Excerpt:
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has hired a Jewish filmmaker and interfaith activist as executive director of the advocacy group's Philadelphia office.
Jacob Bender is the highest ranking non-Muslim in the Washington-based organization, and the first to lead one of its chapters.
"Many Muslims face daily suspicion, not unlike other immigrant groups throughout history," said Bender, explaining that he felt people had a responsibility to confront bigotry. "When one group of Americans is attacked, it lessens the quality of democracy for all of us."