Religious Unity March Unravels

A religious solidarity march in West Hills splintered into two groups Sunday afternoon after a handful of marchers refused to walk behind people carrying the Israeli flag.

The event was organized by the San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council and members of Em Habanim Jewish temple, apparently with different goals in mind.

Although members of the temple said the purpose of the march was to show patriotism and acceptance of other religions such as Islam, the day had also been billed to the temple’s congregants as a dedication ceremony for a newly imported Torah from Israel.

“We weren’t trying to mislead anyone,” said Jacques Hay of Em Habanim.

About 100 people of various faiths gathered on Shoup Avenue holding American flags at 4:30 p.m. After singing the national anthem, they started off on their march. But some marchers soon began displaying Israeli flags, angering many of the Muslim participants, witnesses said.

“We’re here as an interfaith group supporting Americans,” Wafaa Khattab said. “I’m not marching for a foreign country.”

After voicing her concern, Khattab crossed to the other side of the street, asking anyone who wanted to “march for America” to join her. Witnesses said about 15 to 20 people joined her, and the two groups marched on opposite sides of Shoup to Saticoy Street and Fallbrook Avenue.

Hay said he joined Khattab’s group and apologized for the Israeli flags. He said some people were told to put the flags away.

The dispute soured an event that the Interfaith Council had hoped would unite the religious communities in the Valley.

“We’re encouraging people not to demonize any one religion,” said Earl Fagin, vice president of operations for the Valley’s Interfaith Council. “We don’t want attacking of Islamic mosques and businesses.”

That was the reason Saif Hussain showed up with his wife. He has canceled flights to Alaska and Malaysia because he said it was too sensitive a time for Muslims to travel on commercial airlines. But he hoped Sunday’s march would assure him that most Americans opposed any backlash against American Muslims.

For Khattab, that support was ambiguous at best.

“We were divided, and that’s not what we were here for,” she said.