Jews in Bristol: a thousand years

Back in the 10th century there was a Jewish community in the port city of Bristol, UK, the city where Radio Salaam Shalom is based.  Along with the history of other ethnic minorities, the story of the Jews is told in the book Bristol: ethnic minorities and the city, 1000-2001 by Madge Dresser and Peter Fleming.  Find out the fascinating history of Jews in Bristol in this interview I did with Madge for Radio Salaam Shalom in March 2008. (18 minutes) Click here to listen

Radio Salaam Shalom’s latest podcast – Moazzam Begg, Noa, Arabesq and Media4Diversity

Radio Salaam Shalom’s studios buzzed with music and chat as Carolyn, Farhan, Danyal and I created Podcast 12, the latest Jewish-Muslim programme. Fresh from a private session with ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg, Danyal talked about the  unexpected dialogue dividends. Moazzam is one of nine British Muslims  who were held in extrajudicial detention in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp. He was released without charge on January 25, 2005 after being held for 3 years.

We also play the music of Noa, the sounds of Andy Roberts’ ‘Arabesq‘ sessions and share recollections of a trip to the European Media4 Diversity forum  (Farhan and Lisa travelled to Prague after Radio Salaam Shalom was chosen for an EU study as one of Europe’s top 30 examples of media diversity).

Click here to go Radio Salaam Shalom and listen to Podcast 12

Dr Laura, gays, slaves and Judaism

Whenever I’m in the United States, I enjoy listening to Dr Laura Schlesinger’s radio talk show. She dispenses advice on personal problems, mincing no words and taking no hostages – it’s very entertaining. So I was amused to discover a sermon by Rabbi Elli Tikvah-Sarah of the Brighton & Hove Liberal Progressive Synagogue that took issue with one of Dr Laura’s more offensive opinions – about homosexuality.  Quoting a humorous response from a listener about the purchasing, owning and releasing of slaves in Jewish law, the rabbi goes on to question the relevance of Biblical laws on slavery and on homosexuality.  Read this