Americans for Peace and Tolerance
A Boston-based 501(c)(3) advocacy organization focused on political moderation, tolerance, Israel-related issues, and criticism of Islamist movements and institutions.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Americans for Peace and Tolerance (APT) is a Boston-based American nonprofit organization that describes its mission as promoting peaceful coexistence in an ethnically diverse society. Its stated approach emphasizes public education, moderate political leadership, tolerance, and what it calls core American values. The organization operates primarily through advocacy, public commentary, advertising, documentary production, and criticism of educational materials and Muslim institutions that it believes promote extremism or hostility toward Israel. APT was established by Charles Jacobs, political scientist Dennis Hale, and Egyptian exile and Quranist Muslim intellectual Ahmed Subhy Mansour. Jacobs had previously been associated with the American Anti-Slavery Group and the David Project, organizations involved in advocacy and public debate concerning human rights and Israel. APT's founders gave the organization a profile at the intersection of Boston civic affairs, Jewish communal politics, counter-extremism advocacy, and criticism of Islamist movements. A recurring focus of APT has been the Islamic Society of Boston and the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury. The organization opposed the development of the Roxbury mosque and cultural center, which opened in 2009, arguing that it was connected to extremist leaders, Saudi funding, and the Muslim Brotherhood. Representatives of the Islamic Society of Boston rejected those allegations. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Harvard Divinity School dean William A. Graham publicly defended the center, with Graham characterizing concerns about it as exaggerated. The dispute formed part of a broader Boston controversy involving the sale of municipal land, mosque financing, religious leadership, and allegations of radicalization. APT renewed its criticism of Boston-area Muslim institutions after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Charles Jacobs argued in an opinion article that the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center and affiliated mosques had contributed to radicalization, although the mosque condemned the attack and had reportedly asked one of the suspects to stop attending because of disruptive conduct during prayers. These claims became part of a larger national debate over whether Muslim religious institutions should be judged by the actions of isolated individuals and how counterterrorism arguments should be balanced against religious liberty and community relations. The organization has also challenged school curricula and campus activism. In 2013, it placed newspaper advertisements criticizing the use of the Arab World Studies Notebook in Newton Public Schools. APT argued that the material contained inaccurate historical claims and an excessively pro-Islamic or anti-Israel orientation. Earlier criticism of the notebook had come from the American Jewish Committee and Native American organizations, which objected to aspects of its treatment of Islam and Indigenous history. In 2016, APT released the documentary Hate Spaces: The Politics of Intolerance on Campus. The film examined the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, Students for Justice in Palestine, alleged links to Middle Eastern donors, and what APT characterized as antisemitism presented as anti-Zionism. The documentary also questioned the motives of professors and universities involved in Israel-related academic and political debates. APT has faced sustained criticism from Muslim organizations, interfaith leaders, civil-liberties advocates, and some Jewish communal figures. Critics have described it as anti-Muslim or part of an American Islamophobia network, while APT presents itself as an anti-extremism and tolerance organization. In 2011, a group of seventy rabbis and other rabbinical community leaders published a letter accusing Jacobs of using innuendo, half-truths, and unproven conspiracy theories against Boston's Muslim community. In 2015, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz described APT's claims about the Muslim community as racist and unfair. The organization has rejected such characterizations and continued its public advocacy. Available reference material does not establish a current leadership roster, detailed finances, or a complete account of its present activities.
History
Americans for Peace and Tolerance emerged in Boston as a nonprofit advocacy organization concerned with political moderation, religious tolerance, and public debate over Islamism, Israel, and American civic life. The organization was founded by Charles Jacobs, Dennis Hale, and Ahmed Subhy Mansour. Jacobs brought experience from earlier advocacy organizations, including the American Anti-Slavery Group and the David Project, while Mansour was known as an Egyptian exile and Quranist Muslim intellectual. APT became particularly visible through its opposition to the Islamic Society of Boston and the construction of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury. The center opened in 2009 after a contentious public dispute involving its financing, the sale of city land, and the backgrounds of religious leaders and donors. APT argued that the institution had connections to extremist figures, Saudi funding, and the Muslim Brotherhood. Mosque representatives rejected those allegations and said that most construction funding came from U.S. donors, with no donor receiving decision-making authority. Mayor Thomas Menino defended the center, as did Harvard Divinity School dean William A. Graham. The mosque opened despite APT's objections. The organization's criticism intensified after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing because the suspects had previously worshipped at the Roxbury center. APT president Charles Jacobs argued that the center and related mosques helped create an environment conducive to radicalization. The mosque condemned the bombing and reportedly asked one suspect to stop attending because of disruptive behavior during Friday prayers. The controversy illustrated the competing interpretations of religious association, institutional responsibility, and counterterrorism evidence. APT also used advertising and educational criticism as advocacy tools. In October 2013, it bought advertisements in the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Newton TAB, Boston Metro, and Jewish Advocate. The advertisements criticized the Arab World Studies Notebook used in Newton Public Schools, focusing on claims about early Muslim contact with the Americas and other historical representations. The notebook had previously drawn criticism from the American Jewish Committee and Native American groups for its treatment of Islam and Indigenous history. In 2016, APT expanded its media work by releasing Hate Spaces: The Politics of Intolerance on Campus. The documentary focused on the BDS movement and Students for Justice in Palestine, presenting them as connected to anti-Israel activism and alleged antisemitism. It also raised questions about overseas donors and the role of university professors in Israel-related teaching and advocacy. APT's public profile has been accompanied by extensive criticism. American Muslim organizations have labeled it a hate group and accused it of using smear campaigns and guilt-by-association arguments against Boston Muslims. A group of seventy rabbinical leaders made a similar criticism in 2011, urging Jacobs to abandon what they called a destructive campaign. In 2015, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz described APT's allegations as racist and unfair. Critics have also connected the organization to donors or institutions described as part of an anti-Muslim advocacy network. APT's own position is that it works against extremism and promotes tolerance and moderate leadership. The available material does not provide reliable information about its current officers, budget, staff size, or operational scale.
- 2016
Release of Hate Spaces documentary
[1]APT released a documentary about campus activism, BDS, Students for Justice in Palestine, alleged donor influence, and antisemitism.
- 2015
Carmen Ortiz describes APT claims as racist and unfair
[1]The Massachusetts U.S. Attorney criticized APT's public claims about the Muslim community in a New York Times report.
- 2013
Newspaper advertising campaign targets Newton curriculum
[1]APT advertised its objections to the Arab World Studies Notebook used by Newton Public Schools, alleging factual errors and anti-Israel bias.
- 2013
APT comments on Boston Marathon bombing and mosque connections
[1]APT renewed allegations concerning the relationship between Boston-area mosques and alleged radicalization after the bombing.
- 2011
Rabbinical leaders criticize APT's Boston campaign
[1]Approximately seventy rabbinical community leaders published a letter condemning what they viewed as APT's divisive and unsupported allegations against Boston's Muslim community.
- 2009
Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center opens
[1]The Roxbury Islamic center opened after APT publicly opposed its construction and questioned its leadership, funding, and institutional affiliations.
Products and positioning
A nonprofit public-education and advocacy organization presenting itself as a defender of moderation, religious tolerance, and American civic values, while opponents characterize its campaigns as anti-Muslim and connected to organized Islamophobia.
Documentary film · 2016
Hate Spaces: The Politics of Intolerance on Campus
A 2016 advocacy documentary addressing campus debates over Israel and Palestine. It focuses on the BDS movement and Students for Justice in Palestine, argues that some anti-Zionist activism crosses into antisemitism, and examines alleged relationships between university actors and Middle Eastern donors. The film presents APT's broader argument that institutions should adopt stronger scrutiny of political extremism and donor influence.
Nonprofit advocacy
Public education and advocacy campaigns
APT's principal activity is public advocacy rather than a commercial product line. Its work has included newspaper advertisements, opinion articles, criticism of school curricula, commentary on Muslim institutions, and communications concerning alleged extremism, antisemitism, and political influence.
Controversies
2015
Public allegations of anti-Muslim bias
Muslim organizations and other critics characterized APT as a hate group or as part of an anti-Muslim advocacy network. Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz separately described the organization's claims as racist and unfair.
2011
Rabbinical leaders accuse APT of divisive anti-Muslim campaigning
A group of approximately seventy rabbinical community leaders called on Charles Jacobs to stop what they described as a destructive campaign against Boston Muslims based on innuendo, half-truths, and unsupported conspiracy theories.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Hate Spaces campus advocacy campaign
United States
APT used a documentary to criticize BDS activism, Students for Justice in Palestine, alleged overseas donor influence, and alleged antisemitism on university campuses.
Outcome. The film became part of the broader public dispute over campus speech, Israel criticism, antisemitism, and academic freedom.
- 2013Newton Public Schools curriculum advertising campaign
Newton, Massachusetts · United States
APT purchased advertisements in multiple newspapers to challenge the Arab World Studies Notebook and its treatment of Islam, early American history, and Israel-related topics.
Outcome. The campaign generated public criticism of the curriculum and added to an existing debate involving Jewish and Native American organizations.
- 2009Opposition to the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center
Boston · United States
APT opposed the Roxbury cultural center and mosque, raising allegations concerning its donors, leadership, and supposed connections to extremist organizations. The Islamic Society of Boston rejected the allegations, while city and academic leaders defended the institution.
Outcome. The center opened despite APT's opposition.
Brand decisions
2016
Release a documentary on campus politicsProduct launchBackground
APT sought to extend its public-education work beyond local Boston disputes into national arguments about BDS, campus activism, antisemitism, and donor influence.
Action taken
It released Hate Spaces: The Politics of Intolerance on Campus.
Aftermath
The documentary contributed to ongoing debate over Israel-related speech and alleged intolerance on university campuses.
2013
Use newspaper advertising to challenge school materialsStrategyBackground
APT objected to the Arab World Studies Notebook used in Newton Public Schools and alleged that it contained inaccurate or ideologically biased material.
Action taken
APT purchased advertisements in several Boston-area newspapers to publicize its criticism.
Aftermath
The advertisements intensified public discussion of the curriculum, although the available material does not establish a formal change in school policy.
2009
Oppose the Roxbury Islamic centerStrategyBackground
APT argued that the proposed Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center had problematic leadership, funding, and ideological affiliations.
Action taken
The organization publicly campaigned against the center and demanded greater scrutiny of its donors and leaders.
Aftermath
The center opened, with support from Boston's mayor and Harvard academic leadership, despite APT's objections.
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