Statement on Crisis in the Middle East

​Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB Joins Interfaith Leaders in Statement Denouncing Antisemitism and Islomophobia.

On behalf our team and the Board of Directors at UCYM, I am calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, along with the release of all hostages and an overall increase in humanitarian aid. I join my fellow religious leaders in Evanston who have authored the following statement for our local community in Evanston and we extend these thoughts, as an organization that serves in many places. As we reflect this Good Friday on the Passion and Death of Jesus, let us do what is possible for us to combat violence and all that which leads to violence in word and action. 

Yours in the Divine,

EVANSTON INTERFAITH CLERGY AND LEADERS RESPOND TO THE CRISIS IN ISRAEL/GAZA AND ANTISEMITISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA IN OUR COMMUNITY

We refuse to harden our hearts to the suffering of Israelis or Palestinians. And we raise our voices loud and clear against the indiscriminate harming of all civilians, both in Gaza and Israel.

This conflict deeply impacts our Evanston community where antisemitism and Islamophobia are being emboldened and are explicitly targeting members of our community. Only through recognizing that our lives are shared with one another in an interdependent web can we begin to co-create the world for which we so desperately long.
We are horrified by Hamas’s crimes against innocent civilians on October 7, including murder, rape, mutilation, and the taking of hostages. Tens of thousands of Israelis have been displaced from their homes near the Gaza border, and more than a hundred people are still being held captive in Gaza.

We are also horrified by Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza in which tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed and nearly two million have been made homeless. Ordinary Gazans lack adequate food, water, shelter, and medicine, and are trapped in a dire humanitarian crisis. 

We call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas.

We call for an immediate end to the bombardment of civilians in Gaza and in Israel.

We call for humanitarian aid to reach civilian populations in Gaza.

We call for immediate protection of medical facilities and places of refuge in Gaza, that they might be safeguarded from military use by Hamas and military attack by Israel.

We call for immediate restoration of vital resources such as water and electricity in Gaza.

We call on the U.S. administration to use every diplomatic means at its disposal, and with utmost urgency, to pave a path toward a political solution — one that ensures freedom, safety, and human rights for everyone. Just as Israel now exists as an independent state, we advocate for equal self-determination for the Palestinian people as well. This plan cannot permit the re-occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel or a militarized Hamas remaining in power. It must ensure the human rights and long-term flourishing of Palestinians and Israelis.
We call on interfaith coalitions and partnerships in the United States and throughout the world to join their collective voices to express horror and join us in our steps for immediate action. Join us in supporting peace, dignity, and human flourishing, which are foundational tenets of our faith traditions.

Ultimately, we know that freedom of Palestinians and Israelis cannot be achieved through oppression and violence and that neither one can live in peace and security without ensuring the same for the other. In the words of Sally Abed, a leading Palestinian community organizer in Israel, “Palestinian liberation necessitates Jewish safety and vice versa.” I say [this] to both sides. You’re pro-Israel? You need to liberate Palestinians. You’re pro-Palestinian?  You need to talk about Jewish safety.” 

The only way to lasting peace and security is through diplomatic means that advance toward a just future for all. And the only way to create a loving, hate-free society here at home is by standing  together against hatred and building a caring and supportive community. We, as people of faith, pledge to continue to create opportunities for respectful dialogue across our community that upholds the dignity of all, and unites us in the shared mission of protecting the rights of everyone everywhere.