The week after the election, news of the formation of a Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC) — with clergy, political, and business leaders aiming to work on domestic policy issues that affect both communities — reached the Muslim community. The council hopes to highlight the contributions of Muslims and Jews to American society, develop a coordinated strategy to address anti-Muslim bigotry and anti-Semitism in the U.S. and work to protect and expand the rights of religious minorities in the U.S.
In itself, this news was not controversial as synagogues and Islamic centers, and Jewish and Muslim groups, have been active together on multiple fronts, especially since the election results came in. However, the role of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in convening the meeting held by the council sparked controversy in both faith communities.
To many Muslims it didn’t make sense for an Islamic organization to partner with AJC because of the Jewish group's efforts to demonize Muslims and Islam over the last two decades. AJC’s website states “AJC is a pro-Israel and Zionist organization that aims at advancing Israeli interests in the American society.”
“This goal can't be accomplished without criminalizing pro-Palestine activism in the USA and spreading Islamophobia to justify Israeli atrocities against the whole region and not just Palestinians,” says Raja AbdulHaq, a Palestinian-American activist.
According to the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions movement website: "The concept of opposing any form of normalization with Israel remains a vitally important one within Palestinian politics. This is the idea that there cannot be business as usual with Israel while it continues to oppress Palestinians."
Advocates believe this should extend to any US organization, especially one whose very existence is to support the state of Israel and fight those who challenge its policies or economic and military support from the United States. The AJC formed the Governor's United Against BDS initiative. “Since 1948, we have sought to help Israel by energetically arguing its case in the halls of power, diplomatic chancelleries, and the mass media,” writes Robert Elman, president of the AJC.
Following criticism, ISNA released a statement that the correct protocol was not followed by the conveyors of the council and blamed the complex web that is inter organizational relationships and collaborations.
"Following the public announcement of the formation of MJAC, an internal inquiry revealed that standard reporting and approval mechanisms were not followed to secure formal approval of ISNA leadership to elevate involvement of ISNA to the level of "co-convener" of MJAC. We were thus surprised to receive the announcement about ISNA's collaboration with AJC on the formation of the MJAC."
“The efforts to launch MJAC, while laudable, are not limited only to ISNA and AJC. Rather MJAC is a separate and independent body comprised of over thirty individuals and organizations represented on the council,” read the statement.
The co-chairs of MJAC, Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein, and Farooq Kathwari, President and CEO of Ethan Allen, do not represent AJC or ISNA. The two organizations came together to recommend names of council members. Both organizations suggested Muslims and Jews to the council.
Haroon Mughal, a well-known Muslim commentator who is a fellow at the Shalom Hartmann Institute says, “This is a joint Muslim-Jewish committee to tackle Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, not because ISNA or AJC agree on everything, and they shouldn't have to, but because there's a need. It's true that there are already many Muslim and Jewish partnerships. But nothing like this so far, and let's be honest, Muslim and Jewish communities with broad ideological similarities have found it easy to talk. But … we also need to talk to people [we] disagree with, or who disagree with [us], and find areas of real common ground. It’s hard to exaggerate how significant this partnership was.”
Activists argue the "creeping normalcy" theory, where normalization of the Israeli occupation in the Muslim consciousness is done slowly and systematically.
“Recently, it has become normal for some Muslim leaders to throw Palestinians under the bus for minor ‘political gains’. We have witnessed widespread collaboration between Muslim organizations [and] leaders and fierce Zionist organizations go unquestioned, under the excuses of interfaith and fighting Islamophobia,” says Raja AbdulHaq. Palestinian-American activists recommend alternate organizations for interfaith work like Jewish Voices of Peace and Neturei Karta.
There are calls by popular imams for American Muslims organizations to pass a resolution affirming their dedication to the BDS movement, as per the will of the majority of American Muslims and many other Americans. Muslim-Jewish solidarity should not compromise Palestine, Masjid Al Aqsa, Jerusalem, and the Palestinians.
There have been longstanding efforts to sow divisions within the Muslim community on this issue and is now a tactic used more than ever as a part of a multimillion-dollar effort to combat the BDS movement internationally, say activists.
According to the AJC website, the members of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council are: The initial members of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council are: Ms. Raheemah Abdulaleem, KARAMAH; Ms. Shakila Ahmad, Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati; Chaplain Tahera Ahmad, Northwestern University; Imam Shamsi Ali, Nusantara Foundation; Ms. Roberta Baruch, AJC Commission on Interreligious Affairs; Mr. Stanley M. Bergman, Henry Schein Inc; Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Central Synagogue;
Ms. Rabia Chaudry, United States Institute of Peace; Senator Norman Coleman, Hogan Lovells; Mr. Steven Collis, AmerisourceBergen; Rabbi Joshua Davidson, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York; Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, Covington & Burling LLP; Imam Plemon El-Amin, World Pilgrims; Mr. David Harris, AJC; Mr. S.A. Ibrahim, Radian Group; Congressman Steven Israel, United States House of Representatives; Mr. Farooq Kathwari, Ethan Allen Interiors; Mr. Suhail Khan, Microsoft Corporation; Ms. Daisy Khan, Women's Islamic Initiative for Spirituality & Equality (WISE); Mr. Farhan Latif, El-Hibri Foundation; Mr. David Levin, McGraw Hill Education; Mr. Moses Libitzky, Libitzky Property Companies; Senator Joseph Lieberman, Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman LLP; Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt, Emory University; Imam Mohamed Magid, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS); Mr. Talat Othman, Grove Financial, Inc; Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, New York University; Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, the Rabbinical Assembly; Imam Talib M. Shareef, The Nation’s Mosque, Masjid Muhammad; Dr. Sayyid Syeed, ISNA; and Rabbi David Wolpe, Sinai Temple, Los Angeles.
As of publication, a request for comments from the ISNA Interfaith Office was not returned.
With BDS as a litmus test to allyship, Muslims in America are faced with a principle quagmire: how do they make coalitions on common goals with mainstream Jewish organizations without legitimizing and embracing the values of their coalition members?
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