 Beth El Synagogue in New London |
A nonprofit that sponsors educational symposiums on the threat of radical Islam is raising alarm that a synagogue that previously canceled one of its programs, Congregation Beth El in New London, Conn., now plans to celebrate Ramadan with local Islamic leaders tied to extremist groups.
“In 2008, I found it appalling that Jewish organizations including the [Jewish Federal of Eastern Connecticut] and Jewish Community Center of West Hartford would strive to keep their congregants in the dark with respect to the Islamist threat – a threat against the Jewish people that clearly overshadows that which was posed by the Third Reich,” Jeffrey Epstein, founder and president of America’s Truth Forum, told WND.
“Perhaps both the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut and Rabbi Astor of Congregation Beth El should do their homework before embarking on an appeasing mission with individuals linked to such nefarious organizations,” Epstein said.
Epstein explained that on Jan. 6, 2008, his organization was to hold educational symposiums for the Jewish communities in Connecticut, including an event in New London at Congregation Beth El and another at Temple Beth Israel in West Hartford.
The subject matter, he said, included the Muslim Brotherhood’s “menacing threat to the United States – in particular, the Jewish people.”
Among the speakers in the lineup were Islamic terrorism experts Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch; Harvey Kushner, who heads the criminal justice department for Long Island University; and Bruce Tefft, founding member of the CIA’s counterterrorism task force.
But Epstein reported he was told at the time the Jewish Federation was afraid of “jeopardizing” its outreach with the Islamic community.
Now, according to Epstein, Congregation Beth El is holding a special service Saturday with representatives of the Islamic Center of New London.
“The following evening, a Jewish delegation of rabbis and congregants from surrounding synagogues will celebrate Ramadan at the Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School in New London,” he reported.
Reservations, he said, are to be forwarded to CAIR-Connecticut.
Officials with the Beth El congregation did not respond to a WND request for comment.
Epstein said it was ironic that the interaction with the Islamic interests was taking place only weeks after the life of Rabbi Isidore Greengrass – who survived the Buchenwald to Flossenburg death march and lost his entire family, including his first wife and child to the Nazis – was honored during his funeral at Beth El.
The website of the New London Islamist center has links to the Islamic Society of North America, the Islamic Circle of North America, the Muslim Student Association and CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Epstein described the first three groups as “operating wings” of the Muslim Brotherhood, while CAIR, the advocacy organization for Islam in America, “shares common heritage with Hamas and was designated as an unindicted co-conspirator during the recent Holyland Foundation trial in Dallas.”
Epstein said the Muslim Brotherhood’s spiritual leader is Sheikh Yusaf al-Qaradhawi, who told Al-Jazeera just last January Jews should be annihilated:
“Oh Allah, take your enemies, the enemies of Islam. Oh Allah, take the Jews, the treacherous aggressors. Oh Allah, take this profligate, cunning, arrogant band of people. Oh Allah, they have spread much tyranny and corruption in the land. Pour Your wrath upon them, oh our God. Lie in wait for them. Oh Allah, You annihilated the people of Thamoud at the hand of a tyrant, and You annihilated the people of ‘Aad with a fierce, icy gale. Oh Allah, You annihilated the people Thamoud at the hand of a tyrant, You annihilated the people of ‘Aad with a fierce, icy gale, and You destroyed the Pharaoh and his soldiers — oh Allah, take this oppressive, tyrannical band of people. Oh Allah, take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people. Oh Allah, do not spare a single one of them. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them, down to the very last one.”
WND has reported that at least 14 CAIR officials have been caught up in terror investigations. Congressional leaders say they are warning lawmakers and other Washington officials to disassociate from the group due to its growing terror ties.
