First came the bullets, bombs and bloodshed on Friday evening, November 13, 2015, in Paris. And then came the debate, fueled by fear of potential terrorist incidents on U.S. soil. The debate concerns how the United States of America should handle citizens of Syria and Iraq who are attempting to come to this country – particularly how the U.S. could “vet” them to make sure they have no connection with groups whose mission is to do harm to U.S. citizens.
In response to several U.S. governors, congressmen, and presidential candidates vowing to thwart the resettlement of Syrian and Iraqi refugees within the United States, Representative Frank Pallone (D-6) is reaching out to New Jersey religious leaders with first-hand knowledge of the refuge issue. Highland Park is fortunate to have two such religious leaders as members of the community – Reverend Seth Kaper-Dale of the Reformed Church of Highland Park (RCHP) and Rabbi Philip Bazeley of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick.
Rep. Pallone is holding an interfaith roundtable with these two leaders and any citizen who wants to participate on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, 12 noon at the RCHP, 19 South Second Avenue. Congressman Pallone is urging everyone, even if he/she is unwilling to speak, to attend the roundtable discussion and listen to a thoughtful dialog on the challenges of terrorism and immigration…read more.