Interest rate blues?

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Dear Rabbi Simon,
Currently, Muslim bank accounts are the highest interest paying accounts in the UK market by far, what is your view of opening one of these accounts?
Thanks and regards,
Miriam

Dear Miriam
An interest-ing question indeed, as they have a similar injunction regarding interest as we do (see this week’s Parasha, Deut. 23:20-21). This is one of many ideas Islam has co-opted from Judaism. Although a Jewish individual may find it distasteful or unappealing to patronise such a bank, I do not see a halakhic impediment to doing so.
Rabbi Rashi Simon

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Ask the Rabbi: Quinoa on Pesach
Dear Rabbi Simon,
Where do you stand on quinoa (and the kitniyot ban) for Pesach?
Many thanks,
Tzippy
***
Dear Tzippy,
In line with other American authorities, I am in favour of quinoa. Although I reject completely the voices (mostly from Israel) seeking to abolish the ban on kitniyot entirely, IMO we do not need to include in the prohibition pseudo-grains that were unknown in the Old World until modern times. Best to buy with a Pesach hechsher though, to be free of any possible wheat contamination.
Rabbi Rashi Simon
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