St. Athanasius-St. Dominic Parish stands up against antisemitism and all faith-based hate

St. Athanasius-St. Dominic Parish, 6115 Bay Parkway, took part in “Stand Up Sunday “on Sept. 7.

The program was started by The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCA) and was held in churches across the country. Its goal is to put an end to antisemitism and all faith-based hate.

Father Michael Lynch, pastor of St. Athanasius-St. Dominic’s Parish and Vicar for Ecumenical Affairs and Interreligious Activities for the Diocese of Brooklyn dedicated his homily to Stand Up Sunday during the 11:30 a.m. Mass.

“It is not okay that Catholic churches are bombed, that mosques are burned, that temples are defaced,” he said. “It is not okay that people are chased down and beaten because they are different from their oppressor. It is not okay to witness these rising attacks on so many different levels and to sit or stand and do nothing.”

The FCA’s Blue Square lapel pins were given to churchgoers as a visible display of solidarity across faiths. 

“It is important to know that in the face of hatred, in the face of antisemitism, in the face of religious bigotry, we have an opportunity and an obligation to stand up. Love one another, as Jesus taught us,” said Lynch.

Adam Katz, the president of the FCA, told NY 1 that he hopes Stand Up Sunday inspires people to stand up against hate. 

“If you see what is going on in this country and you find it offensive, horrifying, disturbing, you are not the only one,” he said. “We need to be a place where everybody is treated fairly, with dignity, and can live safely, with security — no matter what they believe.”

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. 
According to FCAS’ proprietary research, antisemitic attitudes are now held by 25 percent of the population—an increase of 26 million people in just 18 months.