Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council
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The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council is an interfaith,
bipartisan Bipartisanship, sometimes referred to as nonpartisanship, is a political situation, usually in the context of a two-party system (especially those of the United States and some other western countries), in which opposing political parties find co ...
collaboration established by the American Jewish Committee and the
Islamic Society of North America The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is a nonprofit organization based in Plainfield, Indiana. It provides a number of programs and services to the Muslim community and broader society. ISNA holds an annual convention which is generally re ...
in early fall 2016. Its 46 members are business, religious, and political leaders from all over the United States. The Council focuses its public policy advocacy on reversing the rise in hate crimes based on religion in the United States. The council's actions includes creating "a coordinated strategy to address anti-Muslim bigotry and
anti-Semitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
" and to "protect and expand the rights of religious minorities" in the United States. More recently the council has turned its focus to fighting the rise in hate crime, advocating for Congress and the Department of Justice to strengthen laws against hate crimes. The co-chairs of the council are Stanley Bergman, the CEO of Henry Schein, and
Farooq Kathwari Farooq Kathwari (born 1944) is an Indian-American businessman who is currently the CEO of Ethan Allen. Life Kathwari moved to the United States from Kashmir, India in 1965. He is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive officer of Ethan Al ...
, the CEO of Ethan Allen. According to Bergman, "Our two communities share much in common and should find ways, where possible, to work together for the benefit of the entire country." Kathwari has said, "The Council aims to provide a model for civic engagement by two communities, vital to American society, that agree to work together on issues of common concern and overlapping interest." While the strategic need for the communities to work together is longstanding, discussions around the creation of the council began in the summer of 2016. AJC began reaching out to Muslim partner organisations and friends. In November 2016 the
Islamic Society of North America The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is a nonprofit organization based in Plainfield, Indiana. It provides a number of programs and services to the Muslim community and broader society. ISNA holds an annual convention which is generally re ...
and the American Jewish committee launched their first meeting. The council decided to focus on advocacy and on bringing together council members from each group to meet and get to know each other, as well as to discuss the group's mission and goals as a new council.


Goals

The council's two main goals are as follows, # "Reversing the rise in hate crimes"; # "Promoting the contributions of religious minorities to America";


Members

There are forty-four members of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, including the co-chairs of the board. These members include business, political, and religious leaders in the American Jewish and American Muslim communities.


Regional Expansion

In addition to the National Council, MJAC has expanded across the United States with local regional councils. As of 2020, there are 11 regional councils in
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,
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,
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, Kansas City,
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,
Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...
,
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,
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, New York,
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, and Washington, D.C. Regional councils bring together local business, professional, civil society, and religious leaders from both communities to work on issues of common concern.


References


External links


Official websiteNPR: Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council Bridges Religious Lines To Fight DiscriminationJews and Muslims in US seek solidarity AP: Amid conflict, Jews and Muslims in US seek solidarity
{{authority control American Jewish Committee Organizations established in 2016 2016 establishments in the United States Jewish political organizations Islamic political organizations Interfaith organizations Islamic and Jewish interfaith dialogue