Rabbi Hershey Novack of the Chabad center walks through Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, where almost 200 gravestones were vandalized over the weekend. (Photocredit: Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via A P)

This weekend, more than one hundred gravestones were vandalized at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, a historical Jewish Cemetery in University City.  A campaign launched by Muslim activists is raising funds to help repair these gravestones.  The LaunchGood  fundraiser , called "Muslims Unite to Repair Jewish Cemetery," surpassed its $20,000 goal within hours of its creation. Its organizers, Linda Sarsour of MPower Change and  Tarek El-Messidi  of CelebrateMercy, launched the campaign to benefit the rebuilding of the Jewish cemetery. 

"Through this campaign, we hope to  send a united message from the Jewish and Muslim communities that  there is no place for this type of hate, desecration, and violence in America.  We pray that this restores a sense of security and peace to the Jewish-American community who has undoubtedly been shaken by this event," said organizers of this campaign.  The fundraiser had collected more than $79,650 as of Wednesday afternoon.  Organizers said $20,000 will be donated to Chesed Shel Emeth, while any additional funds "will assist other vandalized Jewish centers nationwide."


We all also remember how the Jewish community in a small Texas town generously gave the key of their synagogue  to the Muslim community so that they could worship when their mosque burned down.   Please read the article here.

The Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta would like to stress the importance of solidarity and unity for all Americans. The ISB plans to continue to build bridges of understanding with people of all faiths and no faith. To request one of our presentations or workshops, please click here.

To read more about the campaign, please click here: