Imams, rabbis ride tandems in Berlin rally for mutual respect

BERLIN, June 24 (AFP): Jewish rabbis and Muslim imams took to tandem bicycles on Sunday to ride through central Berlin in a joint show of inter-faith respect and against racism and anti-Semitism.

Dubbed the "meet2respect" ride, it was backed by religious and civic groups, among them the House of One foundation, which combines prayer spaces for Jews, Christians and Muslims.

"We imams and rabbis want to lead by good example," said Muslim theologian Ender Cetin, who rode one of the 25 tandems as part of a 200-strong group of religious leaders and supporters.

The route led from the city's Holocaust memorial past synagogues and mosques and ended at the Bebelplatz public square that was the site of the notorious Nazi book burning in 1933.