Appeal of Conscience Foundation and the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism Bring Together Interfaith Coalition of Religious Leaders and Houses of Worship to Stand Up Against Antisemitism and All Faith-based Hate

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. and NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid rising antisemitic hate speech and violence, an interfaith coalition of Houses of Worship will deliver a united message on September 7^th: The time is now to end antisemitism and all faith-based hate. From New York City to San Francisco, people of faith across the United States will take part in a historic demonstration of interfaith unity.

Organized by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, Stand Up Sunday will include over one million people of faith nationwide. Many of these houses of worship have experienced targeted acts of violence themselves and have a deep understanding of the impact it has.

The recent mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in South Minneapolis, which took the lives of young school children, reminds us of the vulnerability of worshippers in sacred spaces. It underscores the immediate, real-world consequences of unchecked religious hatred and violence. This moment demands more than words; it calls for resolve, unity, and action across faith traditions to ensure no place of worship or faith-based school is ever again a target.

Churches of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and New Jersey and the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Armenian Diocese of America, National Council of Churches of Christ, and numerous Christian, African Methodist Episcopal, Episcopal, Presbyterian Churches as well as the Akshardham BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Temple USA will be participating.

Each will dedicate their services to raising awareness about the sharp increase of antisemitism and all forms of hate against religious communities in the United States by standing together on September 7. FCAS' Blue Squares, the universal symbol of unity in the fight against Jewish hate and all hate, will be distributed to attendees as a visible display of solidarity across faiths.

"Stand Up Sunday is about raising awareness, inspiring action, and standing together against hate," said Robert Kraft, Founder of the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. "By uniting behind the Blue Square, faith leaders are sending a powerful message, that antisemitism and all forms of hate have no place in our communities. At a time when division and intolerance threaten to pull us apart, this initiative shows what is possible when we unite across backgrounds and beliefs, and that our shared values are greater than what divides us."

Stand Up Sunday is connected to the Appeal of Conscience Foundation's Respect the Other campaign. Since 2001, the ACF has been addressing the alarming rise of attacks against houses of worship, underscoring the enduring importance of its mission to embrace a philosophy of mutual respect and religious freedom. That by standing up for one another's differences, we not only strengthen our own but all faith values and beliefs.

This multi-faith event comes at a pivotal moment: Attacks on religious institutions and people of faith have surged at alarming rates across the United States; in Churches, Synagogues, Temples, Mosques and other Houses of Worship. Since 2021, the number of religious-based hate crimes has doubled, drawing the attention of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice, which now classify such attacks as a form of terrorism. This shift reflects a disturbing climate where faith communities must prioritize protection over purpose. The FBI's 2024 crime statistics show a record high number of hate crimes against Jewish people, accounting for nearly 70 percent all religious-based hate crimes. According to this latest data, more than five anti-Jewish hate crimes are committed each day, including terror attacks, assault, vandalism, harassment, burglary, false bomb threats, and more.

"Attacking a house of worship hits the jugular vein of every faith community", says Rabbi Arthur Schneier, founder and president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation.

Stand Up Sunday will be supported by some of the country's most prominent houses of worship, including:

• St. Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, welcomes more than five million visitors per year. It was the target of a potential terrorist attack in 2019 when a man was arrested while attempting to bring gasoline, butane, and lighters into the church.
• Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in New York City, which was the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11, and has become a temple of memory and honor to those whose lives were cut short on that tragic day.
• BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha have experienced vandalism at several locations over the last few years, most recently at a Temple in Greenwood, Indiana marking the fourth attack on a Hindu temple in the United States in 2025 alone.
• St. Luke's Methodist Church in Oklahoma City, was the inaugural site of Stand Up Sunday in 2024. This partnership with FCAS helped lay the groundwork leading to this nationwide effort.

"September 7 is the moment for us to stand shoulder to shoulder as people of faith to say enough is enough. We are all God's Children and together we can silence the voices of hate and the perpetrators of violence." said Karen Dresbach, Executive Vice President, Appeal of Conscience Foundation. "In this concerning time of rising antisemitism and faith-based hate, "Stand Up Sunday underscores our core mission to "Respect the Other," a call that is more urgent than ever. By standing together, we reaffirm that we have the ability to create a world of mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence."

"I commend the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism for their leadership in launching Stand Up Sunday, a powerful call for unity. At a time when antisemitism and hate against people of all faiths continue to rise, it is more important than ever that houses of worship across our great nation stand together shoulder to shoulder to denounce hatred in all its ugly forms," said Cardinal Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York. "Silence in the face of such evil is not neutrality, it is complicity. As people of faith, we must raise our voices, open our doors, and extend our hands in solidarity. We are all God's children, and an attack on one house of worship is an attack on all. May this initiative inspire courage, compassion, and conviction in every community."

According to FCAS' proprietary research, antisemitic attitudes are now held by 25% of the population — an increase of 26 million people in just 18 months. Despite this rise, nearly half of Americans are not actively involved in combating the issue of antisemitism. FCAS data shows they do not recognize Jewish hate in the same way they do other forms of hate — and therefore do not stand up to it. By joining Stand Up Sunday, houses of worship are affirming their commitment to a world where people of all faiths and backgrounds are treated with dignity and respect — because nobody can sit on the sidelines when it comes to combating hate.

About the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism
The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) was founded by Robert Kraft in 2019 to stand up to Jewish hate and all hate by inspiring Americans to become active allies in the fight. FCAS looks to reach the nearly 50% of Americans who are unengaged in the fight against hate and inspire them to stand up to it. In 2023, FCAS established the Blue Square as the universal symbol of unity in combating hate, allowing all allies to wear and share their support.

About the Appeal of Conscience Foundation
Founded in 1965 by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF) has worked worldwide on behalf of religious freedom, human rights and the protection of Houses of Worship. This interfaith coalition of business and religious leaders remains at the forefront of promoting mutual understanding and interreligious cooperation, standing against voices that spread bias, hatred, and division. The Foundation believes that to heal our wounded world, we must emerge as a united human family, seeking improvement by advancing peaceful coexistence and "Respect the Other."

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SOURCE Foundation to Combat Antisemitism and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation