ADC Statement on Synagogue Car Ramming in Michigan

Washington, D.C. | March 13, 2026 – As the Michigan Arab, Muslim, and Jewish communities in Michigan deal with the aftermath of the car ramming at a West Bloomfield synagogue, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) expresses its concern for all those impacted, and reaffirms that every person has the right to worship in peace and safety, whether at a synagogue in West Bloomfield, or a church in Gaza.

This act is obviously and easily condemnable and should not be tolerated against any community. In addition, moments like this require more than denunciation alone. They require honesty about the conditions that produce despair, trauma, and instability. For the Arab American community, this is a moment for us to take seriously the mental health impacts of genocide, war, grief, and devastating family loss.

Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old Lebanese American man, had just lost two brothers, a niece, and a nephew in Israeli strikes in Lebanon. That fact does not justify what occurred at the synagogue. What it does is underscore the profound trauma that genocide inflicts on families and communities, including here in the United States. His death, confirmed as the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, is a devastating reminder of how deeply that trauma can rupture a person’s life and judgment.

ADC urges our community to take seriously the emotional and psychological toll of this moment. The repeated exposure to death, violence, and loss across the region is affecting our families, our young people, and our communities in profound ways. We must be attentive to signs of distress, isolation, hopelessness, and crisis in those we love, and we must respond with care, support, and intervention. ADC encourages community members who are struggling or concerned about a loved one to reach out for support and resources.

“The actions of this individual are an outlier. Arab, Muslim, and Jewish communities in Michigan have lived alongside one another for generations, and we have every reason to believe they will continue to do so. One incident must not be allowed to define entire communities or fracture relationships built over decades. Outsiders will attempt to use this tragic event to divide communities, and we must not allow that to happen,” said ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub. 

ADC stands with all communities who are facing hate and bigotry in these trying times. We will continue to work with our allies to foster greater tolerance and inclusivity in a safer country for all.