Jewish communities head into Shabbat with apprehension and devastation after antisemitic attacks on synagogues in Michigan, Toronto, and Belgium. 

Fear and grief can be exceedingly lonely experiences. 

But we are not alone. We are all too aware that the fear many of us feel right now is shared by our Muslim cousins. From an Islamophobic Nazi rally outside Gracie mansion last weekend to the hateful and dangerous rhetoric coming from elected officials and shock jockeys, to recent incidents of hate violence, Muslim communities are also facing hostility, hatred, and violence. 

For those with loved ones currently under fire from American, Israeli, and Iranian bombs, the fear and grief is even more acute.  

Military escalations in the Middle East often correlate with increased antisemitism and Islamophobia, which themselves go hand in hand. Every day that the U.S. and Israel’s genocide of Palestinians and war on Iran continues is another day of death and destruction abroad, and of dangerous conspiracies at home. 

We have been extremely moved by the expressions of solidarity from our Muslim cousins, especially Mayor Mamdani, and Dearborn leaders like Mayor Hammoud and Abbas Alawieh. We want you to know: we have your backs too. We are in this together. 

We share in each other’s grief and fear. We must raise our voices louder and louder and louder to say NO to war. NO to genocide. NO to hate violence. NO to Islamophobia and antisemitism. NO to efforts to isolate and divide us.