Solidarity with Israel and Jews worldwide

This year was different. Nobody can get these crimes committed by Hamas against innocent babies, children, old people, entire families, women and men out of their minds and hearts. Many people in Germany are constantly moved by the terrible trauma and the completely uncertain fate of the hostages indiscriminately taken to Gaza. This drives them to prayer and action. Friends of Israel have spontaneously come together in Grimma and the surrounding area to pray regularly for the release of the hostages and for Israel. Poster campaigns and vigils for the release of the hostages are taking place in Leipzig and the surrounding area. On 30 October, the Saxon Friends of Israel organised a benefit event for Israel, in which I took part. On 6 November, the Jewish-Christian Working Group organised a prayer for peace in the Nikolai Church, in which our association took part. Afterwards, there was a candle walk to the light installations at former synagogues by Nina K. Jurk. On 9 November, Christians and citizens gathered on the market square in Grimma together with the mayor Matthias Berger. After a prayer commemorating 9/11 and 7 October, the Israeli flag was hoisted in front of the town hall and then the stumbling stones in Grimma were cleaned. There was a vigil for the hostages held in Gaza on the market square in Leipzig. On 12 November, our association organised a church service in the Andreasgemeinde in Leipzig, in which Kerstin Kluge illustrated the close connection between Jews and Christians based on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Our solidarity with Israel, especially in the current situation, is also expressed by our fundraising campaign for the soup kitchen project in Sderot. This town very close to Gaza suffered the most on 7 October. We are very grateful that Diakonie Leipziger Land and the church district of Leipziger Land are supporting this project.