Radio Sawa interview with Jacob Bender
Director’s Desk, November 4, 2013
This is the end of my first month as Executive Director of CAIR-Philadelphia. It has been quite a whirlwind of activity. Since the press release announcing my appointment was sent out on October 15, there have been over 7,000 Internet postings about the story, the great majority of them positive. Articles about CAIR-Philadelphia appeared online at Phillymag.com, Philly.com, The Washington Post, The Jewish Exponent of Philadelphia, Ha’aretz, and at hundreds of other Internet sites. I was also interviewed on Aljazeera, did a 30-minute interview on WEAA (the NPR station in Baltimore), with additional interviews in The Washington Times and The New York Jewish Week.
CAIR-Philadelphia Leads Response to Desecration of ISD Mosque
Last Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, in the early morning hours, vandals came under cover of darkness to desecrate the Islamic Society of Delaware (ISD) in Newark, the largest and most prominent mosque in the state. The alleged perpetrators destroyed a wooden fence and severely damaged an electronic sign. Damage is in the thousands of dollars. Most shockingly, the alleged culprits also fashioned the debris into a cross (Christianity’s sacred symbol for the “Prince of Peace”), thus insulting both Islam and Christianity. CAIR-Philadelphia immediately issued a Press Release condemning the attack and “urged local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this attack as a possible hate crime.” The Press Release went on to declare that the “unfortunately growing promotion of Islamophobia in our society leads to such troubling incidents.”
Al Jazeera story on CAIR-Philadelphia (video)
Photos and Videos: Interfaith Groups Join CAIR in Conference and Vigil for Vandalized Delaware Mosque
FBI: Juveniles charged with criminal mischief in Islamic Center vandalism (video)
Jeffrey A. Reising, a supervisory special agent with the FBI announced during an interfaith prayer service tonight that three juveniles have been arrested and charged with criminal mischief. Leaders at the mosque expressed gratitude for an “overwhelming” response of support from the community – police, religious leaders and elected officials. The president of the Islamic Society of Delaware said the incident showed the power of a community to push back against intolerance. “We can make our town ... our state ... a better place,” he said.
Update on Vandalism at Islamic Society of Delaware
A Message from ISD President Mahamad Allimulla (from ISDOnline President’s Corner): Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatu, Dear Community Members, I would like to keep you informed on the follow-up activities to the tragic event that took place between 12 midnight and…
CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Delaware Mosque Vandalism
(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 10/25/13) –- The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) today called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate vandalism of a Delaware mosque as a possible hate crime. [NOTE: CAIR-Philadelphia will hold a…
Executive Director Jacob Bender on The Marc Steiner Show, WEAA Baltimore (audio)
CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender appeared yesterday morning on The Marc Steiner Show (WEAA 88.9 AM Baltimore). Jacob discussed his appointment and the reactions to it, and answered questions about CAIR’s mission and activities, the perception of Muslims and Islam in American society, as well as commenting upon his own background promoting interfaith understanding between Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
Listen to the show:
Director Jacob Bender on WEAA (The Marc Steiner Show), October 24, 2013