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 is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.