Philadelphia Muslim center slams Jewish cemetery vandalism, vows to help

In the spirit of the 'City of Brotherly Love,' the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA expresses solidarity with "Jewish sisters and brothers."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: FEBRUARY 27, 2017 16:40
Philadelphia Jewish cemetery desecrated by vandals , suspected antisemitism (credit: REUTERS)
The local branch of a Muslim community center in Philadelphia has condemned the vandalism of Jewish cemeteries in the US over the last week, including the desecration of a Pennsylvania cemetery where over 100 headstones were found destroyed on Sunday.
The Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia was the second Jewish funerary grounds targeted within a single week, after a cemetery near St. Louis suffered similar vandalism the previous weekend.
In light of the latest in a recent series of antisemitic incidents in the US, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA on Sunday vowed to deploy teams to help tend to the damage caused at the Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia.

"We are deeply troubled by these rising and ongoing attacks on our Jewish sisters and brothers, and members from our Philadelphia chapter are in route to assist in clean up," said Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah, the national vice presidents for the Muslim community organization.
"We call upon all Americans to stand united against this hatred and extremism," he added in a statement.
The Muslim organization expressed solidarity with the American Jewish community and pledged its readiness to "serve and protect our Jewish sisters and brothers against these acts of intolerance and hatred, and pray for our nation's safety."

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is said to be among the oldest American-Muslim organizations in the US with its establishment in the country in 1920.
Last week, Muslim activists along with the Jewish governor of Missouri, Eric Greitens, were among those to volunteer to help repair the St. Louis-area Jewish cemetery where at least 170 gravestones were toppled.
US Vice President Mike Pence was among those to visit the desecrated St. Louis cemetery over the weekend after the attack and vowed to fight the scourge of antisemitism with the weight of the White House.
Activists Linda Sarsour and Tarek El-Messid launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $20,000 for repairs for the cemetery with any remaining funds going toward fixed for other vandalized Jewish centers. At the time this article was written the campaign had raised over $133,000 US dollars.
Michael Wilner JTA contributed to this report.


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