A fund set up by two US Muslims to raise money for desecrated Jewish cemeteries has raised almost $140,000 in a week.

Linda Sarsour and Tarek El-Messidi asked fellow Muslims to help them raise $20,000 to help rebuild two US graveyards that had been desecrated in anti-Semitic attacks – a goal that was reached within just three hours.

Within a day, $80,000 had been donated and, a week later, the figure stands at $139,000 (£112,000), with 4,610 people having given money.

Money will be donated to a Jewish cemetery in St Louis, Missouri, where around 100 headstones were destroyed, and one Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where about 100 were vandalised.

The remaining funds will be used to support any other Jewish institutions that are the subject of attacks.

On the fundraising website, Ms Sarsour and Mr El-Messidi highlighted the “message of unity, tolerance, and mutual protection found in the Constitution of Medina” – a seventh-century agreement between Jews and Muslims living in the city of Medina in modern-day Saudi Arabia.

“The Muslim-American community extends its hands to help rebuild this sacred space where Jewish-American families have laid their loved ones to rest since the late 1800's” they wrote.

“Through this campaign, we hope to send a united message from the Jewish and Muslim communities that there is no place for this type of hate, desecration, and violence in America.

“We pray that this restores a sense of security and peace to the Jewish-American community who has undoubtedly been shaken by this event.”

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

It comes after Jewish Community Centres (JCCs) in the United States reported a rise in harassment and anti-Semitic attacks in the weeks following Donald Trump’s inauguration. The JCC Association of North America said 21 separate Jewish institutions had received bomb threats on Monday alone, taking the total in 2017 to over 90.

Some Jewish organisations have accused Mr Trump of not being vocal enough in condemning the attacks but Sean Spicer, the White House Press Secretary, said on Monday that the President “continues to be deeply disappointed and concerned by the reports of further vandalism” of Jewish cemeteries.

“The president continues to condemn these and any other forms of anti-Semitic and hateful acts in the strongest terms,” he added.

Activists expressed hope that the success of the fundraising campaign would be replicated in the case of future attacks.

“I hope our Muslim community, just as we did last week with St. Louis, will continue to stand with our Jewish cousins to fight this type of hatred and bigotry,” Mr El-Messidi said.