Interfaith vigil draws 180 to pray for peace

-- About 180 people attended tonight's interfaith vigil at Bon Air Presbyterian Church to pray for peace in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Jews, Muslims and Christians joined to raise awareness about the conflict and to pray for peace.

The message was one of unity and solidarity -- to show the Richmond area that people of different faiths can overcome differences and work for the greater good.

The Rev. R. Charles Grant, pastor of Bon Air Presbyterian Church, said, "We pray fervently for peace, for a new year marked by a willingness and commitment to put violence aside and a desire and dedication to seek new relationships of peace.

"We pray that governments and leaders here and there and around the world will use whatever influence they may have as peacemakers, and that we, too, will have courage and faith to pray without ceasing and to be agents of justice and peace for all."

Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman, leader of Congregation Brith Achim in Petersburg, discussed how difficult it is to look at television and see scenes of death and destruction.

He said friendships between Palestinians and Jews do exist, but the attention now is on violence.

"It begins with all of us. Us just being here praying for peace is an important message," Beck-Berman said.

Ammar Amonette, imam at the Islamic Center of Virginia in Chesterfield County, said, "A lot of people today have difficulty looking some human beings in the eye because they see their enemy, they see the person who is bent on destroying them or what they desire.

"But I know those people are still looking to God, and so I want to direct my message toward them, which is, 'Don't worry. God is on your side.' . . . God is fully aware of the troubles that have befallen you, therefore you need not respond out of anger and frustration because your crisis has gone unnoticed."

The message was not to be overwhelmed by anger and violence.

After the presentation, Mahmood Rasheed, 20, a junior at Virginia Commonwealth University, said he attended the vigil to put the politics and differences aside and draw attention to the fact that people are dying on both sides.

The vigil had to be moved to the larger multi-purpose room at the church because organizers underestimated the number who would attend. Contact Melodie N. Martin at (804) 649-6290 or .