(CINCINNATI, OH – 12/18/23) — In a poignant display of solidarity, community members and leaders gathered at Washington Park on Sunday evening for an Interfaith Peace Vigil for Gaza. The event aimed to reflect on the tragic loss of innocent families and children in Gaza and advocate for peace and justice.
SEE: Livestream of the event here.
The program included representatives of different faiths and backgrounds. Speakers shared personal stories of how they and their families have been impacted by the violence in Gaza. Additionally, faith leaders from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities lead an interfaith prayer session, each offering prayers that reflect the universal values of peace, justice, and solidarity.
The evening culminated with songs highlighting the calls for peace, from MUSE choir, as well as a children’s choir. The children’s choir sang, “Atouna el Toufoule”, a song that was originally sung by Remi Bandali when she was 4 years old, singing a strong and poignant message about the impact of war during the holidays and a time that’s supposed to be filled with joy. The song was a reminder as we gather near the times of holidays, these are children calling on us to listen as they make their one request during this holiday season: “Give Us Our Childhood. Give Us Our Childhood.”
The following statements were made by speakers at the event:
Zeinab Schwen, a Palestinian American & Cincinnati Community Leader:
“Most decent people can see with their own eyes, the atrocities that are happening in real time through our screens. Anyone legitimizing this act of genocide has no shred of humanity, no sense of morality, and no knowledge of legality. The collective punishment that Israel is committing, indiscriminate destruction of Gaza’s infrastructures, and the ethnic cleansing of a defenseless population is against international law.”
“My sadness and our trauma and our memory and our own suffering, both recent and historic, will not be weaponized to justify the annihilation of a people. Not in my name. Not now and not ever,” said Joel Pruce, a professor of human rights at the University of Dayton and a Jewish American.
“This is one family’s story, my family. There are thousands more. We don’t need, we cannot have, more families massacred by Israel’s weapons. Weapons the United States is funding. You do not have to be in Palestine to feel the extent of suffering as a direct result of the Israeli occupation. You do not need to be in Gaza to see the pain of families losing entire generations. You do not need to be in the refugee camps to hear the cries for help. But you do have to have one thing however, a heart,” said Yasmine Garadah, a Palestinian American and Cincinnati native.
Aya Hijji, a Palestinian American, shared the harrowing experience of her family fleeing Gaza. She highlighted the challenges faced by her brother’s family and the trauma inflicted on innocent civilians.
“Days and nights pass by, and I can’t sleep without medication, as I too have personally witnessed previous atrocities committed in Gaza. I can only imagine what everyone is going through in Gaza currently. The crisis in Gaza is nothing short of genocide and ethnic cleansing.”
Lisa Saia, a Christian Arab-American, closed with a quote from Nelson Mandela: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
“My mother taught me to use my voice to do better and to help those who need it most. To fight the good fight. This isn’t a statement of aggression, it’s about perseverance, even when the road is hard…Humanity is our common cause. Collectively, we have the freedom and responsibility to uphold and safeguard people’s humanity.”
The event was organized by a coalition of diverse organizations committed to advocating for peace, justice, and an end to the crisis in Gaza. The coalition includes: the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund PCRF Cincinnati, Universalists of Greater Cincinnati, CAIR-Ohio, Churches for Middle East Peace, Urban Native Collective, Jewish Voice for Peace Central Ohio, Students for Justice in Palestine (UC), The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati, St. James Antiochian Orthodox Church, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), United Church of Christ, New Prospect Baptist Church, Ihsan Islamic Center, Cincinnati Islamic Community Center, Arab Student Association (UC), and Muslim Students Association (UC)
END
CONTACT: CAIR-Ohio Executive Director Amina Barhumi: abarhumi@cair.com | 614-763-6557