Vol. 1 No. 26, June 2025, Sivan 5785
- Spirit of the Galilee
- Jun 30
- 12 min read
Updated: Sep 9
Praying for Peace and Human Rights in Dehumanizing Wartime
A week after the start of the war with Iran, SOG member Rabbi Sigal Asher organized an online interfaith prayer service, as part of her role as Interfaith Coordinator for Rabbis for Human Rights. The service was co-sponsored by Spirit of the Galilee, Rabbis for Human Rights, and Praying Together in Jerusalem.
SOG members Rabbi Leora Ezrachi Vered, Pastor Azar Ajaj, Sheikh Ghassan Manasra, Rabbi Dahlia Shaham, and Sheikh Yunas Amashe, contributed, bringing and leading prayers in Hebrew, Arabic, and English from their respective faith traditions. Other SOG members participated as part of the audience.
After almost two years of this brutal war that has only become more expansive, frightening, and ominous, it was good to be together, praying for peace and humanity.
For a recording of the prayer service click here.
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Showing Solidarity in Tamra
In the first days of the war with Iran, a terrible tragedy befell us in the Galilee. Four women from the same family – a mother, her two daughters, and her sister-in-law – were killed when an Iranian missile directly hit their home in the Arab city of Tamra, twenty minutes from Haifa.
This story hit our group especially hard. While none of our members happen to live in Tamra, we all have friends who do. Tamra is a neighboring town for so many of us.
And to add salt to the wounds of this hurting town, a video was posted on social media of a group of people cheering from their porch while watching missiles falling on what people claimed was Tamra. It is unclear if it actually is.
In a letter written by the mayor of Mitzpe Aviv to the mayor of Tamra, he condemned the people in the video and said it does not look like it could have been filmed in Mitzpe Aviv, as the buildings there are not that high and the view not matching. The next day, he visited the mourners and, and a day later erected a big sign in a major traffic circle in Tamra expressing solidarity between the two towns.
In addition, journalist and politician Inon Magal said on a news program that the residents of Tamra are anti-Israel, which he later retracted – but after the damage had already been done.
We in Spirit of the Galilee met online the day after the tragedy occurred and decided to compose a letter to the bereaved family and the religious leaders and mayor of Tamra. The text of our letter read:
With a heavy heart, we received the news of the tragic deaths of Manar Al-Kassem Aba Al-Hija Khatib, Shada Khatib, Hala Khatib, and Manar Diab Khatib. We saw with deep shock the horrific video of the gleeful reaction to the missiles falling on Tamra, on Arabs, and heard what Inon Magal said on Channel 14. We, members of Spirit of the Galilee, spiritual leaders of all religions in the Galilee – Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Druze, Bahaism, and Buddhism – absolutely condemn this inhumane reaction
About Enoch – whose name in the original Hebrew, Enosh, means “human” – the grandson of Noah, we learn that “he began to speak the name of God”. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel teaches us that if God is only my God, that is idol worship. And one who celebrates the death of any human is defaming God.
We stand by your sides at this very difficult time, cry for all this unnecessary and painful death, and at the inability to see every human as one of God’s creations. Please remember, people speak from a place of pain, fear, and ignorance. In any event, they do not represent the general population, and certainly not the Jewish religion.
In the words of Haja Ibtisam Mahamid
O Listener to whispered souls, my Faithful Guardian,
Be my companion and my shelter on every path.
Draw me near, and shine a light upon me,
A healing light, a guiding light, a light of mercy.
During the three days after the funeral of these four women, SOG members joined with other shared society activists in the area for a series of solidarity visits to the town and condolence visits to the family. Tens of thousands of others from all parts of Israeli society came, too – in a steady stream. The visits were painful – what can one say to someone who has lost both a wife and two daughters all at once? – but much appreciated.
Peace March at the Gaza Border
Early this month, before the war with Iran began, hundreds of peace activists went down to the Gaza Envelope to march along the border and call for the return of all the hostages and an end to the war. SOG members were among them. Said SOG member and Muslim social activist Ghadir Hani about the experience:
“By my side were my friends… We brought food, signs, and words. We brought our pain and love . There were speeches… One person read a heartbreaking letter from a friend in Gaza. There were also silent circles, singing, and cries of anguish...
“The conscience and heart of an entire country was reduced to a thousand people in white who refuse to let their hearts — our hearts — turn to stone.
“I felt there was no other place I wanted to or could be. Today, as every day, I wish for the return of the hostages, the end of the war, and the beginning of a new path. It’s in our hands.”
March of the Mothers
Two days before the war with Iran began, five mothers of IDF combat soldiers said they could no longer sit and wait for a knock on the door. So they organized a five-day march from Moshav Nahallal in the Jezreel Valley to the Military Enlistment Center in Tel Aviv, calling for an end to the war with a hostage-ceasefire agreement. Their hope was that more and more women would join as they marched.
SOG members Rabbis Ruti Baidach and Haviva Ner-David joined them for the first day of the march, as it began in the Galilee. They planned to rejoin for the weekend and the last two days of the march.
Said Rabbi Ruti: “The call of the mothers, who know the price of war, is the only voice that can open the eyes of the population that is drunk on the cries and false promises of war.”
These five mothers were inspired by the “Four Mothers” who started the movement to end the Lebanon War. One of those women, Orna Shimoni (who is in her eighties and whose son Eyal fell, tragically, in Lebanon while she was leading the protest movement to end the war), was there that first day, marching along with Rabbis Ruti and Haviva. She had been on a hunger strike for the hostages along with Rabbi Ruti earlier in the war. Orna launched the march with these words:
"People will join those of us marching, from the streets, like a volcanic river.”
Unfortunately, this did not happen and Rabbis Ruti and Haviva did not rejoin the march. Two days after the march began, Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and the March of the Mothers was pushed off indefinitely. “We will return,” the statement they issued read. “We will not give up the struggle to bring our children home.”
SOG Meeting in Nazareth
This month's SOG spiritual leaders’ meeting was in the beautiful and historic city of Nazareth -- in the Anglican Christ Church.
When we entered the city, however, we were faced with mountains of garbage. SOG member Naoki Atarashi, who belongs to the Franciscan order in Nazareth, had, earlier in the week, sent us photos of the growing piles of garbage. But it was different to see this travesty in person.
Not only was there a huge amount of garbage, but people had started burning it out of desperation. So the city's air was filled with smoke. People were walking around with their shirts pulled up over their mouths and noses. The mixture of corruption on the local level and total negligence on the national level in dealing with this corruption, is tragic. It was a challenging but eye-opening way to begin our meeting.
When we entered the church, however, we were greeted by the unique view of the city from the roof of the church, the beautiful interior of the sanctuary, and most importantly, friends who have become like family. What a breath of fresh air!
What followed was an enlightening, fascinating, and heart-warming discussion about religion and its role and purpose in society -- both for the collective and the individual.
To be sitting with a group of diverse spiritual leaders from different faith traditions -- from devout Muslims to more liberal Muslims, from humanist rabbis to Conservative rabbis, from Buddhist monks to Franciscan monks -- and discussing openly this question, was a gift in these times of polarization and separation.
Shavuot, Pentecost, and Id El Adcha: Celebrating Together
This year, the three holidays of Shavuot, Pentecost, and Id El Adcha (which is celebrated by Muslims and Druze) fell within one week of one another. SOG members participated in a gathering at the Ein Dor Museum to mark and discuss the holidays, learn about and perform the bread-making process (from field to plate), and generally be together.
Shavuot is the wheat harvest festival that also commemorates the giving of the Torah seven weeks after Passover, as Pentecost marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Mary (when they were celebrating Shavuot) seven weeks after Easter.
Id El Adcha, as SOG member Malek Hujirat explained, is based on the story in the Quran when the prophet Ibrahim dreams he is to sacrifice his son Ismaeel but Allah sends a sheep to sacrifice in its stead – the Quran’s version of the story of the binding of Isaac in Genesis.
Taking advantage of this opportunity when the three holidays converged, we discussed how there is much the Abrahamic religions share, but also much they do not. We who believe in the importance of interfaith and intercultural work choose to be curious, not judgmental, about the differences, and emphasize the similarities – especially when they teach universal values and truths to which we can all relate.
All in all, it was a gorgeous day to be outside in the fields and then spend time baking bread together and creating the kind of world we want to live in.
SOG at Shared Society Roundtable
Also days before the war with Iran began, SOG Director, Rabbi Leora Ezrachi Vered joined representatives from over a dozen organizations and initiatives working towards a shared society in the Jezreel Valley-Nazareth region.
The meeting was led by Dalia Eyal, the deputy head of the Jezreel Valley regional council. SOG presented our activities and how we can work together with other organizations to promote a fair and just society.
We felt the support and the leadership of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council, led by Shlomit Reichman Shichor, and are proud to be a part of this round table. We were inspired and filled with hope. And even now, with the war escalating, we are choosing to hold onto that feeling. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we are up to the challenge.
Member Spotlight: Raefa Hakroush
Raefa Hakroush grew up in a Muslim family in Kafr Kana, near Nazareth – the eighth of fifteen siblings, with five brothers and ten sisters. She learned from a young age to fight to have her voice heard. Yet, she feels fortunate to have grown up with her parents. She and her sisters were among the first women in their village to attend university.
"Most young women my age either dropped out of high school to get married, or got married right after graduation. We did have clear rules in the house, but my parents also encouraged us to follow our hearts. I had to be smart and find a way to get what I wanted within the boundaries they set for me. It was a lesson for life."
Raefa wanted to study social work at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Her parents wanted her to study the sciences at the Technion in Haifa, like her siblings. But she was stubborn, did not give in, and eventually received their blessing. "The message in our house was to find the right balance between fulfilling our personal desires and honoring the traditions of the conservative Arab society we lived in."
At home, Raefa learned the value of treating everyone with dignity, even those different from her. Having grown up in a village populated exclusively by Arab residents, she had little to no exposure to Jewish society. She said she barely left the village. So in her first year of university, she had to learn Hebrew as well as the material for her degree. Her Hebrew-speaking friends helped her tremendously, and she remains close with them to this day.
Since completing her studies in social work, Raefa has held numerous significant positions in the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, the most recent of which was as the national director of the Commission for Complaints of Children and Youth in residential institutions and foster families.
Today, Raefa leads shared society initiatives at the Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa – a path that had been taking shape over the years, but it was only recently that she left Social Services to dedicate herself full-time to this mission. "I believe the Universe paves for us a spiritual and emotional path," she says.
Raefa never personally experienced discrimination or oppression due to her Palestinian-Israeli identity, but in her social work she witnessed many cases of bias – especially in juvenile court. "I saw the stark difference in how Arab and Jewish youth were treated. But I told myself – I’m here to make a difference. And I did."
Even after some of her Jewish neighbors in Haifa responded with suspicion and anger immediately after October 7th, simply because of her Palestinian-Israeli identity, she did not give up on her belief in shared society. Today, those good relationships have been restored.
In Raefa’s home growing up, the story of 1948 was very present, but without a grudge towards their Jewish friends and neighbors. "We always had Jewish friends. It was understood that they were not the ones who expelled or destroyed. These stories were a big part of my childhood, but my parents told them from a place of pain, not hate."
Religion in her childhood home was never imposed – it was offered with love. Raefa’s family led a traditional yet secular lifestyle, while upholding the core principles of the faith. The home was religious in spirit but essentially liberal; her parents marked the holidays and fasts, practiced prayer and other religious customs, but they prioritized the essence of the religion over its formalities. For example, modesty was emphasized not in dress or the wearing of a hijab, but in behavior, speech, thought, and intention.
Raefa carried her parents’ values and models into her adult life. She considers herself a secular, believing, and spiritual woman.
"The Quran is for me a guide that accompanies me – not as a book of rules, but as a book of life. I live my faith not as an external obligation, but as a deep, connected choice, renewed each day," Raefa says. "God is not far from me. God is present in me, in life, in the world, in goodness. Religion in my eyes is not just a framework – but a light that illuminates the path."
She adds: "All of my personal, family, and community work stems from a place of faith in humanity, in the possibility of connection and healing. I do not strive to appear religious, but to be a woman of faith – one who speaks truth, acts with compassion, seeks justice, and chooses light even when all is dark. Each day is an opportunity to deepen my connection with the Creator – and that is what drives me."
Raefa recently joined the Spirit of the Galilee group, after it opened its doors to spiritual leaders who are not ordained clergy. But interfaith partnership has always been at the heart of her work – "not as a political message, but as a divine calling," she says.
"God created us different so we would come closer to one another, not so we would grow apart. And when we truly meet, we discover that our hearts are much more alike than different."
As it is written in the Qur’an, Surah Al-Hujurat (49:13):
"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. Truly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware."
"I see interfaith partnership as a form of healing," she continues. "Not only for society – but also for the soul. When we work together for the common good, we bring God’s presence closer to the world. Every circle of dialogue, every shared learning, every prayer of grace – brings us one step closer to a future of peace, mutual recognition, and hope."
Please donate to Spirit of the Galilee so we can continue our important work bringing an interfaith voice of justice, equality, and peace to the Galilee.
Thank you for your support
We want to hear from you, so please email your comments or questions to Rabbi Leora Ezrachi-Vered, leora@spiritofthegalilee.org or U.S. Liaison Rabbi Haviva Ner-David, haviva@spiritofthegalilee.org.
Until next month, shalom, salaam, peace!
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