The S.F.-based Jewish Community Relations Council sent a letter to the Muslim community last week decrying Islamophobia and stating concern about the growing level of vitriol toward Muslims in U.S. public discourse.
“The recent suggestion by a presidential candidate that all Muslims be blocked from entering the United States, and the ensuing applause in support of this prejudiced and dangerously anti-American proposal, is evidence of a perilous new level of intolerance,” the letter reads. “The Jewish community knows all too well what can happen when a particular religious or ethnic group is singled out. Today we are witnessing a resurgence of an aggressive nationalist racism that, if allowed to flourish unchecked, could set us back years.”
The Dec. 10 letter was followed up with a Dec. 13 email letter to the Jewish community calling for “solidarity and civility.” Online, the latter letter (www.jcrc.org/uploads/supporter-letter.pdf) includes a link
to the first.
The letters were prompted by concerns that fringe views about Muslims were potentially moving toward the mainstream, and causing an increase in hate crimes directed at mosques, Rabbi Doug Kahn, JCRC’s executive director, told J.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a ban on Muslim foreigners seeking to immigrate or travel to the United States.
“Given our own community’s long history of facing discrimination and anti-Semitism and hatred, and the importance of fair-minded people speaking out, we are compelled to do so when other communities face bigotry and racism,” Kahn said.
The JCRC represents more than 60 synagogues and Jewish organizations in the Bay Area. The Islamic Networks Group posted a thank you to JCRC for the letter on Facebook, saying “these days it is more important than ever to recognize our shared humanity and work together.” — drew himmelstein