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Philadelphia Muslim Man Donates More Than $100K To Jewish Cemetery After Headstones Vandalized

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Muslim man in Philadelphia has raised $120,000 to help repair headstones vandalized at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri earlier this week.

"Every human being has a right to rest in peace after they are laid to rest," Tarek El-Messidi told Eyewitness News. El- Messidi is the founder of Celebrate Mercy, a nonprofit organization aimed at teaching non-Muslims about the Prophet Muhammed. He runs his nonprofit through social media and other online platforms. When he saw the news at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, he rushed to his computer to help.

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El-Messidi and his partner Linda Sarsour hoped to raise $20,000 for the cemetery. A few days later, they were $100,000 above that goal. El-Messidi credits everyday Americans and a few celebrities with the quick donations.

"We saw a tweet from J.K. Rowling author of Harry Potter. Literally when she tweeted, the website crashed for an hour," he said. Ellen DeGeneres also promoted his fundraising on Twitter.

"It's brought both of these communities together in a way that's never happened before," El-Messidi said.

If you would like to donate, click here. You can also click here for more information on Celebrate Mercy.

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