In May of 2023, Governor Phil Murphy declared January to be Muslim Heritage Month in New Jersey. When this legislation passed, Muslim leaders called it an historic moment. New Jersey was just the fourth state in the country to create such a month. These leaders also noted that recognizing Muslim Heritage Month will help to combat discrimination against Muslims. Last week, following urging from some residents, the Township Council stated a plan to pass a resolution acknowledging the month in Livingston at its next meeting.The decision was not met with universal support from residents in the room at the time, however. Specifically, individuals were concerned that the Council intended to fly Palestine’s flag in front of Town Hall, as is done annually with Israel’s flag. This is not the case, as the Council directly stated several times during the meeting. Others were concerned, in general, with the timing of the month in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict. They suggested that acknowledging the month could be viewed as support for Palestinians at the expense of Israelis.Let us be clear. The actions of Hamas should be condemned, and we fervently hope for the safe return of all of those who were kidnapped during the terrible October 7, 2023 attack. We have all witnessed so much tragedy and death in the past three-plus months, and we long for peace in the region as soon as possible. But showing our wonderful Muslim residents that they are welcomed here and that their heritage matters has nothing to do with the Israel-Hamas War.We would hope this does not need to be explicitly stated, but – of course – all Muslims are not Hamas. To equate an entire group of people with the atrocities committed by Hamas is wrong, and we know that this community is wise and compassionate enough to understand the difference between the two. Celebrating Muslim heritage should not be viewed as anti-Semitic or as disrespectful to Livingston’s Jewish population. It should also not be seen as a political stance on the ongoing conflict overseas, especially given the resolution the Township Council passed last year in support of Israel and its right to defend itself.New Jersey is home to nearly 300,000 Muslims, one of the largest populations in the United States. Globally, Muslims make up a quarter of the world’s population. As Governor Murphy said upon signing the bill last year, we must “recognize ...
