Washington, DC - Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) today expressed his disgust and bewilderment that Islamic schools in New York City are teaching hatred at a time when the American people are working so hard to come together.

"I don't understand why these schools would knowingly teach ignorant hatred and anti-Semitism at a time when so many of us are working so hard to rebuff the equally ignorant and abhorrent myths about Muslims ," Rep. Nadler said. "It is disgusting and offensive -- especially in a City as diverse in New York -- and should be condemned in the harshest terms."

In a report today in the New York Daily News, it was revealed that "Textbooks widely used in New York's Islamic schools contain passages that are blatantly anti-Semitic, condemning Jews as a people, repeating old canards about the Jews wanting to kill Christ and faking their Holy Scriptures to mock God." The article went on to discuss how textbooks claim that many Jews and Christians "lead such decadent and immoral lives that lying, alcohol, nudity, pornography, racism, foul language, premarital sex, homosexuality and everything else are accepted in their society, churches and synagogues."

Rep. Nadler said, "I have personally worked very hard to keep Muslims, Jews and Christians -- all groups of individuals -- from being unfairly targeted or painted with a broad brush. We as a nation cannot and should not accept any amount of hatred towards anyone being taught to any of our children. That is what makes it so disturbing to see that many Islamic schools in New York are teaching a whole new generation to hate and to believe such vicious slanders about Jews and Christians."

"I call on all religious leaders, including Muslim leaders, in New York City and throughout the United States to come together and condemn these racist books. Offensive and defamatory books such as these must be removed from the classrooms, and the teaching of hatred in America must come to an end," he added.

Rep. Nadler has served in Congress since 1992. He represents the 8th Congressional District of New York, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.