Interfaith prayer vigil in Palo Alto calls for peace, denounces hate
Dozens of people from various faiths came together Saturday evening at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto to support Israelis, pray for peace and condemn bigotry.
Jason Henry grew up in Israel and moved to Palo Alto last year with his family.
"This has been a total shock for us. Since Oct. 7, we've been walking around like mindless zombies, not able to function," he said.
Most of his family still lives in Israel.
"My mom is in Israel. She runs to the shelter five or six times a day, so does my brother and my sister and my father, so you have to be up all night trying to see if they're OK," he said. "I serve in the reserves for Israel; I was very close to going back."
Different faith groups were invited to come and call for peace and denounce Hamas, anti-Semitism, and Islamaphobia.
The idea for the gathering grew out of a conversation among neighbors who were supporting one another in this time of tragedy.
"Deep friendship with our friends in the Jewish community that we're lamenting the tragedy — that we want to stand for justice. We're praying for peace. We also know that many of our Palestinian neighbors are deeply impacted by this with the rise in civilian death toll," said Pastor Jack Cabaness with the Covenant Presbyterian.
"There's been a horrible terrorist attack on Israel. There's been countless innocent dead, and it's critical for people of faith to gather together to pray for healing," said Rabbi David Booth with Congregation Kol Emeth.
The Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) in San Francisco said its focus is calling on lawmakers to take action.
"We want an immediate ceasefire, and we want to ultimately end US military funding to Israel that is enabling and allowing for this type of destruction and death to happen," said member Mohamed Shehk.
Shehk is Palestinian American and has family in the West Bank.
"I, as with many of my siblings, friends, family, and the Palestinian community are watching in horror as our loved ones, our family members, our community back home, are being bombarded, it's not easy for us to watch," he added.
Back in Palo Alto, Henry said he hopes the vigil offers a lesson to his young children.
"That not all Muslims are radicals, we want to show them that both Christians and Jews and Muslims can all get together and really better the world," he said.