Cape Cod Council of Churches Show Support for Jewish Community Amid Threats

Flowers rest on a damaged headstone at Mount Carmel Cemetery Feb. 28, 2017 in Philadelphia. Scores of volunteers are expected to help in an organized effort to clean up and restore the Jewish cemetery where vandals damaged hundreds of headstones. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)

HYANNIS – The Cape Cod Council of Churches has issued a statement of support for the Jewish community after the rash of nationwide threats made against their facilities.

Since the start of 2017, there has been a sharp rise in threats made against synagogues and Jewish community centers, including 67 incidents in 27 states and one Canadian province.

Threats have included several bomb threats to Jewish organizations across the country, along with vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in University City, Missouri.

“This is wrong,” said Edythe Neismith, the executive director of the Cape Cod Council of Churches. “It is not acceptable for people to be acting out their hatred in such ways based on what we have to believe is prejudice against someone’s religion.”

The Cape Cod council has posted a statement on its website opposing the anti-Semitic actions and rhetoric, along with a link to a letter from the national council condemning the actions.

“It’s something that we as a Cape Cod Community, as well as a national one, really need to gather together around and say this is not okay in any way, shape or form,” Neismith said.

Neismith said our country is about the acceptance of all people and their religions.

“We at the Council of Churches are open for people of all religions,” Neismith said. “We serve everyone in the community and we do so out of love and gratitude for the blessings we have received in our lives.”

The Cape Cod Council of Churches has served low-income individuals and families throughout Cape Cod and the Islands for more than 50 years.

By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

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