The Jewish Community Relations Council is joining with American Physicians of Pakistani Descent in Kentucky and Indiana (APPKI) to show a free Louisville premiere of the movie, Enemy of the Reich: The Noor Inayat Khan Story, on Thursday, September 4. The Temple is hosting this event. Light refreshments will be served at 6 p.m. and the film will begin at 7.
The film is a documentary about an American Muslim woman, whose father was a Sufi from India, who went to France and risked her life to spy on the Nazis and was excuted in a concentration Camp toward the end of the war.
Dr. Muhammad Babar, the immediate past president of the Association of Pakistani Physicians of Kentucky and Indiana and a board member of Interfaith Paths to Peace and the Center for Interfaith Relations, has been instrumental in bringing this film to Louisville.
“This film emphasizes that the Nazis were not only against the Jewish people,” Dr. Babar said. “It was a common, universal cause against humanity, and we all have to fight it.”
“We hear about the Holocaust and Holocaust deniers,” he continued, “but I want to make sure we also acknowledge the Muslim role and show solidarity with the victims of that tragedy of the last century.”
He also sees this event as an opportunity to expand the already strong relationship APPKI has with the Jewish community. “We need to build bridges and have a better understanding between us,” he said, “especially in light of current events. … As a Muslim, it is easy for me to associate and cooperate with Jews, because we” have many common beliefs, including the Torah.
“We need to go beyond Israel and the Palestinians,” he continued, “and look at each other with compassion. Then the issues will be solved through respect for human life and by treating each other like Moses or Muhammad would. Life is too short to live in bigotry and bloodshed.”
“This movie,” he said, “will help us understand each other. Sometimes, we need to share stories with each other to overcome fear of the unknown.”
Jewish Community Relations Council Director Matt Goldberg said the Jewish community has collaborated with APPKI on several projects in the past and is pleased to come together with the group to present this moving docudrama. He agrees with Dr. Babar that this movie is an opportunity to enhance understanding between the Muslim and Jewish communities and to further friendships developed among members of these two groups.
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