A week after the cease-fire was declared between Israel and Gaza, J Street U chapters across the nation, including Ohio University’s chapter, will hold candlelight vigils to remember both Israeli and Palestinian civilian deaths and injuries Wednesday night.
J Street U is the student-led branch of J Street, a national organization working to encourage the U.S support of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Participants are encouraged to meet at the Civil War Soldiers & Sailors Monument on College Green to commemorate what has happened between Israel and Gaza and learn about the conflict, said Danielle Fultz, co-founder of J Street U at OU and a junior studying French and history.
“We are hoping to have people of different religious backgrounds and points of view meet in an open space and be respectful of other people’s opinions,” Fultz said. “No matter who we are, a life that is lost is never a good thing.”
Hillel will provide the candles, and different readings will shared, Fultz added. Students will also be allowed to speak and say anything that they wish to share.
The idea for the vigil came out of conversations board members of J Street U were having during the week of violence between Gaza and Israel, said Yonah Lieberman, the Midwest board representative for J Street U and a University of Michigan senior studying history.
“College campuses are used to having pro-Israel or pro-Palestine rallies, but there hasn’t been pro-peace rallies for both groups,” Lieberman said. “The fact that we could do this nationally demonstrates that people are still interested in creating peace, honoring both sides and that there are people happy about the ceasefire."
About 25 to 30 chapters will be participating Wednesday night, he said.
Holding a candlelight vigil is important, because it provides an opportunity to create dialogue between the two groups and move forward with peace in the region, said Jessica Lindner, a member of J Street U at OU and a sophomore studying plant biology.
“The U.S. plays a big role in the conflict with Secretary Hillary Clinton being one of the big mediators and helping get the conversations started for the cease-fire,” Lindner said. “When we understand the conflict, we can help bring peace to both sides.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
If You Go
What: Candlelight Vigil for Israel and Gaza
When: 6:30–7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Civil War Soldiers & Sailors Monument, College Green
Admission: Free
