ADL’s mission compels us to build bridges between communities and faiths, and to convene diverse groups to promote civil rights and solve common challenges. When there is an international interfaith gathering, ADL is at the table, based on a long track record of promoting greater understanding among diverse religious groups.

ADL has always emphasized the importance of mutual respect among all religions. At national and local levels, we nurture intergroup relationships, often calling on and sharing our Jewish values. We convene interfaith seders and establish groundbreaking initiatives such as the Interfaith Coalition on Mosques, which works to ensure that Muslims can exercise the same religious freedom enjoyed by everyone in America.

Partnerships

NJ NAACP

• On January 9, 2020, ADL and the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) announced a new partnership to jointly combat all forms of hate and bigotry in New Jersey.
• We intend to work together to provide anti-bias education to elected officials across New Jersey, build bridges of tolerance and understanding through a series of listening sessions with ADL / NAACP constituents, and respond with a united voice to racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of hate in New Jersey.

Consulate of Mexico

• ADL and the Government of Mexico have joined together to create Denuncia El Odio, a social media awareness campaign to encourage people to identify and report hate crimes.

67^th Precinct Clergy Council with Pastor Gil Monrose

• In connection with Pastor Gil Monrose’s work with the 67^th Precinct Clergy Council, there has been a concerted effort to try and reduce gun violence within the Crown Heights community.  ADL will again join the Precinct Clergy Council to host a virtual gun violence prevention summit for Faith Leaders from Brooklyn. ADL strives to help the mission of stopping and preventing deadly gun violence within our communities.
• In 2019, ADL NY/NJ’s Regional Director and Pastor Gil Monrose, Director of Faith-Based and Clergy Initiatives at the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office, traveled throughout Poland visiting Holocaust memorial sites in an effort to learn more about each other and further their collaboration at home in Brooklyn.

Ambassador Gandy Thomas at the Consulate of Haiti

• In an effort to build bridges between the Afro Caribbean and Jewish communities, ADL has worked closely with Ambassador Gandy Thomas to facilitate understanding between groups.

Interfaith

Interfaith Advisory Council

• ADL NY / NJ is a member of the NJOHSP’s (New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness) Interfaith Advisory Council which meets on a quarterly basis. The IAC is a network of faith-based organizations designed to share relevant information with their communities in New Jersey. This council helps maintain an open dialogue with Christian, Muslim, Sikh, and Jewish faith-based leaders as well as government officials and law enforcement throughout New Jersey.

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ADL Supports Asylum Seekers and Refugees

ADL has always stood with asylum seekers and refugees. Immigration policy should not be based on spreading fear and intimidation throughout communities. Government officials, law enforcement, faith leaders and community members should come together to uphold community and American values in supporting immigrants and a create a climate where everyone in our communities is made to feel welcome and safe.

ADL Attends Interfaith Panel Hosted by the Archdiocese of New York

On June 20^th, 2019 ADL New York/New Jersey spoke among a diverse group of interfaith leaders at the “Hate in Our World, Hate in Our City” panel hosted by the Archdiocese of New York and moderated by Rabbi Joseph Potasnik. The panel—including experts from New York law enforcement, district attorneys, and religious leaders–discussed a wide range of issues regarding hate crimes and security among the interfaith community in New York City.

Regional Director Evan Bernstein Attends Community Iftars in Observance of Ramadan

In May of 2019, ADL New York/New Jersey attended two iftars in New York City to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Ramadan with our interfaith partners and neighbors. The first iftar was held at the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in Staten Island hosted by Imam Tahir Kukaj and the second was Brooklyn Borough Hall’s 14^th Annual Iftar put on by Borough President Eric Adams. While there, Evan was also able to meet Mohammad Ravzi, one of the Brooklyn iftar’s founders.

“Nation of Immigrants” Community Seder 2019

On April 7, 2019, ADL New York/New Jersey hosted its first annual “A Nation of Immigrants” Community Seder in Co-op City in the Bronx. The idea for a community Seder is based on the continued relevance John F. Kennedy’s 1958 book, A Nation of Immigrants.

ADL Stands in Solidarity with the Muslim Community in the Wake of New Zealand Shootings

The world mourned with Christchurch after the March 15th mass shooting at two New Zealand mosques ended the lives of 50 worshippers. Immediately after the shooting, our Regional Director Evan Bernstein joined community and faith leaders at Makki Masjid Muslim Community Center to pay respect to shooting victims. ADL NY/NJ called for unity, saying “they are expecting us to break and to stop speaking out…but that is something we cannot do.”