Above photo: Mennonite Action.
800+ activists and faith leaders from 30+ organizations held multifaith prayer actions against hate group Christians United for Israel’s (CUFI’s) Annual Conference.
Washington, DC – More than one hundred Buddhists, Christians, and Jews shut down Dirksen and Rayburn Congressional Cafeterias in prayer and song to expose far-right hate group, Christians United for Israel
100+ faith leaders and activists shut down Dirksen and Raburn Cafeterias in protest to the far-right hate group “Christians United for Israel’ and its role in promoting the forced starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. The multifaith, multiracial, queer and trans-affirming coalition joined in prayer for an end to the genocide in Gaza and demanded that Congress send “Food, Not Bombs.”
Instead of lunch, songs and prayers are served at the Dirksen and Rayburn Cafeterias today, as over 100 clergy and members of Jewish, Buddhist, and Christian communities shut down food service. Prayer leaders are condemning the role of Christians United For Israel (CUFI), a secretive far-right hate group, in lobbying for ongoing starvation in Gaza and further escalation against Iran. The makeshift multiracial congregation is holding banners reading “Send food, not bombs” and “What God Bombs Children?” and chanting “Congress doesn’t eat ’til Gaza eats.”
The cafeteria prayer service directly counters lobbyists from CUFI’s annual conference, happening this week. While CUFI lobbyists push for more bombing of Gaza and Iran, members of Jewish Voice for Peace, Rabbis For Ceasefire, Christians for a Free Palestine, Mennonite Action, and Buddhist Peace Fellowship sang, led a Buddhist mealtime prayer, read Torah, and offered Christian blessings of food to be sent to Gaza.
For the past 20 months, CUFI has applauded the genocide in Gaza, the ongoing siege and the destruction of the occupied West Bank. For years, CUFI has pushed for military strikes on Iran. These actions are rooted in far-right ideologies grounded in Christian supremacy and domination, aligningCUFI with fascist movements around the globe. Past speakers have included Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. “CUFI is bigger than AIPAC. It has 11 million members who promote hawkish, white Christian supremacist, and white supremacist violence in the U.S and abroad. That’s why it is essential we are here to counter their hate. said Rabbi Alana Alpert, member of Rabbis for Ceasefire, Rabbi of Congregation T’chiyah, and song leader for the prayer action.
“Our message to elected officials is simple: refuse CUFI and align with what a majority of Americans – including Jewish Americans –support: a permanent ceasefire, the return of all hostages and political prisoners, the delivery of humanitarian aid to people in Gaza, and for the US to stop arming Israel.”
“Instead of extending Christ’s love to all of God’s children, CUFI consistently demonizes and dehumanizes Palestinians, including Palestinian Christians, while also spreading vile antisemitism and islamophobia. As Christians, as Mennonites, as Americans, and as human beings, we want to be clear: CUFI does not speak for us!” said Jay Bergen, Pastor of Germantown Mennonite Church, who is risking arrest on Tuesday.
“CUFI promotes the starvation of Gazan children every day. Today, we ask our leaders in Congress if they believe in a God who bombs children.
“In the spirit of the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the wise and compassionate ones, I join this multifaith coalition to sing and cultivate a collective energy of compassion, to deeply hear the cries of Gaza.” said Sophie Sarkar, Plum Village practitioner, Buddhist Peace Fellowship member, and singer during Tuesday’s prayer service.
“I sing to call upon CUFI—and all those who are actively and passively supporting occupation, starvation, apartheid, genocide, and religious nationalism—to look deeply and witness the devastating impacts of these actions. I call upon myself and my Buddhist community to do the same. Palestinian liberation is our practice and our path. For the liberation of all beings everywhere without exception.”
The action is part of the Interfaith Action for Palestine, a 2-day mobilization of over 800 people of faith in person and online. The Interfaith Action for Palestine calls for Congress to pass both the Block the Bombs and the War Powers Resolution, to undercut CUFI’s extremist and pro-war agenda.
