Interfaith Leaders Reemphasize Need For Diverse Coalitions to Combat Antisemitism Following Tree of Life Verdict

For Immediate Release Contact: Shannon Craig Straw, West End Strategy Team, 202-776-7700, scstraw@westendstrategy.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2023

CONTACT
Manisha Sunil, West End Strategy Team
msunil@westendstrategy.com, (202) 417-0171

Interfaith Leaders Reemphasize Need For Diverse Coalitions to Combat Antisemitism Following Tree of Life Verdict
Leaders with Interfaith Alliance emphasized the urgent need to combat rising antisemitism

WASHINGTON—Interfaith leaders are expressing relief around today’s guilty verdict in the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting trial, and emphasizing the urgent need to address antisemitism and white supremacy at the local, federal, and national levels. The Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, shared the following”

“While today’s guilty verdict does not bring back those lost to violent antisemitism nearly five years ago, it is a step in the direction of justice. My prayers are with the survivors and families of the victims.

“The right to worship free from fear of violence is sacred, enshrined in our constitution as one of our first freedoms. It is the bedrock of our democracy, and yet, rising antisemitism and white supremacy, not to mention unfettered access to deadly firearms, threatens our ability to uphold this constitutional promise. It’s also not lost on me that the shooter was radicalized in online forums where hate and extremism was permitted to fester.

“As the great-grandson of the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, I’m acutely aware of the persistence of antisemitism in this country, and am dedicated to working across lines of difference to protect our Jewish siblings from its ugly scourge. It’s on all of us, people of all faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds, to dismantle this machinery of hate both nationally and in our own communities. That would be true justice.”

Following the 2018 attack, Interfaith Alliance immediately condemned the shooting and the dangerous rhetoric from government officials that emboldened the shooter and those like him.

Darcy Hirsh, senior director of policy and advocacy for Interfaith Alliance, added:

“Today’s verdict is a reminder of the deadly consequences of antisemitism, and the tremendous work needed from the grassroots to the grasstops when it comes to protecting Jewish Americans and opposing extremism ensuring all of us can exercise our constitutional freedom to believe. The most meaningful and effective way to challenge antisemitism and fight white supremacy is through education and by building real relationships across lines of difference. That is why Interfaith Alliance is committed to this fight, and why we are dedicated to partnering with diverse actors to build a democracy and a nation that works for all of us.”

Interfaith Alliance released its “Mobilizing Against Antisemitism” toolkit earlier this year, designed to enable groups and individuals to join the fight against antisemitism and take tangible action to make their communities safer and more inclusive.

If you are interested in speaking further with Interfaith Alliance, please contact Manisha Sunil at (202) 417-0171 or msunil@westendstrategy.com

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Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.