Muslim-Americans raise more than $60,000 to repair desecrated Jewish cemetery

More than 170 headstones at a Jewish cemetery in a St Louis suburb were vandalised on Saturday or Sunday, prompting two Muslim Americans to raise funds to help with repairs.

More than 170 Jewish headstones were toppled at the Chesed Shel Emeth cemetery in University City, a suburb of St Louis, Missouri, US on February 18 and 19, 2017. Tom Gannam/Reuters

New York // When Tarek El Messidi saw photographs of more than 100 headstones toppled by vandals at a Jewish cemetery in a St Louis suburb, he saw a chance for Muslims to help.

Along with Linda Sarsour, another Muslim-American activist, he launched a fundraising appeal to pay for repairs.

It blew past its US$20,000 (Dh73,450) target within three hours and reached $66,000 by mid-day on Wednesday - less than a day later.

He said any money left over from helping at the Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery in University City, Missouri, would go to other Jewish groups suffering abuse.

“Anti-Semitism is an ongoing problem, in addition to Islamophobia across the country,” he said. “I just felt we needed to do something about this and show that both our communities will stand together against this sort of hate and desecration.”

A bitter election campaign and the victory of Donald Trump, who has been accused of both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, have been blamed in part for the rise in hate crimes across the US.

Arsonists have attacked three mosques so far this year, while the Jewish community centre association said 54 Jewish community centres reported bomb threats.

Mr Trump addressed the anti-Jewish sentiment for the first time on Tuesday.

“The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centres are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil,” he said.

Police in St Louis are reviewing security camera footage in an effort to identify the individuals responsible for damaging more than 170 headstones on Saturday or Sunday.

Mr El Messidi, director of Celebrate Mercy, a non-profit organisation that seeks to promote a better understanding of Islam, said the photographs reminded him of a story from the life of the Prophet Mohammed, who on one occasion stood up to pay respects for a passing Jewish funeral procession.

When questioned on why he stood for a Jewish funeral, he responded: “Is it not a human soul?”

Mr El Messidi added: “It reminded me of the basic humanity that all our religions teach. Every person regardless of faith background or their political views deserves to rest in peace.”

He is also organising teams of volunteers to help with the clean-up and has received messages of thanks from members of the Jewish community.

“I have family buried in that cemetery and was heartbroken seeing the desecration of the final resting place of some of my loved ones,” said one email. “Your kind and loving spirit gives hope to me that we can have mutual respect and tolerance of our differences and shared humanity.”

Mr El Messidi said those messages were a reminder that people of different faiths had much to share.

“Even though the Jewish and Muslim communities have not typically worked closely together before, the silver lining in all the hate we are hearing is that it is bringing both our communities together,” he said.