When George Galloway declared that Bradford was an “Israel-free zone” where not only Israeli goods but also Israeli tourists were unwelcome, he ruffled feathers in his West Yorkshire constituency. The council leader dismissed the Respect MP’s comments as “ridiculous and damaging” and “completely contrary” to Bradford’s reputation as a city of sanctuary. The university said it welcomed students from Israel and anywhere else in the world, and the Israeli ambassador came to visit after an invitation from Jewish residents. Galloway, the MP for Bradford West, was questioned by police after complaints that his remarks incited religious hatred.
Now, two Muslim women have invited an Israeli-born poet to take part in Bradford’s literature festival this weekend. The festival will also feature a walking tour highlighting the city’s Jewish heritage, which includes the poet Humbert Wolfe and the artist Sir William Rothenstein. Bradford’s Jewish population has now dwindled to 299, according to the 2011 census, compared with 129,041 Muslims.
Syima Aslam, co-director of the festival, said the events were very pertinent in light of Galloway’s comments. “The purpose of this event is to bring people of different faiths together and highlight the common spirituality and humanity that unites us, whatever our other differences may be, and where better than Bradford to do that,” she said. “All the artists performing have different heritages and many have been born in countries outside the UK. If in Britain we start making distinctions about people who live here based on where they were born, where does that lead us to as a country?”
The Israeli-born poet and playwright Atar Hadari will perform at a multi-faith event in Bradford’s last remaining synagogue, which was saved from ruin last year after a group of local Muslims chipped in to keep it going. The event, called Sacred Poetry, is billed as an “uplifting celebration of divine music and verse from across the religious spectrum”, and will feature performances of a variety of styles of devotional music, from the Islamic spiritual music genre nasheed to taizé, a form of Christian meditation. Supriya Nagarajan, a singer specialising in the Carnatic music of south India, is also on the bill, alongside Harbhajan Singh, who will recite from the Sikh holy book the Guru Granth Sahib, performed in the musical expression known as shabad kirtan.
Rudi Leavor, chair of the synagogue, said he was delighted the building was being used for such an event. “It’s important to make sure people in Bradford know the synagogue exists, that it’s in good spirits and fine fettle,” he said. “I am happy that the building is turning into a cultural meeting place as well as a place of religious worship.”
• The headline on this article was amended on 10 October 2014. An earlier version said “Israeli poet to perform at Bradford literature festival”. This has been corrected.
