Muslim crowdfunding activists raise more than $136,000 to help vandalized Jewish cemetery

A Muslim crowd-funding effort to support a Jewish cemetery in Missouri has raised more than $136,000, and organizers say they will use some of the money for a Philadelphia cemetery where similar vandalism occurred.

A Muslim crowd-funding effort to support a Jewish cemetery in Missouri has raised more than $136,000, and organizers say they will use some of the money for a Philadelphia cemetery where similar vandalism occurred.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, left, helps David Pearl Jr. lift up the headstone of Pearl's grandfather, as he surveys the damage at Mount Carmel Cemetery Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo)

The fund-raising effort began last week after 154 headstones were tipped over at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb. The money raised so far is nearly seven times more than the original $20,000 goal and will be used to help repair damage and upgrade security.

Also, organizers say some of the money will go to aid Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia, where several hundred headstones were knocked over during the weekend.

The fund-raising campaign is scheduled to continue another three weeks.