The Rabbi, The Imam and The Power of Dialogue

When a newspaper article about the Rabbi and the Imam's interfaith work and friendship went public, most of the response was positive.

But buried in the Facebook comments was something darker: a stranger claiming that the Imam could not wait to take the Rabbi somewhere to be butchered, with the remark followed by a smiley face.​

Rabbi Dovid shared the comment with his wife. She stopped what she was doing, looked up at him, and said:​

"So you're now going to go and sit in a studio with this guy? With a man whose faith, honestly and theologically, believes you have a responsibility to kill him?"​

That question sits at the heart of this episode.​

Does one religion really mandate the death of the other?

If so, what does it mean for their friendship?

Rather than brushing the comment aside, the Rabbi and the Imam use it as a chance to examine one of the most misunderstood and weaponised narrations.​

What We Get Into:

The Comment Itself

The exact words, the immediate emotional reaction, and why Dovid says: "It only takes one. And the person is still dead. It does not matter whether or not he was misrepresenting his faith."​

The Hadith That Extremists Love to Quote

Nasser traces the origin of the quote, its context as an end‑of‑times prophecy, and delivers a direct verdict on its relevance today.

Al‑Wala Wal‑Bara, Allegiance & Disassociation

Nasser clarifies the distinction between friendship and total allegiance, and why the two are not the same thing.

Judaism's Red Lines

Dovid explains which theological positions would constitute a genuine barrier in Jewish law.

Politics Poisoning Religion

They examine how the conflict in the Middle East does not just colour geopolitics; it colours how people read their own scripture, and how dangerous that is.​

This podcast was filmed in a studio in south Manchester and is now available to watch here on our new Youtube channel

This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this exclusive episode, Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) joins Rabbi Dovid Lewis and Imam Nasser Kurdy to discuss the major way in how UK forces are policing protests related to the Israel-Hamas war.

Following a pivotal joint statement issued with Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley in December 2025, police strategy has shifted.

Sir Stephen explains why certain chants and slogans - previously tolerated at pro-Palestinian marches - may now cross the threshold into hate crime or public order offences.

They explore how this new approach aims to balance the democratic right to protest, with the urgent need for community safety, specifically addressing the rising fear of antisemitism within the Jewish community and maintaining community cohesion for all, including the Muslim community.

This conversation dives into the "why" behind the change:

How police now assess the context and intent of language like "globalise the intifada".

The warning that enforcement will be more "decisive" against hate speech.

The reality of policing London and Manchester during a time of heightened terrorist threat.

Key Topics Discussed:

00:00 - Introduction: Policing protests in a time of global conflict.
05:12 - Hate Crime Legislation: How police determine if language is criminal.
12:45 - Community Safety: Is the fear in the Jewish community justified?
18:30 - Free Speech vs. Hate Speech: Where is the legal line?
24:10 - Context and Intent: Why it matters when policing marches.
31:00 - Extremism: How a small minority hijacks legitimate causes.
40:15 - Community Cohesion: Are we losing the middle ground?

This podcast was recorded in a studio in south Manchester and is now available to watch here on our new Youtube channel
This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mysterious letter arrived at the end of last year New Year with huge news from the King.

In this special episode, we reveal why Imam Nasser was awarded an MBE and what this recognition means for the future of Muslim Jewish dialogue.

From a local initiative to visiting the House of Lords and Buckingham Palace, join Rabbi Dovid and Imam Nasser as they discuss this incredible milestone and ask you to help shape their next conversation.

This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded on Monday 15th December - 1st day of Chanukah

Rabbi Dovid Lewis and Imam Nasser Kurdy respond to the anti-semitic terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Australia on Sunday 14th December, which claimed the life of Dovid’s second cousin, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, and fourteen others attending the menorah-lighting celebration on the first night of Chanukah, including another rabbi and a Holocaust survivor.

Dovid and Nasser talk about: how their Sundays unfolded; the ‘stranger’ who reached out to console Dovid; Nasser’s reflections on the extraordinary bravery of Ahmed Al Ahmed, the Muslim man who ran towards the gunman in Bondi and saved many lives; and, together, they try to find hope and inspiration in the story and message of Chanukah – known as the 'Festival of Lights'.
This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a short break Imam Nasser Kurdy and Rabbi Dovid Lewis are back for a brand new series. From their time off‑air, they’ve plenty to talk about and reflect on: from the terror attack on Manchester’s Heaton Park Synagogue, and the tense vigil that followed, to how they moved an audience member to tears at an inter‑faith event, and how Nasser made history at one of British Jewry’s oldest institutions. All is explained in this edition of The Rabbi, The Imam and The Power of Dialogue.
This is a Mark Schweiger and Larchmont Productions co-production.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the podcast please email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.