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