(The banner image for this web page reads “Shalom” in Hebrew, “Peace” in the English alphabet, and “Salaam” in Arabic.
It is, in essence, a prayer: “Peace. Peace. Peace.”)
First Parish believes that all life is sacred and all humans deserve to live in peace.
We are horrified by the events in Israel and Gaza since October 7, 2023. The escalating violence, cruelty, and hatred are unacceptable.
As people of faith, we are compelled to express our outrage and sorrow for the loss of ANY human life, regardless of religion, nationality, political views, or ethnic heritage.
We avoid taking political sides; we remain firmly on the “side” of compassion and peace.
Statement from First Parish
Updated June 2025
Why did we once again place this sign about Israel and Gaza on our front lawn?
The two separate messages call for understanding and peace during a time full of conflict and strong emotions.
We deplore the tragic killing of over 54,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, 17,000 of whom are children under the age of 16.
And we deplore the barbaric attacks on Israel by Hamas that killed over a thousand Israelis, and the kidnapping of over 240 Israeli hostages, dozens of whom are still being held or have been killed. (as of June 2025)
We believe it is important to acknowledge that there are extremists on both sides, be they Islamic militants calling for the destruction of Israel, or Ultra-Orthodox Jewish settlers who believe it is the will of God to push Palestinians out of the West Bank and Gaza.
We believe that it is not “antisemitic” to criticize the policies of the current Israeli government and Prime Minister, especially with respect to the apparent systematic attempt to starve and/or displace two million Palestinians in Gaza. We note the rhetoric about this is noticeably different in the Hebrew vs. English-speaking press in Israel.
While we believe that Israel has the right to defend itself, we denounce the disproportionate killing of over 54,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. We agree with Tom Friedman, J-Street, and certain editorial writers at Haaretz on this point. There are a growing number of Israeli citizens who feel this way.
It is our observation that a great majority of moderate minded people are being bullied and intimidated in certain instances by stakeholders with more passionate and extremist views. This includes members of the David Project here in the United States, some members of AIPAC, groups sympathetic with the cause of Hamas, and orthodox settler groups in Israel, including senior level representatives in the Netanyahu Cabinet. We believe it is crucial to understand that the current Prime Minister and his cabinet espouse views about Gaza and the West Bank that are the most right-wing and pro-settler of any cabinet since 1948.
Hamas is a terrorist organization with connections to the Iranian regime and the Kingdom of Qater. Hamas is a barbaric group of militants willing to sacrifice their own people for the sake of the political and religious ideologies of their senior leadership. While they rose to power in a democratic election in 2007, they quickly did away with democratic institutions and have ruled Gaza as a dictatorship for the last 18 years that they have controlled Gaza.
We believe more people of faith need to hold up the clarion calls for compassion and peace that are a part of the world’s major religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
We believe Israel has a right to defend its territory and people and advance its own interests in a region fraught with conflict. We denounce the use of the phrase “From the River to the Sea” by protesters and stand with our Jewish friends and cousins in their belief that Israel has a right to exist and flourish in the Middle East.
Likewise, we believe that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and West Bank have a right to self-determination and to organize themselves into a Palestinian state and determine their own future. We denounce the longstanding policies and regulations by the Government of Israel that have subjugated the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank and have been a major factor in creating the current tragic situation and conflict.
We believe there are religious extremists on both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides; extremists who are fanning the flames of hatred and war for the sake of their own narrow-minded political and ideological agendas. This includes the leaders of Hamas on one side and the right-wing Israeli settlers who support the complete removal of Palestinians on the other. As a result of the extremist views of both sides, hundreds of thousands of innocent people (mainly Palestinian civilians) may die of famine and disease in the coming weeks and months.
We believe the US and other major countries need to push for a ceasefire and a period of calm during which critical humanitarian aid can be delivered into Gaza, a narrow strip of land that is approximately the size of Manhattan where two million Palestinians have lived.
We also believe that more people across the United States and around the world need to support and promote common sense and moderate views of the conflict; views that emphasize the importance of peaceful negotiation and the cessation of violence. We encourage all who read this statement to contact their Federal representatives and ask them to support a ceasefire, even if it means putting pressure on Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and the current Israeli government.
Israel lost 1,139 people and foreign nationals in the vicious attacks on October 7, (including 764 civilians and 375 soldiers); 248 people were kidnapped, with approximately 56 Israelis still being held as hostages by Hamas and 33 of those believed to be dead. On the other side, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 54,000 and another 400,000 have been injured (as of the end of May, 2025). Currently, there are over 1.5 million Palestinians in danger of starvation and their cities and lands have been reduced to literal rubble.
We encourage dialogue, discussion and confidence-building measures to reduce tensions in the region. We maintain there is a third side to this dispute: decent minded people of faith from many different traditions calling for a cessation of violence and a movement towards a 21st century peace. This is neither anti-Israel nor anti-Arab, but rather anti-extremist and in favor of a reasonable and durable peace.
We believe it is important that churches like ours speak to the major issues of the day when we feel our voice can make a difference. This is one of those times.
Tom Friedman is correct in this op-ed: “continuing this war is a disaster for Israel: morally, diplomatically or strategically.”
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Stop the attacks on Israel
Stop the killing in Gaza
Note:
This page was updated in June 2025. You can also review our original statement, published in April 2024.
Informative Resources & References
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David Miliband,
President of the International Rescue Committee
A brief interview with the President of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband on Amanpour and Co. about the humanitarian crisis and potential for famine in Gaza:
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the Unitarian Universalist Association
As a Unitarian Universalist congregation, it is appropriate to share this statement from the Unitarian Universalist Association (our national organization) regarding Israel and Gaza.
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Sabeel, a Palestinian Christian Community
This is a statement by a Christian group in Israel about the ongoing take-over / incursion (or invasion) of Gaza by Israeli Defense Forces. While Israel most definitely has the right to defend its territory and people, the question being asked now is if it has the right to kill tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians while doing so.
This statement is published by Sabeel, a Palestinian Christian Community founded 40 years ago in Jerusalem. (Sabeel in Arabic means “way” or “source.”) The Reverends Judy and Harry Hoehler, Ministers Emeritus of First Parish, knew and worked with Sabeel for many years and introduced Rev. Jeff to their work 24 years ago. The founder of Sabeel, the Rev. Naim Ateek, spoke / preached here in Weston many years ago. Peter Boulatta, a former Associate Minister to First Parish, is a Palestinian Christian and did work with Sabeel as well.
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Tom Friedman, the New York Times
We also would like to share a recent editorial by Tom Friedman from The New York Times. Friedman is a longtime observer and analyst of the Middle East and his recent commentary and reporting have been some of the best of his long career. While he believes that Israel has a right to defend itself and protect its people, he believes its leaders are making a moral and strategic mistake in the way they are attacking Hamas in Gaza.
Peace. Salaam. Shalom.
“Peace Salaam Shalom” © 2001 Pat Humphries, Sandy O (Moving Forward Music, BMI)