Director’s Desk: Mr. Trump: Do Not Move the Embassy!

For American Jews of my generation, the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War was a seminal event. In the official narrative propagandized by the mainstream Jewish community, the beleaguered Jewish State, surrounded by millions of fanatical Arabs bent on “pushing the Jews into the sea,” beat back a surprise attack by the combined armies of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria only to emerge victorious. The Sinai, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights were conquered the Israeli Army. That such a seemingly miraculous victory was even possible confirmed, in Jewish eyes, the righteousness of the entire Zionist endeavor.

It would take many years to learn that this official Jewish narrative was built upon a foundation of lies and injustice.

Mixed Reaction Over Trump’s Announcement To Recognize Jerusalem As Israel’s Capital

CAIR-PA staff member Jacob Bender speaking with a member of the press.

Jacob Bender, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations, believes Trump’s formal acknowledgement of Jerusalem as the capital may stall the ongoing peace process and bring more volatility to the region.

“The final status of Jerusalem should be negotiated. You don’t make unilateral moves on such an important, crucial issue,” said Bender, a Jewish American who lived in Jerusalem for seven years.

No Muslim Ban!

CAIR-Philadelphia Staff Attorney Timothy Welbeck said: "We strongly oppose this ban as it is inherently bigoted, xenophobic, and ultimately rooted in utter contempt for Islam.  President Trump has made his discriminatory motivations clear since the campaign trail. Since becoming president, Mr. Trump has repeatedly attempted to ban Muslims from entering the United States, and yesterday the Supreme Court allowed the federal government to allow for this abhorrent discrimination.  We find this deeply disappointing, but will continue our fight against hatred and discrimination."

On Tweets and Tyrants

Civil Rights Update by Timothy Welbeck, Esq.

White supremacists and neo-Nazis have lauded President Trump as a champion of their causes, and have regularly celebrated his vile stances. Indeed, President Trump has made his worldview clear both as a private citizen, and as the occupant of the nation’s highest office. He did so again earlier this week with a series of inflammatory tweets meant to disparage Islam.

TRUMPadelphia: Trump’s tweets, the tax bill, and more

“The closest we’ve seen in contemporary history to anything like this was George Wallace, who ran for president in 1968 and famously used this kind of rhetoric,” Zelizer said. “But he was a third party candidate. And he didn’t win.” Trump’s public rhetoric on race, religion and immigration, he said, is almost better suited to presidents of the 19th and early 20th centuries — and amplified through social media. “These [tweets] fall squarely within that historical record of shame,” said Jacob Bender, the director of the Philly chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

On Treason and Thankfulness

For American Jews who, like myself, have long been public critics of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands and its draconian human rights abuses, the insults are nothing new. And one unfortunately gets used to these sorts of slurs on social media. Still, I was unprepared for this short email that arrived in our office on Monday morning this week...

Community Event Updates

CAIR In Harrisburg

On October 21, CAIR-Philadelphia brought together mental health professionals, psychologists and expert therapists with Muslim community members in a symposium titled, Peace at Home: The Power of Change is in Our Hands. / Jacob Bender, Timothy Welbeck, and Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu teamed up with local Muslim activists in Harrisburg on October 24 at the State Capitol Building. / On November 3, CAIR-Philadelphia organized a Civic Engagement 101 training in the Harrisburg-Mechanicsburg area.