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In Canada, congregants of a mosque that was set on fire are now praying in a nearby synagogue. Their story is one of hope in dark times, as anti-Muslim acts are on the rise following the Paris attacks.



The



Peterborough mosque in #Ontario set ablaze in suspected hate crime https://t.co/R6Uqx6ZyTN #Islamophobia #Canada pic.twitter.com/igEmXp0xCi — DOAM (@doammuslims) 15 Novembre 2015

Following this incident, the leaders of the city’s only synagogue,



Last Friday, about 150 Muslims went to pray at Beth Israel.



Friday prayers on November 27 at Beth Israel synagogue. Video posted on Youtube by the Kawartha Muslim Religious Association (KMRA). The Masjid al-Salaam mosque , which is the only one in Peterborough, Ontario, was set ablaze the day after the Paris attacks, on November 14. Someone had thrown a Molotov cocktail at the building. The damages have been estimated at about €56,000.Following this incident, the leaders of the city’s only synagogue, Beth Israel , offered to host the mosque’s congregants, so that they would have somewhere to pray. “We live in a small town and they are our neighbours, so it seemed only natural to welcome them,” says the synagogue’s president, Larry Gillman.Last Friday, about 150 Muslims went to pray at Beth Israel.

"This is the best way to fight radicalism and hate"

Kenzu Abdella Professeur See profile



This is the first time the mosque has been attacked. We are shocked and find this very worrisome. However, we have received an outpouring of support. The city authorities, the synagogue and several churches all offered us spaces in which to continue our activities.

the kids at my placement making poster-cards for the people of Peterborough mosque that was set on fire. amazing. pic.twitter.com/VcbWQ848Q9 — samira (@samirax13) 18 Novembre 2015

Since the fire, we’ve prayed at the United Church of Canada on Friday November 20, at the synagogue on Friday November 27, and we’re going to go to an Anglican church this Friday. The rest of the week, we pray at the home of one of our members, who lives near the mosque.



When Larry Gillman invited us to the synagogue, I first wondered how we would organise the prayer, since we need rugs, we need to pray in a certain direction, etc. We ended up praying in a room on the first floor and it went very well, thanks to the people who run the synagogue. We’re very grateful.



Facebook page of the Kawartha Muslim Religious Association (KMRA).

After the prayer, we held our annual dinner at the synagogue. But this time, we cooked a vegetarian dinner in order not to go against the customs of the synagogue (where kosher meals are served). This was an occasion for the two communities to get to know each other better and to start a dialogue. I think that’s the best way to combat radicalism and hate.

Facebook page of the Kawartha Muslim Religious Association (KMRA). Kenzu Abdella is the president of the Kawartha Muslim Religious Association (KMRA), which runs the mosque.

"Jews and Muslims have many things in common"