Chanukah Anti-Islamophobia Action Round Up

“Our goal in creating this action during Hanukkah was to make visible the extent and multiple manifestations of Islamophobia and racism and to re-commit ourselves fully to this work”

The Muslim community and those perceived to be Muslim are enduring vitriolic, frightening levels of anti-Muslim hate and violence throughout the country- -being spit on, shoved, verbally harassed and abused, physically assaulted, shot, and more. This hate and violence do not exist in a vacuum. They take place in the context of ongoing and systemic Islamophobia and racism that are pervasive and deep within our society.

Each night of Chanukah, JVP members and supporters in different cities gathered publicly with signs that contained an injustice we recommit ourselves to challenging.  When held together, the signs were in the shape of a Chanukah menorah.  These actions were initiated by Jews Against Islamophobia in NYC (a coalition of Jews Say No! and Jewish Voice for Peace–NYC) and the Network Against Islamophobia, a national project of Jewish Voice for Peace.

Eight Commitments

• We will not be silent about anti-Muslim and racist hate speech and hate crimes;
• We condemn state surveillance of the Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities;
• We challenge, through our words and actions, institutionalized racism and state-sanctioned anti-Black violence;
• We protest the use of Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism to justify Israel’s repressive policies against Palestinians;
• We fight anti-Muslim profiling and racial profiling in all its forms;
• We call for an end to racist policing #SayHerName #BlackLivesMatter;
• We stand against U.S. policies driven by the ‘war on terror” that demonize Islam and devalue, target, and kill Muslims;
• We welcome Syrian refugees and stand strong for immigrants’ rights and refugee rights.

Headlines & News Coverage

• Stand by me: To mark the eight days of Chanukah, Jews in 15 U.S. cities will rally nightly against Islamophobia and racism
• These People Are Fighting Anti-Muslim Hate After San Bernardino
• Middle East in Focus
• Ezra Schwartz, The Violence We Mourn, And The Violence We Support
• Jewish group rallies against Islamophobia, hate speech
• Durham Jewish community takes stand against Islamophobia
• New Haven Jews join others nationwide taking stand against Islamophobia and racism
• Jews Stand in Support of Local Muslims, Part of National Peace Effort
• Islamophobia Challenge Across America
• Love in the Time of Mania: Six Ways Americans Are Defying Islamophobia
• Jewish people challenge Islamophobia with national protest
• Jewish group rallying in Syracuse calls for end to Islamophobia, racism
• Jewish voices protest Islamophobia, racism in Ithaca
• Not all Muslims are terrorists’: Springfield rally protests prejudice, hostility toward Muslims 
• Jewish peace group conducts rally 
• Jewish voices rally for peace as they challenge Islamophobia 
• RI groups hold vigil in honor of Muslim refugees, immigrants
• Pro-Muslim Rally Sparks Progressive Claims
• “We will not be silent”: American Jews hit the streets during Hanukkah to fight Islamophobia and racism
• Discriminatory policies risk Israel’s longtime bipartisan U.S. support
• Post-Hanukkah campaign to fight racism, Islamophobia in Pittsburgh
• More on JVP-NYC anti-Islamophobia action 
• Jewish Voices for Peace Say No to Islamophobia
• Jews March for Muslims
• Jews protest ‘Islamophobia’
• Springfield rally against prejudice part of national campaign
• At Providence vigil, unified call to end gun violence
• Jewish Voices for Peace hold rally against Islamophobia, racism
• Activists mark Chanukah by challenging growing Islamophobia in the United States
• 1st Night of Chanukah Marked by Challenging Islamophobia in U.S.
• Hanukkah vigil for Dontay Ivy on Tuesday
• Jews Protest Islamophobia
• Why We Must Challenge Islamophobia in All its Forms