News 12
By Heather Fordham and Adolfo Carrion
November 2, 2023
Religious leaders are teaming up to have a conversation with students about the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia on college campuses amid the Israel-Hamas war.
Members of the Jewish and Muslim community met with students at Lehman College’s campus on Thursday to address both groups’ concerns and spread the message that hate has no place on campus.
An imam and rabbi came together to meet with student leaders from various Muslim organizations, and the two faith leaders are encouraging interfaith understanding.
Conversations took place on Long Island last weekend, where Jewish students from various colleges in New York City to express to the imam that they don’t feel safe on campus.
“It was very important for the imam to hear these concerns for the students’ welfare and their own security,” said Rabbi Marc Schneier.
On Thursday night, Muslim students shared the same sentiments.
“Antisemitism and Islamophobia is just two sides of the same coin, its different terms with the same essence, hate to anyone is hate to everyone, we are here to build that unity, to join our hands, to fight against that common enemy,” said Imam Shamsi Ali.
Both faith-based leaders say they will continue these conversations at more schools across New York City in the near future.
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