The New York ADL’s Intergroup and Interfaith Initiatives focus on increasing understanding and communication between different faiths and ethnic groups. Our programs and initiatives are designed to dispel some of the most persistent stereotypes – from accusations of ritual murder to modern permutations of anti-Semitism that have arisen from the Arab-Israel conflict – as well as to create civil rights alliances and partnerships to ensure that we can best fulfill our mission of working against hate for all. We work on multiple fronts, interacting with religious leadership, ensuring positive content in classrooms, and bringing individuals together for far-reaching discussion and dialogue. Simultaneously, we also work together with partners we have developed in other faith and ethnic communities to create broad based coalitions that work together to confront civil rights issues that range from marriage equality to first amendment rights to racial and religious discrimination. In so doing, we further understanding and cooperation and move our state and our world one step closer to becoming a world without hate.
Interfaith and Intergroup initiatives of the New York ADL are designed to:
- Establish powerful and impactful programs that connect the ADL and the Jewish community with the various faith and ethnic groups of New York.
- Enable the ADL to serve as a resource to various groups experiencing discrimination, prejudice, or hate.
- Proactively target stereotypes by bringing diverse groups together.
- Enable communities and individuals to be advocates for understanding, cooperation, and respect.
- Create and empower a network of alliances that is built on and promotes a culture of respect for all
The NY Office sponsors a number of ongoing intergroup and interfaith initiatives, including the Bettina (z”l) and Erwin Pearl New York Bearing Witness Institute for Catholic educators, the Building Bridges, Connecting Classrooms Seminar for teachers in Jewish and Islamic schools, Latino-Jewish programming and outreach through both ¡Celebraté! and the Latino Jewish Roundtable, and an annual Interfaith Seder. Additionally, we are proud to take the opportunity to partner with a variety of groups on programs and projects. Smaller programs have included:
The Sikh Community: Institutional Security and Civil Rights partnership
The African-American Community: Sharing histories of Oppression
Evangelicals in New York: Prospects for Partnership
Book signings, speakers, panels, and more.
We continue to develop and grow partnerships and programming to work toward a world without hate. Join us!