Jacob Bender’s Speech at Masjid al-Hidaya

CAIR-Philadelphia Collage

It is easy to get depressed these days, and become weary at the thought of four more years under this Administration, as we struggle to defend all the social justice progress of the past century.

Yet I remain an optimist. I am filled with hope at the presence of our courageous Mayor and other elected officials here among us; I am filled with hope at the sight of thousands of our fellow Americans streaming into airports across the country to defy the bigoted Executive Order of the President; and I am filled hope because of the warm welcome that I, a Jew, have received from all quarters of the Philadelphia Muslim community since coming to work for CAIR three years ago.

A show of support for Philly Muslims

The mayor — a longtime defender of the Muslim community — pointed at more than 100 Muslims who gathered for afternoon prayers and told them: “You are America. Hopefully, a generation from now this will be a bad memory… I am telling you: We will get through this.”

What We Have Been Doing + Travel Advisory

The past few days have been a nightmare for those of us who believe in the fundamental values of this country: inclusivity, tolerance, and religious freedom. CAIR-Philadelphia, together with CAIR chapters around the country, has been working day and night to defend the American Muslim community against the actions of the new administration in Washington which, of course, follow from the most hateful and divisive presidential campaign rhetoric in living memory.

Press Conference in Response to Executive Orders

CAIR-Philadelphia Collage

Tomorrow, January 27, 2017, CAIR-Philadelphia will join Nationalities Service Center, HIAS-PA, ACLU-PA, and the Public Interest Law Center for a press conference in response to President Trump's recent executive orders regarding the border wall with Mexico and ban on immigration from Muslim-majority countries.

With Trump around the corner, Philly City Council claps back

“I ask that you all continue to stand in solidarity with the Muslim-American community in Philadelphia,” [CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Committee Member, Salima] Suswell, a Muslim American community leader in Philadelphia, said, “against social injustice, hate speech, hate crimes and vicious rhetoric that influences and ignites turmoil in this society.”