After a spate of attacks on synagogues in a number of U.S. states, a group of American Muslims have stood up to guard Jewish places of worship in the United States.

In recent months, two Jewish cemeteries were vandalized in Philadelphia and Rochester plus the mass desecration of a historically Jewish cemetery in Missouri. A series of bomb threats were also made against Jewish community centers in several U.S. states.

Former Marine, Tayyib Rashid pledged his support for American Jews on Twitter.

“I’m a #MuslimMarine in Chicagoland area. If your synagogue or Jewish cemetery needs someone to stand guard, count me in. Islam requires it,” Rashid tweeted.

Emmy Award winner, Momin Bhatti also called for protecting Jewish places in the wake of the attack threats.

“I’m a Muslim in #Harrisburg. If your synagogue or community center needs someone 2 stand guard, I will stand guard 4 you. Islam requires it,” Bhatti said.

Muslims also launched an online campaign to raise $20,000 with a view to repairing the vandalized Jewish cemetery in Missouri. In just 24 hours, the campaign has managed to collect $80,000.

Presently, the campaign has collected $156,000, which will be used in fixing other Jewish cemeteries in the U.S.

In recent years, Muslims and Jews have reached out to each other in times of crisis.

In Denmark, over 1,000 Norwegian Muslims formed a human shield they called a “ring of peace” to protect a Jewish place of worship in Oslo in the wake of a synagogue attack, chanting “No to anti-Semitism, no to Islamophobia“.

In London, a neighborhood watch group called ‘Shomrin’ (Hebrew for guards) has begun protecting Muslims against hate crimes.

Sources:

http://www.care2.com/causes/american-muslims-volunteer-to-guard-jewish-centers-under-threat.html

http://upliftconnect.com/us-muslims-guard-jewish-centres/