Rabbi Shaul Osadchey at a Visit a Mosque event in Calgary on Feb. 3, 2017.
Gary Bobrovitz / Global News
Calgary Muslims were joined by other faiths in mosques around the city Friday.
They were honouring the Quebec City shooting victims and improving understanding between their communities.
“As Jews, we have had a relationship with the Muslim community over the long-term that has not been the most friendly, but we are making great progress and strides in building bridges of understanding,” Rabbi Saul Osadchey said.
The rabbi spoke to hundreds of multi-faith worshippers at a mosque in northeast Calgary.
He was there at the invitation of Imam Syed Soharwardy, who said this was an opportunity to build bridges among different groups.
“This shows that we care for each other, we love each other and we remember that we are all Canadians, we are all human beings,” Imam Soharwardy said. “Yes, we do have different faiths but we unite through our humanity.”
The Baitun Nur Mosque on 54 Avenue N.E. was part of the “Visit a Mosque” campaign being held in cities across Canada.
The event, supported by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at Canada, saw dozens of mosques and prayer centres open to the public.
“After the recent horrific attack on a Quebec mosque, hundreds of Canadians have demonstrated their true Canadian spirit by seeking opportunities to stand in solidarity with Muslims,” a Friday news release said.
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at Canada strongly denounced the attacks … and supports solidarity by opening its doors and allowing the community at large to stand in unity with Muslims.”
Six Canadians were killed and eight injured in Sunday’s attack at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec.
The suspect, Alexandre Bissonnette, faces six charges of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder with a restricted firearm.
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http://globalnews.ca/news/3225737/calgary-mosque-opens-doors-for-canadian-visit-a-mosque-campaign/
