The Interfaith Council of Contra County, together with the leaders of all faiths it represents, is deeply concerned for our brothers and sisters in the American Jewish community and want them all to know that we stand in solidarity with them. The recent threats, assaults, personal attacks, and acts of desecration and vandalism directed at them individually and their sacred facilities and houses of worship contravene all acceptable notions of moral conduct and human decency and are contrary to the most cherished values upon which this country was founded. We share your feelings of fear, anxiety, anger and anticipation against these senseless crimes and are pleased to speak in one voice with you calling for collective faith in action and accountable responses from our country’s leaders to bring a prompt end to this new wave of hatred. Throughout, know that we highly value you as our brothers and sisters, children of the same God, and will continue to support all members of the American Jewish community in any way we can.

– Terence J. Clark, President of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County.

 

To the Leaders of the Jewish Community and our neighbors,

The Islamic Center of East Bay in Antioch stands firmly in solidarity with the American Jewish Community, and denounces wholeheartedly the horrible vandalism that took place at the Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the bomb threats and hateful voice- messages conveyed to the Jewish community centers all across the United States of America. Confident as we are, we firmly believe that the law enforcement agencies will dig out those who are responsible for committing  these crimes, and will bring them to justice.

– Mohammad A Chaudhry/President

 

The San Ramon Valley Islamic Center community stands side by side with our Jewish neighbors. We, and all Muslims, condemn the cowardly attacks against innocent people, against their properties, physical or verbal. As a recipient of similar attacks among other discriminatory practices, the Muslim community fully empathizes with you and supports you in your struggle to live in peace. We will continue our work to combat ignorance, hatred, injustice and oppression, and I am confident we will succeed.

May God help the oppressed everywhere.  Shalom,

– Imad Abboushi, San Ramon Valley Islamic Center, Outreach Director

 

We belong to each other.  When we in the Interfaith world say this simple phrase, we mean it.  We have helped pick up the pieces when terror and harm effects one faith tradition, it affects us all.  Often, Interfaith Councils are the first and last bodies of solidarity – especially when vandalism, threats or arson comes to a community of faith.  It is with horror that we find that the open hostility against the Muslim community has given permission for the expansion of other ancient hatreds and idolatries such as Anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant sentiment.

I call on all our elected leaders to speak up loud and clearly against all religious intolerance and racial discrimination for every American of every persuasion.  I call for the restoration of the funding and attention of the Justice Department against those hate groups that have used the rhetoric of the election season and our own government’s declared policies as an excuse to do violence or make threats against any faith group or faith based institution.  May this be a time when the collective conscience of our nation remembers the sins of the past and vows to not to allow us to experience the abuses of those ages gone by – because “We Belong To Each Other.

– Rev. Will McGarvey, Executive Director
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County

 

“Envisioning a World of Interfaith Peace.”
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County
1543 Sunnyvale Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
(925) 933-6030 office