From the President’s Desk
Through our pain and sorrow over the events going on in Ukraine and Israel, still we have hope that peace is possible, through our efforts and belief.
Over the last year, I have attended events and heard of plans for events that do give us hope: This last Saturday, I attended a discussion at the Roseville Seventh-Day Adventist Church, speakers included Dr. David Axelrod and Pastor Francis Saliba, a Jew and a Palestinian, who after the discussion, embraced in a hug.
ROOTS, is a unique bi-national initiative with a network of Israeli residents of the Gush Etsion area and Palestinians from neighboring towns and villages who have come to see each other as the partners who both need to make changes to end their conflict. They raise money by touring the U.S., and we had been approached to co-sponsor them in Sacramento.
And this past April, the Unitarian Universalists of Sacramento as well as a Jewish group shared an interfaith Passover, that included some Palestinian youth being hosted by families in Sacramento, with the youth describing their life in various cities.
These efforts may seem small, but talking about peace puts peace in the air, encourages people to think and talk about peace and continue to pray that peace is in our future. And each effort, make that small group feel it is possible, if enough people just believe. In my mind, saying peace is impossible limits God and we can’t strive for something we don’t believe in.
So believe in peace, talk about peace, pray for peace.
Serene Erby
President