AMMWEC draws lawmakers, faith leaders to antisemitism summit

AMMWEC brought more than 70 national and international organizations together in Washington for its second annual coalition conference against antisemitism and hate. The event featured lawmakers, Justice Department leadership, interfaith clergy, and the launch of a new witness-account book tied to Oct. 7 and travel across Israel.

Why it matters: - The conference aimed to expand cooperation across Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and civic groups against antisemitism, extremism, and religious hatred. - The gathering came as U.S. lawmakers and civil rights leaders continue to face rising pressure to respond to campus hate, online extremism, and threats to religious freedom. - The event also used interfaith partnerships to frame antisemitism as a broader test of civic and religious solidarity.

What happened: - The American Muslim & Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council convened its Second Annual National Coalition Against Antisemitism and Hate Conference in Washington, DC. - More than 70 national and international organizations took part in the conference. - Members of Congress, senior U.S. Department of Justice officials, civil rights experts, and interfaith leaders praised AMMWEC's role in organizing the event. - AMMWEC Board Member Seemab Asif served as mistress of ceremonies. - The conference opened with an Abrahamic Prayer for Peace led by Muslim, Jewish, and Christian clergy. - The program included a cake-cutting ceremony marking America's upcoming 250th anniversary. - Leo Terrell, chair of the U.S. Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, delivered the keynote address and called combating antisemitism a moral imperative. - U.S. Representatives Greg Stanton and Brad Schneider gave remarks. - Dr. Anila Ali joined bestselling author Dara Horn for a featured conversation. - The conference also included presentations from the Anti-Defamation League and Dr. Charles Asher Small of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy. - Sessions covered campus antisemitism, Muslim women in peacemaking, digital extremism, and international religious freedom.

The details: - A major highlight was the launch of O' Jerusalem: The Witness Delegations—Truth, Faith & Oct. 7, published by the Abrahamic Publishing & Research Center. - The book features firsthand testimony from Muslim journalists, educators, faith leaders, and interfaith advocates who traveled across Israel before and after the Oct. 7 attacks. - The testimonies focus on personal reflection rather than political rhetoric. - One of the most anticipated sessions featured Muslim delegates whose accounts appear in the book. - Journalist Wajid Ali Syed moderated the panel. - Panelists described visits to Israel, the Gaza envelope, the West Bank, Bethlehem, and communities affected by the Oct. 7 attacks. - Syed said the purpose of O' Jerusalem is to bear witness and to present Muslim voices describing what they saw with their own eyes, not through politics or propaganda. - Anila Ali closed the conference by urging participants to keep building interfaith partnerships. - Ali said Jewish safety is tied to safety in churches, mosques, synagogues, and mandirs.

Between the lines: - The conference paired institutional advocacy with personal testimony, which can be a more persuasive way to counter denial, polarization, and online misinformation. - The book launch suggests AMMWEC is trying to turn interfaith dialogue into a durable narrative strategy, not just a one-day event. - The presence of Justice Department leadership, members of Congress, and major advocacy organizations signals that antisemitism remains a federal and civic priority.

What's next: - AMMWEC says the conference reaffirmed its commitment to Muslim-Jewish partnerships, religious freedom, and coalitions against antisemitism and hate. - The coalition effort appears positioned to continue through follow-on advocacy, interfaith programming, and broader public education. - The witness accounts in O' Jerusalem are likely to remain part of AMMWEC's outreach around antisemitism and coexistence.