Emgage Pennsylvania Offers Support and Protection to Jewish Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 30, 2018

Emgage Pennsylvania Offers Support and Protection to Jewish Community

This past weekend, the nation mourned a tragic and senseless act of hate at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eleven worshippers were murdered on Shabbat, making it the deadliest attack against the Jewish community in U.S. history. Emgage stands firmly against this act of hate and in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters.

As a community of faith, we are deeply committed to protecting the right to worship freely. In the wake of the attack, Muslims came together to not only raise money for those impacted, but also to offer protection to members of the Jewish community. Speaking at a memorial for the victims in Pittsburgh, Wasi Mohamed, Director of the Islamic Society of Pittsburgh and Executive Director for Emgage Pennsylvania stated, “we just want to know what you need, if it’s people outside your next service protecting you, we’ll be there.” The Islamic Center, along with CelebrateMercy and MPower, raised more than $125,000 for the Jewish community in Squirrel Hill, surpassing its original goal of $25,000.

This is not just an attack on the Tree of Life synagogue; this is an attack on all Jewish worshippers and all religious communities in this country. We once again call on President Trump to unequivocally denounce racism and xenophobia, especially the fascism that was responsible for this heinous crime. Our leaders have a responsibility to lead by example, and to date, the President has set the wrong example with his constant attacks on minorities, immigrants, the disabled, and women. His words have emboldened neo-Nazis, bigots, and racists, and easy access to guns has enabled some to turn their hatred into deadly assaults. This must end.

You can watch Emgage PA Executive Director’s remarks here:

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Contact our National Legislative Director, Iman Awad, at iawad@emgageusa.org or Wasi Mohamed at wmohamed@emgageusa.org.

Emgage educates and empowers Muslim Americans through educational events, voter initiatives, and leadership development for the purpose of creating a community of knowledgeable, motivated, and impactful citizens. Emgage seeks to transform the Muslim American electorate into an active and impactful community.