On Monday, January 21st, around 100 people came together for an MLK Day of Action, an interfaith and intergenerational event organized by Anshe Emet Synagogue, Bright Star Church, and JCUA’s Or Tzedek.
Moved by the legacy of Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. on his federal holiday and President Barack Obama’s historic second inauguration, children, teens and adults from Chicago’s Jewish and African American communities committed their considerable energy, time, and passion to renew their shared commitment to create social justice in their city.
While the temperatures outside were freezing, people inside Bright Star Church talked of the warmth they felt, generated by the openness of all participants to share their own experiences and listen to the assets and challenges of another community.
Rabbi David Russo, Pastor Chris Harris and Rebecca Katz emphasized throughout the day that this was only the beginning of a relationship between both communities; “Lehitraot,” or “see you soon,” were Rabbi Russo’s parting words.
For the past few months JCUA has been in conversation with partnering faith organizations in an effort to create a unique model of inter-religious collaboration in times of crisis. These conversations have led to the creation of the Chicagoland Inter-Religious Rapid Response Network (CIRRN).
In a final planning meeting on December 7th, hosted by JCUA and facilitated by Asaf Bar-Tura – JCUA’s director of programs – Network partner organizations met to finalize the goals and guidelines for the newly formed CIRRN.
The CIRRN states its purpose as “to streamline communication dedicated to mobilizing multi-faith responses to acts of hate and discrimination targeting faith communities in Chicago and its collar counties.”
As explained by the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, the Network aims to provide solace to the victims, and to make a stand against all faith-based hate crimes and discrimination by standing strong and providing a united front regardless of religious background. CIRRN plans to achieve this through a listserve that connects between the leading religious organizations in Chicago to promote communication, provide up-to-date information, and present opportunities for engagement in the aftermath of any incident targeting a faith-based community. This will allow the various faiths to remain informed on incidents of any kind, and will facilitate a rapid response from all representatives.
This network is the first of its kind in Chicago, and a model to be learned from and implemented across the nation.
For more information please contact Asaf Bar-Tura at asaf@jcua.org
But perhaps most inspiring have been the responses in the community, of Jews and non-Jews alike. We thank you for your support. Here’s are just a bit of your comments:
Thank you for your support and commitment to our work!
JCUA takes action in solidarity with the Muslim community in the face of hate speech and ignorance, and participates in media campaign to reclaim the meaning of the Islamic concept of “Jihad” from Muslim and anti-Muslim extremists alike.
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In late September, 2012 the anti-Muslim extremist Pamela Geller put up inflammatory ads in the New York City subway stations, which read: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat jihad” (see here). New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority at first refused to put up such hateful signs, but was forced by a court order to oblige Geller.
Many in the New York Jewish community have responded strongly, including a counter-campaign by Rabbis for Human Rights – North America, who put up subway signs reading “Choose love.”
Here in Chicago, the Muslim community has decided that a significant point has been overlooked on both sides. At the heart of the problem is the blatant misuse of the word “Jihad” as if it were an acceptable synonym of say “terrorism.”
Indeed, many Americans remain confused about the meaning of the concept of Jihad in Islamic tradition. Led by the Chicago chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the Muslim community has decided to reclaim the meaning of Jihad from Muslim and anti-Muslim extremists alike.
Asaf Bar-Tura, JCUA’s Director of Programs will speak at an interactive online gathering where faith leaders discuss strategies to combat anti-Muslim sentiments and actions on Monday, Oct. 22, 3:00 CST. To RSVP, please email Asaf Bar-Tura (asaf@jcua.org).
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Bar-Tura speaking about Islamophobia and anti-Semitism at a previous conference
In the beginning of August, America watched as shootings, fires and vandalism targeted American Muslims and American Sikhs. At least six communities in one week saw acts of hate perpetrated on their places of worship.
JCUA’s groundbreaking collaborations with the Muslim community continues to get national attention. This recently published article discusses the Jewish community’s willingness (and often lack thereof) to engage in important partnerships with the Muslim community. JCUA is mentioned as one of the exceptions. The authors write:
“When Jewish groups and individual Jews don’t apply such a litmus test, they can easily find themselves criticized by others in the community for having relationships with those considered “unacceptable” Muslim partners.
Some of the Jewish organizations whose leaders we interviewed have firmly rejected an Israel-related litmus test in their work with Muslim or Arab American partners. Asaf Bar-Tura, coordinator of the JCUA’s Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative, told us in an August 2011 interview, that the JCUA opposes a strategy that involves “urging a coalition to drop a member. JCUA won’t do that.”
Asaf Bar-Tura, JCUA’s Director of Programs will speak at an interactive online gathering where faith leaders discuss strategies to combat anti-Muslim sentiments and actions on Wednesday, Sep. 5, 3:00 CST. To RSVP, please email Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, who will send call-in information.
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Bar-Tura speaking about Islamophobia and anti-Semitism at a previous conference
In the beginning of August, America watched as shootings, fires and vandalisms targeted American Muslims and American Sikhs. At least six communities in one week saw acts of hate perpetrated on their places of worship.
When: Friday, 8/17, 5:00PM Where: Downtown Chicago, corner of Congress and Michigan.
Judy Levey, JCUA’s CEO, will be speaking at the vigil . Earlier this week Levey was quoted in the Chicago Tribune saying: “”Our own Jewish historical experience of being a minority has taught us of the dangers of stereotyping and demonization a vulnerable community. The Jewish community must not, and will not, stay silent.”
Please join us as we take this important stand against hate and bigotry.
“How many disasters do we have to go through in order to realize that all of humanity has a stake in the liberty of one person; whenever one person is offended, we are all hurt. What begins as inequality of some inevitably ends as inequality of all” (Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel)
UPDATE [8/13/12] Since this statement was drafted, we have learned of yet another attack on a Muslim institution in Chicago’s suburbs; a home-made bomb was thrown at an Islamic day school during the evening prayers on 8.12.12. See details here, including JCUA’s response.
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August 13, 2012
The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and the undersigned community leaders are outraged and saddened by the violent assault on the Muslim Education Center (MEC) mosque in Morton Grove, IL, this past Friday night (August 10, 2012).
This attack on a house of worship is only the most recent in a dangerous string of incidents in the Midwest:
On August 5, 2012, six people of the Sikh faith were murdered at their temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
On August 6, 2012, a mosque in Joplin, Missouri, was deliberately set on fire.
In destroying property and taking the lives of innocent people, the crimes of the past week do immeasurable harm to the sanctity of the American values of religious freedom, diversity and equality.
Posted by jcuablog 
In a final planning meeting on December 7th, hosted by JCUA and facilitated by Asaf Bar-Tura – JCUA’s director of programs – Network partner organizations met to finalize the goals and guidelines for the newly formed CIRRN.
