4 | NOVEMBER 2 • 2023 J
N

JCRC/AJC Statement
Grateful for Allies 
Standing with Israel
W

e, the undersigned faith 
leaders in Michigan, say 
clearly and in no uncertain 
terms — we stand with Israel in its fight 
against Hamas terrorism. 
The Hamas terrorist attacks inten-
tionally targeted the lives of innocent 
Israelis — men, women, the elderly 
and babies — and were carried out in 
the most brutal and barbaric ways. As 
people of faith, we pray for those kid-
napped and still held as hostages and 
call on Hamas to immediately release 
them. We yearn for a day when nations 
shall not lift up swords against nations, 
neither shall they learn war anymore. 
We stand with Israel and the Jewish 
community in saying never again, and 
never forget.
Because of Hamas’ terrorism and 
forcing Israel into a war where so many 
innocents will die, we now reach out to 
every mother and father — Israeli and 

Palestinian — who are grieving the loss 
of so many lives.
We are hopeful Israel will protect as 
many innocent Palestinian lives as pos-
sible — working with the U.N. to estab-
lish a humanitarian zone and working 
with Egypt and the U.N. to keep the 
Rafah crossing open for humanitarian 
aid.
We call on Hamas to immediate-
ly surrender so not one more precious 
Israeli or Palestinian life is lost in this 
war. 
Hamas does not care about inno-
cent Jews or Palestinians. Hamas is the 
enemy, not Palestinians. The future is 
bright only without Hamas holding 
every Palestinian hostage and seeking 
Israel’s destruction. We pray Israel will 
prevail in its fight against Hamas terror-
ism. We also pray for as few innocent 
lives lost in this battle as humanly pos-
sible. 
 

PURELY COMMENTARY

guest column
A Shared 
Multicultural 
Commitment 

Chandru Acharya - President, South Asian 

American Voices for Impact

N. Charles Anderson - President, CEO - 

Detroit Urban League 

Rev. Katherine Lee Baker - Reformed 

Church in America

Pastor Sterling Brewer - King David 

Missionary Baptist Church

Pastor Dennis Clanton - Woodland Church

Rev. Dr. DeeDee Coleman - Russell Street 

Missionary Baptist Church

Amer Hanna Fatuhi, Ph.D. - Visual artist 

and historian.

Rev. Maurice Flaniken - Trinity Baptist 

Church

Rev. Kenneth James Flowers - Greater 

New Moriah Baptist Church 

Pastor Aramis Hinds - Breakers Covenant 

Church International

Rev. Kathy Hoop - First Presbyterian 

Church

Rev. Linda Knieriemen - Retired Pastor

Padma Kuppa - Hindu community leader

Suril Patel - Hindu community leader

Bishop Glenn Plummer - Bishop of Israel 

for the Church of God in Christ

Dr. Ruth Pauline Plummer - President of 

Covenant Daughters International Ministry

Jad Nabbouh - Arab American community 

member

Pastor Kenneth C. Pierce - Hopewell 

Church 

Pastor CJ Sampson - Let Them Come 

Missionary Baptist Church

Nasy Sankagiri - Hindu community leader

Mike Sarafa - Chaldean community leader

Fred Stella - West Michigan Hindu Temple

Donnell White - Member- Coalition for 

Black and Jewish Unity 

Rev. Dr. Thomas Wooden - Coalition for 

Black and Jewish Unity 

LaShawn Young - Coalition for Black and 

Jewish Unity 

I
Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel

The list of signers is still in formation. Check 

facebook.com/JCRCAJC for the most recent list.

W

hen I started Life Remodeled, 
an important part of our vision 
was creating experiences to 
unite our diverse, local city and suburban 
communities around our 
shared mission of creating 
neighborhood revitalization 
that lasts in Detroit.
That vision became reality 
in a new way just a few 
weeks ago — on Saturday, 
Oct. 7, as part of our annual 
Six Day Project. 
As always, there was strong volunteer 
support onsite from many in our local 
Jewish community. Saturday was Day 
Six of our project, and this was the very 
same day Hamas launched its vile and 
unprecedented assault on Israeli civilians, 
visiting Americans and tourists of other 
nationalities.
The onslaught began that Saturday 
morning, yet these members of our local 
Jewish community, who were praying 
fervently for their loved ones experiencing 
complete chaos in Israel, still decided to 
join us that very same day to invest their 
hearts and their hands into improving the 
conditions of Detroit neighborhoods.
The shared multicultural commitment 
to Life Remodeled’s mission, while living 
and working side-by-side, is worth 
remembering in our divided world. 
Therefore, I am profoundly saddened 
to see the myriad of ways antisemitism 
is rising sharply worldwide and how 
misinformation is fueling so much of its 
increase. 
I am grateful to have established very 
deep friendships and partnerships with 
numerous people and organizations 
within our local Jewish community. Many 
are passionately committed to Detroit 
children, families and neighborhoods 
through their ongoing relationship 

Chris 
Lambert

