Minneapolis mosque and synagogue targeted in threats, vandalism

[MUSIC PLAYING] NINA MOINI: Our top story this afternoon on "Minnesota Now," in the span of a few days, two houses of worship in Minneapolis are facing threats and vandalism. Minneapolis Police are currently investigating the defacing of Temple Israel, a synagogue in Minneapolis. On Monday, a suspect spray painted swastikas on the doors and a pillar of the building.

On Friday, Abubakar As-Siddique in Minneapolis, or AAIC, received an online threat threatening violence to members of the worship at the mosque. Minneapolis Police determined the threat to be unfounded in that case. But it still contributed to fear and concern in the Islamic community.

I'm joined today by Marcia Zimmerman, Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, the senior Rabbi at Temple Israel. Thank you for joining us today, Rabbi.

MARCIA ZIMMERMAN: Thank you, Nina.

NINA MOINI: I'm also glad to have on the line Osman Ahmed, Director of Advocacy with Minnesota's Chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations. Ahmed's children attend Madrassah for Islamic Studies at the Center that received the threats. Thank you for being here as well, Mr. Ahmed.

OSMAN AHMED: Thank you for having me.

NINA MOINI: Well, I just want to say to both of you, I'm sorry that you and your communities have experienced this, and I do appreciate your time in being here. Rabbi Zimmerman, I'd like to start with you, if that's OK. What was your reaction to this vandalism that occurred?

MARCIA ZIMMERMAN: Yeah, so, of course, it was a normal Monday, like any other day. And we heard very early at 7:00 AM that there had been vandalism on our building, on one of the pillars, and one of our doors on the Emerson Avenue historic entrance to the congregation that was built in 1929.

And right over those doors is a quote from the book of Isaiah that says, "This house should be a house of prayer for all peoples." So the very doors in which we want to open and be inclusive and welcoming, the place that we feel so proud to be, a congregation built in 1929, when anti-Semitism was extremely high in the city of Minneapolis, to have a statement of a Jewish community and congregation facing Hennepin Avenue, and making sure that we wanted to make the statement that religious freedom is a hallmark of our country, and we are here as the Jewish community to open our doors and support all religions. That is the very place where these symbols of hate were found on Monday. It was disheartening and so upsetting and fearful.

NINA MOINI: And Osman, I'm sure that as a parent, it was also scary for you to hear that there had been threats to the Center, where your children were. What types of emotions are you feeling about this threat that's occurred and your community members as well?

OSMAN AHMED: Yeah, no, it's something unfortunately became very normal. And I'm afraid it's going to be normalized in the Muslim community because not only at this Center, but we-- this is, I think now-- I even lost count now, but I think 42 or 40 something right now, for the last three years, we have seen at the mosques. And the number of mosques that got attacked that haven't been reported also are just numbers that are missing.

But when I heard the news, there was a lot of emotions. One is your children go there. I know also there are hundreds of other children and people who pray there five times a day, and the kids go there. And you just think about what that could look like. And that is something really unfortunate when you think about it, where you want to send your child and it's unfortunately becoming very normal right now in Minnesota and I think many other places in the nation. But I think Minnesota is leading the nation on those attacks and those very targeted Islamic centers.

NINA MOINI: To your point, many people are saying too, Rabbi Zimmerman, that they feel like there's been an increase or it just feels more like people feel emboldened to do things that are hateful. What do you tell your congregants when something like this happens?

MARCIA ZIMMERMAN: Well, I think you're exactly right, Nina, that the statistics prove that there's been an increase in hate crime and hate speech. The internet doesn't help the situation and might even cause some of these horrible acts. And so we have a situation that we need to address because hate feeds hate. And we need to find a way to turn that around without question.

So for me, it is the message to feel Jewish pride in our history, in our tradition, to connect with other communities that are feeling vulnerable as well, and for us to recognize that hate does not solve any problem. No problem is actually solved with hate. And so the world's problems are real. We have hurdles, and we need to do it with connecting with other communities and together really facing the challenges of a future that's uncertain because of what's the reality.

The reality is we have technology that no one quite knows how to use it and what to do in the guardrails that go around it. There are so many changes in our world and in our society. So those are the things we need to figure out how to coordinate and collaborate together to me

NINA MOINI: Yeah, and it's great, too, to have the both of you together on with us today. And, Rabbi, I just want to follow up. You mentioned a lot of things that people in community and within the faith can do. What would be helpful to you-- and I'll ask you this as well, Osman-- what would be helpful from, say, a lawmaker standpoint or a law enforcement standpoint to make your community and Temple feel more safe and secure at this point? I know some congregations will hire private security. Is there anything from the outside that people can do to be helpful?

MARCIA ZIMMERMAN: Really good question. So it's how you define security. Law enforcement-- we have an incredible security team that is both seen and unseen security. We've had that for a very long time. The reality is security happens on multi-levels. That is one level of security, but it cannot be the only level of security.

Security really is about building a world where differences are truly celebrated. And I think that is part of the attack of all this hate is the desire to make America, perhaps, or our state or our country, monolithic and values of only one view need to prevail, rather than what we have been working towards for so long. I do so much interfaith work. I am often the only Jewish voice at the table. And it's really important that we continue to hear the many voices. We are part of an interfaith clergy team and community that has churches, mosques, synagogues. And that, I think, is the true antidote to this.

NINA MOINI: Osman, Minneapolis Police say they assigned extra patrol and had a meeting with mosque leaders and members. Same question I asked the Rabbi, what would be helpful to you from maybe a lawmaker or a law enforcement standpoint?

OSMAN AHMED: Yeah, thank you for asking that. I think it's great to have a couple days or a few days to patrol the area and the mosque or the synagogue or any other place that's attacked. But I think what needs to happen is continued support and continued relationship with those centers and those communities, and not just when something happens. But from the law enforcement aspect of it, I think we need to continue to have those kind of relationships and ongoing activities at the centers and those places.

And in terms of lawmakers and state leadership, it's unfortunate that we haven't had a lot of support, especially in the Muslim community, for the last two years when we had even children actually burn, almost burn at one of the mosques, got attacked when like about 50 or 60 children in the building. And like no leadership show up. So I think that needs to change.

It's not about politics. It's not about be careful where you are. It's about showing up for the people that you take the oath to lead and showing empathy and showing for the families and for the community members that are very concerned that we don't know-- I don't know if-- I have to make multiple calls if I'm going to send my child to the Center again just out of safety. And there's a lot of emotions flying. So my request to the state leadership and from the governors and all elected officials is that just for you to be there in the community doesn't mean you're going to solve everything, but it does mean that you show up as a leader of the state of the people, that of Minnesota.

NINA MOINI: More community engagement, even when something bad hasn't happened. Rabbi, I want to throw the last question to you here. I know Hanukkah is coming up. How are you and your congregation finding joy through this time? What do you tell people who are holding on to hope and joy, even when they experience disappointment, like this situation?

MARCIA ZIMMERMAN: Thank you. It is Hanukkah time. So we are moving into a holiday and a festival. So joy is intrinsic in Jewish ritual and Jewish tradition. It is during a complicated time in history. 163 BCE is when the Maccabees rededicated the second temple in Jerusalem. And so the idea that we need to rededicate ourselves to Jewish knowledge and commitment and connection and community is really central.

And this year, when we light the hanukiah, or the Hanukkah menorah, that we increase light. And that is a debate between the rabbis. Do you increase light or do you decrease light for each of the nights? This year we will increase light and make a commitment to one candle at a time, one friendship at a time, work to build a strong and cohesive interfaith world. And that is the role of religion is to be a positive force and positive message, even in the darkest of times.

NINA MOINI: Absolutely. Thank you both so much for your time, and please take care.

MARCIA ZIMMERMAN: Thank you. Thank you.

OSMAN AHMED: Thank you.

NINA MOINI: Thank you. That was Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, the senior rabbi at Temple Israel, and Osman Ahmed, the Director of Advocacy at Care Minnesota.