Those of us who work to bring understanding among people of diverse faith traditions, no matter our own faith, are horrified too to see the religious tapestry that makes up American democracy begin to fray and tear apart. Having worked for interfaith cooperation for almost three decades, I have never experienced a more challenging and heartbreaking time.
Yet inaction and retreat are not the answer. I have never been more convinced that we can, and we must, continue to be in relationship with one another.
New York State Assemblyman Zohran K. Mamdani won the Democratic nomination to become the New York City mayor. Despite his professed claims to the contrary and his repeated commitment to working with Jewish communities in New York, critics are accusing Mamdani of antisemitism and attacking him with a tremendous amount of anti-Muslim hate.
On February 6, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order addressing so-called “anti-Christian bias” in the United States. The Anti-Christian Bias Task Force, created by the executive order, held its first meeting on April 22, 2025. The task force is chaired by Attorney General Pam Bondi.