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President Obama to attend 'Solidarity Sabbath' service Friday evening
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President Obama was among worshippers Friday at a Washington, D.C., synagogue at an event to mark "Solidarity Sabbath," in which Jews and others around the world will stand against anti-Semitism. - photo by Mark A. Kellner
President Obama will be among worshippers Friday evening at a Washington, D.C., synagogue to mark "Solidarity Sabbath," in which Jews and others around the world will stand against anti-Semitism.

The president "will travel to Congregation Adas Israel, one of the largest congregations in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, to deliver remarks in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, which recognizes the contributions of Jewish Americans to American society and culture," an announcement from the White House press office said.

The announcement noted the visit "coincides" with the Solidarity Sabbath event, a global initiative of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. According to the group, "high-level political leaders from Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Spain, (and) Sweden," as well as the United States, are expected to participate in local events.

Katrina Lantos Swett, foundation president and daughter of its namesake, the late Rep. Tom Lantos, D-California, a Holocaust survivor and human rights champion, said 21 nations will participate in Solidarity Sabbath worship services.

"Were very honored and really pleased that the president of the United States will be part of this," Lantos Swett, who also chairs the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said in a telephone interview. "This is an initiative that we undertook as a response to this terrible resurgence of anti-Semitism that weve seen, particularly in Europe than has been seen in the last 70 years."

Noting the wide range of overseas participation, Lantos Swett said the global events demonstrate the stand of "individual governments in solidarity with their own Jewish citizens, but equally important, the Solidarity Sabbath creates an opportunity for these countries to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. Regardless of the politics, they are coming together to say, we will give no sanction to this bigotry and no safe haven to hatred in our societies."

Among the international figures endorsing the event are Paul Rusesabagina, who risked his life to save others during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda; Chinese attorney and human rights activist Chen Guangcheng; and Andrew Bennett, Canada's first ambassador for international religious freedom.

In a May 14 statement, the government of Belgium said it endorsed the event.

"As the terrible (2014) attack against the Jewish Museum in Brussels demonstrated, Belgium is facing a resurgence of anti-Semitism," the statement said. "In close cooperation with its partners from the European Union, as well as with its transatlantic partner the United States of America, Belgium has the strong determination to confront and defeat the resurgence of anti-Semitism, while recognizing how much more could be done."

The Deseret News has recently reported on both the rise of anti-Semitism globally as well as interfaith efforts, particularly involving Jews and Muslims, to combat the trend.
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