has been denounced by politicians of both right and left.

On a smaller scale the London Borough of Havering decided to cancel its usual public Hannukah display citing escalating tensions from the conflict in Gaza and Israel. Last week the council had a change of heart following criticism from Muslim and Jewish groups which argued that such public displays of this kind are now more important than ever.

I accept, and as these stories demonstrate, the role of religion and faith in public life can sometimes be contentious. Sensitivity around the issue has increased as we've become a more religiously diverse society. But for me, standing together and being part of such events is an act of solidarity and kinship that strengthens our communities.

In the Qur’an we are told:
‘People, we created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should know one another. In God’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all knowing, all aware’

Last weekend at a public vigil in central London under the banner "Together For Humanity" Palestinian singer Mira Awad sung her song, Candle in the Dark, in Arabic, Hebrew and English. Alongside contributors of all faiths from our country and speakers from Israel and Palestine too, we brought together people from all ages and backgrounds.

For everyone, whether you have a faith or not, developing a better understanding of the teachings and practices of our different religions is essential to our common good. Public events like these give us opportunities to stand together and send an important message to the world as to what is possible.
While President Macron continues to navigate the complexities of religion and public life in France and while levels of hate crime against visibly religious people here in the UK continue to rise, I feel grateful to be in a country where I, a Muslim, can be invited to take part in a Hannukah lighting ceremony.

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