Breaking Barriers: The Rabbi, the Imam and the Power of Dialogue
09/02/2026
Kindly Sponsored By
We are proud to share that our ED&I Committee is hosting a powerful and inspiring event featuring two distinguished faith leaders — Imam Nasser Kurdy and Rabbi Dovid Lewis — who will come together for an evening of meaningful dialogue and shared wisdom. At a time when division often dominates public discourse, this gathering will offer a hopeful space for connection, understanding, and mutual respect.
Together, our speakers will explore themes such as faith and identity, community cohesion, the role of religion in modern society, and the transformative power of interfaith dialogue. They will share personal reflections, discuss the challenges and opportunities of building bridges across traditions, and highlight the importance of listening with empathy.
Since October 7th, global events have strained relationships between Jewish and Muslim communities, leading many to fall silent or, tragically, to turn against one another. In the midst of this turmoil, a Rabbi and an Imam chose a different path: they held onto their friendship. Refusing to be divided by conflict, they stood side by side, leading dozens of interfaith initiatives and proving that dialogue, empathy, and shared humanity can endure even in the most challenging times. This powerful session is testament to what’s possible when we lead with compassion, listen deeply, and dare to reach across painful divides.
Working together with local businessman and community activist, Mr Mark Schweiger, Rabbi Lewis and Imam Kurdy have since visited dozens of schools and football grounds delivering talks and leading Q&A sessions to over 10,000 students and their teachers. In recent months they have launched a podcast: The Rabbi the Imam and The Power of Dialogue. They stand on a platform of equality in humanity, respect and trust – they seek not to debate but to understand and to truly empathise with the other.
This event will be free to attend and will be held at Clyde & Co’s Manchester office, and we are extremely grateful for the firm’s support — both for hosting and for kindly sponsoring.
Whether you are a person of faith, a seeker, or simply curious about the power of conversation, we hope you can join us for what promises to be a deeply enriching and thought-provoking evening.
For a person not like you, is still a person, just like you.
Imam Nasser Kurdy
Dr Nasser Kurdy, originally of Jordanian/Syrian heritage, is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Manchester, UK. He has served as an Honorary Lecturer at Manchester University and an Honorary Professor at the University of Salford. He has been a member of SACRE as a representative of the Islamic Faith and has served as one of the Imams at his local mosque.
In September 2017, on the grounds of that local mosque, in a sudden and unprovoked attack, he was stabbed in the back of his neck. However, within a very short space of time, Dr Kurdy found himself forgiving his attacker, and he has worked since to counter hate, extremism, knife crime, and various forms of criminal behaviour and extremism.
Rabbi Dovid Lewis
Rabbi Dovid Lewis M.A. is a native of Manchester, where he now also serves as the senior Rabbi for the Bowdon Shul – South Manchester Synagogue, together with his wife and two daughters. He was ordained in Israel in 1999 and began his career as a teacher, founding and running the Jewish Day School of Crimea. He has since served as the Rabbi in Chigwell, Essex as well as in Newcastle upon Tyne, before returning to Manchester in 2011, where he now lives. He has served as Chaplain to hospitals, universities and prisons across the North of the Country as well as currently being the Rabbinic Advisor to the MFT.
Having been involved in interfaith activities and outreach throughout his career, in 2017 Rabbi Dovid reached out to the local Muslim community and offered to host a Ramadan Iftar in the Synagogue. As a result of that, he then established the “Abraham’s Tent” Forum – a safe place where Jews and Muslims, supporters of Israel and Palestine can meet to honestly discuss their feelings, thoughts and fears about interfaith communal relationships.
Event Programme:
17:00 – 17:30 Registration
17:30 – 18:30 The Rabbi, The Imam & The Power of Dialogue Talk + Q&A
18:30 – 19:30 Refreshments and Networking
How to book:
Please register for this event by emailing [email protected]. Once processed, we will send you an official booking confirmation.
This event is free to attend, but you MUST register with us
Our online booking system is currently broken, please DO NOT attempt to book via the form below as this will not be processed. All bookings and payments are processed via email at [email protected]
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