5 religious tolerance orgs you can donate to if you’re feeling helpless right now
On October 27th, 11 people were killed and six injured when a white supremacist opened fire in a Pittsburgh synagogue. In the aftermath of this horrific anti-Semitic hate crime, it’s easy to feel hopeless—but there are actions you can take right now to help promote love and religious tolerance. Here are some organizations you can donate to that are working toward a kinder and more inclusive world.
1 Southern Poverty Law Center
Founded in 1971, the SPLC is a civil rights nonprofit dedicated to fighting for equality, as well as shutting down white supremacy. This charity monitors hate groups and fights to topple them through litigation. In 1991, the SPLC began its Teaching Tolerance initiative, which provides educators with resources to help eliminate prejudice. This charity has a score of 88.78 out of 100 on Charity Navigator, making it a solid choice for donations.
2 Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding
Although it was named after Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, the Tanenbaum Center is a secular organization dedicated to fostering respect among those from different religious backgrounds. It was founded in 1992 by Tanenbaum’s widow, who wished to continue his work in promoting interfaith dialogue. Today, it offers training and resources to combat religious bias in schools, the workplace, and health care. It boasts a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
Tanenbaum strongly condemns the violence that erupted this morning at the #TreeOfLifeSynagogue in #Pittsburgh. We stand shoulder to shoulder with all those who exercise their sacred right to peacefully pray together, to assemble, to worship together & advocate for their beliefs
— Tanenbaum 🕊️ Peace Made Possible (@TanenbaumCenter) October 27, 2018
3 Religions for Peace
Religions for Peace is the world’s largest religious coalition, composed of more than 70 national and four regional branches that promote inter-religious cooperation. It was founded in 1970, and some of its goals include HIV/AIDS prevention, ending religious extremism, and helping societies rebuild following conflict. Charity Navigator gives it a score of 89 out of 100.
4 Interfaith Youth Core
IFYC partners with colleges and universities to help train students to become the next generation of interfaith leaders. It has a Charity Navigator score of 89.35. After the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, IFYC tweeted that it would soon share ways to help the victims.
Horrified and heartbroken over the #synagogueshooting in Pittsburgh, PA. IFYC stands in solidarity with our Jewish friends in the wake of this terrorist attack. We will be posting interfaith actions and other opportunities to support victims here in the coming days.
— Interfaith America (@interfaithusa) October 27, 2018
5 United Religions Initiative
URI describes itself as a “global grassroots interfaith network” that encourages people to come together despite different faith backgrounds; the group works with the United Nations to encourage policy changes. URI is split into “cooperation circles,” which must consist of members from at least three different faiths who foster community actions in areas like the arts, women’s rights, the environment, and health care. It has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
Our hearts break with the news of the attack on the Tree of Life Or L'Simcha Synagogue in Pittsburgh, USA. https://t.co/qGfoOjPhVL #TreeOfLife #Antisemitism #TreeOfLifeMassacre #interfaith #PittsburghShooting #SynagogueAttack
— URI Global (@uriglobal) October 28, 2018
Remember: Our actions can make a difference, and supporting organizations that promote unity is one of the best ways to take action.
