Muslim sponsors synagogue kiddush as a thank you to doctor

A Muslim man who says he owes his life to a Jewish doctor at Kingston Hospital has sponsored a kiddush in his memory at the local United synagogue.

The Muslim, who wishes to remain anonymous, first visited Kingston, Surbiton and District Synagogue earlier this year to try to trace consultant gastroenterologist Dr Tim Heymann, unaware that he had died from a brain tumour a few months previously at the age of 55.

He has become a regular at Shabbat and festival services and is studying Hebrew so he can better understand them.

“My father taught me to respect anyone who did good things for me,” he explained. “And I believe in toleration and co-existence among all peoples and religions.” He had felt immediately at home in shul.