In what many say is a milestone for Muslim-Jewish relations in the U.S., the Islamic Society of North America and the American Jewish Committee have come together to launch a new activist group called The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council.
“We have to show the [Trump] administration that as American Muslims and Jews — people of the faiths of Abraham — we are uniting to help the administration navigate in the proper constitutional manner, to uphold freedom of religion and constitutional rights for all American citizens,” says Eftakhar Alam, senior coordinator at ISNA’s Office of Interfaith and Community Alliances.
According to Religion News Service: “Jewish and Muslim groups have expressed outrage over Trump’s appointment Sunday of Stephen K. Bannon as his chief strategist and senior counselor. Bannon edited Breitbart News, a right-wing website popular among those who embrace alt-right views, and who fan hostility toward Muslims, Jews, immigrants and other minorities. The new council may give Muslims and Jews a way to critique Trump and his advisers’ rhetoric and policy with a single voice.”
“The Council’s formation shows that American Muslim and Jewish leadership are now working together, focused on domestic developments,” says Robert Silverman, AJC director of Muslim-Jewish relations. “This is a first and is good news for the entire country.”
