November 17, 2016

Dear Friend,

I don’t have to tell you - but the past week hasn’t been easy. We have been hearing renewed calls for a Muslim registry and more alarmingly, the appointment of Stephen Bannon as President-elect Trump’s Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor.

Although we have been dealing with what seems to be never-ending bad news, there is a silver lining. Our collective efforts to push back against Trump’s plans have allowed us to work together even more closely with our interfaith and civic allies.

I was so disturbed by Trump’s announcement that I called my friend Arielle Gingold, at Bend the Arc, to ask how we can support the Jewish community in pushing back against the appointment. Little did I know that Arielle was just about to call me to also ask what the Jewish community could do to support the Muslim community during this time of fear.

Bannon, a professional purveyor of anti-Semitic and white nationalistic rhetoric, has given the alt-right a platform to spread their divisive movement that seeks the removal of all Jews, Muslims, African-Americans, Latinos and immigrants from our nation.

The President of the United States has the responsibility to represent all Americans of different faiths and backgrounds. But, Bannon is opposed to diversity and multiculturalism and wants to remove the same Americans that the President is elected to serve. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Bannon’s appointment was celebrated by the KKK, the American Nazi party and other white nationalists.

So today, we are organizing a joint petition with our friends at Bend the Arc, bringing Jews and Muslims together to call upon President-elect Trump to rescind his appointment of Bannon as his senior counselor and chief strategist.

Add your name to show Trump that we will not let our nation be further divided by hate - that we will not be silent.

We need to be loud and clear and have our message heard: Our nation is stronger when Americans stand together to reject hatred. We must rise above it all by standing up for one another. Add your name now.

In solidarity,

Hoda Hawa

Director of Policy & Advocacy