Jews and supporters of a peaceful end to the Gaza violence held a vigil outside of the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center on July 31st.
Recent reports indicate that the death toll in Gaza has climbed to an astounding 1,463 deaths and more than 8,000 Palestinians have been wounded.
Rob Wohl an Organizer with #IfNotNow led the vigil with an opening statement addressed to the community center.“We are here to call on the DC Jewish Community Center to join our call to stop the war on Gaza, lift the siege, and forge a path of freedom and dignity for the people of Palestine.”
During this time a 72 hour truce between the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas began after seven UN schools and several hospitals in Gaza had been targeted and attacked by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces bombed an open market minutes after a 5 hour ceasefire, killing seventeen people and wounding 160. The temporary three-day truce appears to be tentative. It has also been reported that Israel Defense Forces have called up an additional 16,000 reservists in the past 24 hours to widen its offensive on Gaza.
#IfNotNow will hold a second vigil outside the Jewish Federation of North America on August 5th. The event will take place at 1720 I st NW at noon in Washington, D.C.
Organizers and attendees will read the names of victims of those who have perished in current Israeli-Gaza conflict.
Follow @IfNotNow on Twitter or on Facebook.
Jewish Mourner’s Kaddish
Exalted and hallowed be God’s great name
in the world which God created, according to plan.
May God’s majesty be revealed in the days of our lifetime
and the life of all Israel — speedily, imminently, to which we say Amen.
Blessed be God’s great name to all eternity.
Blessed, praised, honored, exalted, extolled, glorified, adored, and lauded
be the name of the Holy Blessed One, beyond all earthly words and songs of blessing,
praise, and comfort. To which we say Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and all Israel,
to which we say Amen.
May the One who creates harmony on high, bring peace to us and to all Israel.
To which we say Amen.
