Members of Congress, senior U.S. Department of Justice officials, civil rights experts, and interfaith leaders praised the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC) for convening its Second Annual National Coalition Against Antisemitism and Hate Conference in Washington, D.C., bringing together more than 70 national and international organizations to strengthen cooperation against antisemitism, extremism, and religious hatred.

A highlight of the conference was the launch of O’ Jerusalem: The Witness Delegations—Truth, Faith & Oct. 7, published by the Abrahamic Publishing & Research Center (Abraham PRC). The groundbreaking book features firsthand testimonies from Muslim journalists, educators, faith leaders, and interfaith advocates who traveled across Israel before and after the October 7 attacks, documenting their experiences through personal reflection rather than political rhetoric.

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, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony commemorating America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

“An Issue of Right Versus Wrong”

Delivering the keynote address, Leo Terrell, Chair of the U.S. Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, commended AMMWEC’s leadership and stressed that combating antisemitism is a moral imperative.

“I am not here as a Republican or a Democrat. The issue of antisemitism is not political. It’s an issue of right versus wrong.” Leo Terrell, U.S. Department of Justice

The conference featured remarks from U.S. Representatives Greg Stanton and Brad Schneider, a featured conversation between Dr. Anila Ali and bestselling author Dara Horn, and presentations by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Dr. Charles Asher Small of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP). Sessions throughout the day addressed campus antisemitism, the role of Muslim women in peacemaking, digital extremism, and international religious freedom.

Bearing Witness

One of the day’s most anticipated sessions featured Muslim delegates whose testimonies appear in O’ Jerusalem. Moderated by journalist Wajid Ali Syed, the panelists shared firsthand accounts of visiting Israel, the Gaza envelope, the West Bank, Bethlehem, and communities affected by the October 7 attacks.

“The purpose of O’ Jerusalem is simple: to bear witness. These are Muslim voices sharing what they saw with their own eyes — not through politics or propaganda, but through lived experience.” Wajid Ali Syed, Journalist and Panel Moderator

“It Starts With the Jews, and It Doesn’t End There”

Closing the conference, Dr. Anila Ali, AMMWEC’s founder and president, called on participants to continue building interfaith partnerships in the fight against hate.

“I am not safe if you’re not safe. And you’re not safe in your churches, your mosques, your synagogues, or your mandirs until the Jewish people are safe — because it starts with the Jews, and it doesn’t end there.” Dr. Anila Ali, President, AMMWEC

The conference reaffirmed AMMWEC’s commitment to strengthening Muslim-Jewish partnerships, defending religious freedom, and building enduring coalitions against antisemitism and hate, closing out a day that drew clergy, lawmakers, federal officials, and grassroots advocates into a single, shared call to action.