October 18, 2023

MCC Stands with the People of Palestine

With the outbreak of war and violence in the Palestinian region, MCC is deeply concerned and saddened by the loss of thousands of innocent lives and injury to thousands of civilians.

As your local community Islamic organization, we want to ensure we do our part to stand for justice and support the oppressed. We condemn all violence, aggression, and oppression against innocent civilians. The efforts below are mainly geared towards raising awareness of the existing issue, delivering a call to action, and supporting those suffering by supporting humanitarian relief organizations working on the ground in Palestine.

We have asked MCC Khateebs to deliver future sermons on the significance of Masjid Al-Aqsa and the plight of our Palestinian brothers and sisters to raise awareness of the issue and deliver a call to action.
We meet each Thursday and Friday night after Isha for a reflection and a dua. Watch the latest gathering at MCC about Palestine: https://mcceastbay.org/palestinian
Due to the urgency of the need, MCC requests all community members to donate to our partner organizations and others who have teams on the ground working to provide humanitarian relief to those affected. To date, the MCC congregation community fund for Palestine relief has surpassed its initial $50,000 goal, and we continue to raise and disburse each Friday to two organizations: Islamic Relief & UNRWA. Donate at mcceastbay.org/palestine
Advertise in your groups all the local peaceful protests and other activities advocating for justice and peace that are scheduled in the San Francisco Bay Area to support this awareness. Participants must abide by all local, state, and federal laws and regulations. We encourage our community members to reach out to their elected representatives, expressing their shock and horror regarding the situation in Palestine. Additionally, we encourage you to write to the media when you hear or see biased and/or inaccurate reporting.
This document will help you anticipate comments about Palestine and how to respond.
Last but most importantly, we encourage you to keep our Palestinian brothers and sisters in your daily supplications.

While the situation in Palestine is still changing daily, we will keep the local community apprised of any actions we take as a religious non-profit organization. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any suggestions or opportunities.

From our community partners at CAIR-SFBA:

Safety, Resources & Action Alert

Staying Safe

Many of you have reached out to ask about safety while pro-Israel violence increases abroad and in our neighborhoods.

For parents with children in schools, see our bullying and harassment guidance below. Talk to your children and report any incidents to CAIR-SFBA so our legal team can support you.
For protestors, know your rights before you head out. This can mitigate the consequences of law enforcement interactions. Additionally, we advise against engaging with counter-protestors.
For online activists concerned about privacy, limit how much personal information you put on the internet. If you are doxxed, see these guides from Equity Labs and Digital First Aid.

Bullying and Harassment Guidance

With the blatantly biased news coverage of Israel’s assault on Gaza and the many one-sided statements released in support of Israel, Muslims, and Palestinians may find themselves the targets of bullying and discrimination—particularly in schools and universities.

Students have the right to visibly practice their faith and advocate for human rights without facing harassment, threats, or punishment.

See CAIR’s Guidance for Students Targeted in Response to Palestine Rights Advocacy, as well as CAIR’s Guide to Addressing Bullying and Bias in Schools for bullying prevention strategies for youth and their families.

To report a bias incident, contact CAIR-SFBA’s Civil Rights Department at 408.986.9874 or click the button to complete an incident report.

Report an Incident

Know Your Rights When Protesting

As protests in support of Palestinian human rights are organized, we invite you to join them.

Protesting is a meaningful way to exercise your right to free speech and to make your voice heard on important issues. However, it can also be intimidating. So, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with your rights before you and your loved ones head out to protest with community members.

Know Your Rights

Know Your Rights If Law Enforcement Contacts You

CAIR-CA has received concerning reports that FBI agents are questioning Palestinian community members and possibly others regarding the recent tragic events in Palestine and Israel. Be advised that we strongly advise against speaking with any law enforcement agent, whether local, state, or federal, without first consulting with an attorney. See CAIR-SFBA’s Know Your Rights Guide for more information.

Contact us to report any communications from a law enforcement agent, including the FBI, at 408.986.9874 or by clicking the button to file an incident report.

Know Your Rights

Report an Incident

ACTION ALERT: Urge Congress to Support Ceasefire Now Resolution!

The new Ceasefire Now Resolution, championed by US House Representatives Cori Bush, Rashida Tlaib, André Carson, Summer Lee, and Delia C. Ramirez, urges the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine and to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza.

Endorsed by CAIR and nearly 50 other organizations, this resolution offers an alternative to a looming bipartisan resolution endorsed by 390 other members of Congress that essentially provides an open-ended endorsement for Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in the loss of thousands of Palestinian civilian lives.

Take action now to save lives!

CAIR Action Alert

JVP Action Alert

MPower Action Alert

Sign all three, share them with your friends, and then do it daily.

Our elected officials need to hear from you often.

Response to Questions: Suggested Talking Points

CAIR has developed the following talking points to assist you in effectively communicating your position on the crisis in Gaza when speaking with friends, coworkers, fellow students, the media, or others.

Affirm Your…

Unequivocal support for Palestine, for the people of Palestine, and their right to a free, unoccupied homeland. Express deep solidarity and condolences to the Palestinians in Gaza and the remaining occupied territories.
The belief that every human life has intrinsic value, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or religious beliefs, and that you:
Oppose the ongoing bombing and killing of civilians in Palestine.
Oppose the killing of civilians in Israel.
Unequivocally condemn the targeting of civilians as a war crime.
Extend your condolences to the families of those impacted by the violence, including Jewish, Palestinian, and Muslim Americans.
The belief is that if the international community offers the Palestinian people a true path to freedom, justice, and a dignified life, then peace and stability can inevitably follow.

Condemn…

One-sided, biased statements from schools, universities, organizations, elected officials, and media outlets. Emphasize that every innocent life is sacred, valuable, and should be protected—every life, not just Israeli lives.
Blatant disregard from elected officials regarding the Palestinian people’s suffering in Gaza at the hands of Israel. Call on them to meet with Palestinian human rights advocates to gain a deeper and more balanced perspective on the decades-long struggle the Palestinian people have endured.
Islamophobic statements are conflating violence in the region with Muslims and Islam.

Response to Biased Statements

For Students and Parents: Many community members have received emails from schools and universities with one-sided statements of support for Israel. These statements fail to acknowledge the dispossession of the Palestinian people under the illegal Israeli occupation or their humanity as they are bombarded and killed by Israeli forces.

We know that these statements can be upsetting and hurtful. To help you respond to these messages, CAIR-CA has developed letters that you can download and customize to send to your school or university.

K-12 Letter Template

Higher Ed Letter Template

For Employees: California laws generally prohibit employers from retaliating against employees for their lawful political activities that are non-work related and occur during non-work hours. However, employees should be aware that political beliefs/affiliations are not protected categories under federal/state anti-discrimination laws, and political activity may not be a protected activity. Private employers may still legally take action against employees for pragmatic reasons, e.g., if an employee’s political activities interfere with their own job performance or that of their coworkers, disrupt the employer’s business, or if the employer believes the employee’s work-related political statements are against the company’s beliefs, vision, or morals.

We encourage you to review our templates and strategize with colleagues on how best to respond.

Workplace Letter Template

Humanitarian Relief Organizations

Help our brothers and sisters in Palestine by providing life-saving emergency aid during this critical time. The following is a partial list of organizations that are positioned to provide on-the-ground assistance.