“A crime committed in the name of religion is the greatest crime against religion”
Rabbi Arthur Schneier
As People of Faith we must be in the forefront of countering the hate mongers in our midst who breed bias, hatred and division.
We stand together with those who respect human dignity of all of God’s children. Bound by our shared destiny to heal our wounded world, we must emerge as a united human family, seeking improvement by building peaceful co-existence and respect the other.
Founded in 1965 by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF) has worked worldwide on behalf of religious freedom, human rights and the protection of Houses of Worship. This interfaith coalition of business and religious leaders remains at the forefront of promoting mutual understanding and interreligious cooperation, standing against voices that spread bias, hatred, and division. The Foundation believes that to heal our wounded world, we must emerge as a united human family, seeking improvement by advancing peaceful coexistence and “Respect the Other.”
(FOX 5) Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, The United Bank for Africa, and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Receive Appeal of Conscience Award at 60th Annual Gala in New York
Net NY: St. Athanasius-St. Dominic Parish Joins Interfaith Stand Against Hate in Brooklyn
Embracing love, not hate: Cardinal Timothy Dolan holds ‘Stand Up Sunday’ Mass against antisemitism at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
NY1’s News All Weekend: “Stand Up Sunday” Calls for End to Antisemitism and Faith Based Hate
“Stand Up Sunday” – September 7, 2025
National Interfaith Coalition Calls for an End to All Faith-based Hate and Antisemitism
We strongly condemn the murderous attack on worshippers at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus. No one should ever have to risk their life to attend religious services. A house of worship must be a sanctuary of peace-not a place of fear.
The protection of houses of worship worldwide must be a priority for every government.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and offer our best wishes for the full recovery of the injured.
Karen Dresbach with Chancellor of Austria Christian Stocker and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger at the 80th Commemoration for the victims of National Socialism in the Austrian Parliament.
Eighty years after the Holocaust, it is encouraging to see an exhibit on Jewish life in Austria and the fight against antisemitism now housed within the Parliament — offering educators and students a powerful opportunity to study, reflect, and learn.
Appeal of Conscience Foundation Congratulates Pope Leo XIV on His Election as the Next Leader of the Catholic Church
Your Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, best wishes on heading the Catholic Church. May your leadership be a beacon of hope, fostering peaceful coexistence among nations and mutual understanding among faith communities. Together, united in our shared belief in the power of faith to uplift humanity, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation looks forward to continuing our longstanding cooperation to further Jewish-Catholic relations, interreligious harmony, to advance religious freedom and human rights, mutual acceptance and respect of the Other.
Rabbi Arthur Schneier
President and Founder, Appeal of Conscience Foundation
“I am greatly saddened by the death of Pope Francis and offer condolences to the worldwide Catholic community. Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for the marginalized, a champion of interfaith dialogue and cooperation, and a true friend to all who sought to build a more just and peaceful world. His efforts to combat Antisemitism and all forms of hatred and prejudice were not just a moral imperative, but a call for solidarity, unity, and mutual respect for the Other.”
– Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Founder and President
Appeal of Conscience Foundation
February 2025 – NEW YORK, NY: ACF meets with Mr. Tian Xuejun, Vice-Chair for Education, Science, Culture, and Health of China’s National People’s Congress and former Chinese Deputy Minister of Education, and H.E. Mr. Chen Li, Consul General of China in New York and former Chinese ambassador.
The Appeal of Conscience Foundation condemns the horrific attack on the synagogue, Addas Israel Congregation in Australia. Such acts of violence against places of worship are an affront to the very principles of peace, freedom, and mutual respect that underpin our societies. The Appeal of Conscience Foundation has long advocated for the protection of religious institutions, having secured, in 2001, the passage of a United Nations resolution that safeguards houses of worship worldwide.
Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson, Pastor Emeritus of Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church and Executive Board Member of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, along with Karen Dresbach, Executive Vice President of the Foundation, participated with interfaith leaders in Portugal at the UNAOC Conference on Safeguarding Religious Sites.
The Appeal of Conscience Foundation presented the Appeal of Conscience Award to two exemplary honorees; His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros for his outstanding dedication to inter-religious cooperation to advance peaceful co-existence and mutual acceptance, instilling the message for all ages in particular our youth to “Respect the Other”. Marta Batmasian, a woman of faith and a humanitarian, for her commitment to religious freedom, global and community philanthropy benefiting education, the underserved and humanity.
The Appeal of Conscience Foundation strongly condemns the terrorist attacks on two synagogues and Orthodox Church in Dagestan. We are outraged by the brutal murder of Priest Nikolay Kotelnikov, the police and those guarding the synagogues. Destroying a house of worship of any religious community targets the jugular vein of that community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the families. In solidarity we must stand together and aid governments to safeguard and ensure the security of houses of worship and their communities.
