NPR

Mideast Violence Tests The Relationships That Interfaith Groups Work Hard To Build

The fighting between Israel and Hamas is straining U.S. interfaith groups, even during the cease-fire. They've lost some members because of the pressure. But others are forging ahead.
Sheryl Olitzky (left) and Atiya Aftab founded the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom in 2010. It has since grown to more than 150 chapters across the U.S. and in Berlin.

The cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is holding for now, but it's fragile. And in the U.S., Jewish-Muslim interfaith groups are trying to figure out how to navigate this moment. The conflict is testing the relationships they've worked so hard to build.

Like a lot of Palestinians in the U.S., Aziza Hasan has been hugely affected by what's happening in her homeland.

"Right now, I'm in a world of pain," Hasan says. "And it's people reaching out to me, and me reaching out to people, that helps us figure out what we can do together."

She leads . Like many interfaith

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