From Newswire
On Friday, January 18, Rabbi Menken joined American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC) in a Muslim-Jewish Solidarity Event. AMMWEC’s President and Co-Founder, Anila Ali, also serves on the Global Working Group for Combating Antisemitism where Rabbi Menken serves as Co-Chair.
Condemning the Jew-hatred that drove the hostage-taker to target Jews, Ms. Ali issued the following statement on the Colleyville synagogue attack:
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“We are relieved that the crisis at the synagogue ended with all hostages safe, and we are devastated that once again a Jewish house of worship has been attacked. Jews everywhere deserve to live in safety – and Muslim community leaders must step up to help ensure these attacks stop.
“We appreciate Jewish community leaders who have urged that the synagogue attack should not spark a counter-reaction of Islamophobia. The answer to hate is never hate.
“At the same time, silence is complicity – and we cannot stay silent about a climate of antisemitism tolerated by some Muslim leaders. Just as the Tree of Life Synagogue attack forced American society to confront far-right antisemitism, the Congregation Beth Israel attack requires an honest reckoning with demonization promoted by Islamist extremists.”
“We sadly do not need to look far for examples. Just weeks ago, Zahra Billoo, a leader of CAIR, used a speech at a Muslim community event to attack mainstream American Jews, saying:”
“We need to pay attention to the Zionist synagogues. We need to pay attention to the Hillel chapters on our campuses just because they’re your friend today doesn’t mean that they have your back when it comes to human rights. So, oppose the vehement fascists, but oppose the polite Zionists too. They are not your friends… I’m not going to sugarcoat that they are your enemies. There are organizations and infrastructures out there that are working to harm you. Make no mistake of it: they would sell you down the line if they could. And they very often do behind your back. I mean the Zionist organizations. I mean the foreign policy organizations who say they’re not Zionists but want a two-state solution.”
Ms. Ali added:
“Labeling mainstream Jews as ‘enemies’ exacerbates inter-communal strife and creates the conditions for violence. Muslim leaders must insist upon zero tolerance for antisemitism otherwise, we betray our moral and religious duties. The Jewish people are wonderful allies of Muslims. Shalom and Salaam!”
The American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC) is a non-profit women’s rights organization empowering Muslim women to confront bigotry in all its forms, celebrate our faith’s beautiful heritage, and build strong bonds with fellow Americans of all backgrounds. As maternal pillars of the community, AMMWEC’s leaders uphold Islam’s core values of tolerance and personal responsibility.
View the press release.