{"id":55680,"date":"2024-02-22T09:55:52","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T14:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=55680"},"modified":"2024-02-22T19:06:47","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T00:06:47","slug":"students-faculty-staff-join-voices-for-peace-in-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2024\/students-faculty-staff-join-voices-for-peace-in-gaza\/","title":{"rendered":"Students, faculty, staff join voices for peace in Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a stirring display of solidarity, a group of about 200 protesters gathered outside City Hall in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Tuesday afternoon calling for an end to the violence in Gaza. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Protesters join in hymns calling for peace on Tuesday in Harrisonburg, Virginia.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The protesters, which included a large contingent of passionate EMU students, faculty and staff, held signs and banners with demands such as: \u201cCeasefire Now,\u201d \u201cLet Gaza Live,\u201d \u201cStop Genocide in Gaza\u201d and \u201cFree All Hostages and Prisoners.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They joined together in nearly an hour of hymns led by Benjamin Bergey<\/strong>, assistant professor of music at EMU, and Dorothy Jean Weaver \u201972<\/strong>, emeritus professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the protesters lifted their voices in song and prayed for peace, Tim Seidel<\/strong>, associate professor of peacebuilding, development and global studies at EMU, and Emily Hershberger MA \u201912 <\/strong>hand-delivered a petition to Harrisonburg City Manager Ande Banks \u201997<\/strong> inside City Hall. More than 500 local signatures are attached to the petition, which urges Harrisonburg City Council to pass a resolution supporting a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Harrisonburg City Manager Ande Banks, left, receives a petition with more than 500 signatures from Tim Seidel, center, and Emily Hershberger.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Seidel organized Tuesday\u2019s protest along with the local committee of Mennonite Action<\/a>. The primary goals of the Mennonite Action grassroots movement are a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, a release of all hostages and an end to Israel\u2019s occupation of Palestine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heartened by the healthy turnout, Seidel said the protest provided a powerful witness to elected officials, both at the local and national levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis momentum is a testimony to the grief people are feeling and their conviction and desire to see change,\u201d Seidel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mennonite Action<\/strong> student panel discussion<\/strong>
Where: <\/strong>University Commons Student Union
When: <\/strong>8-9 p.m., Monday, Feb. 26
EMU students who were involved in the Jan. 16 protests at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., including those arrested by U.S. Capitol Police, will share their experiences. Read The Weather Vane<\/em>\u2019s coverage of the D.C. protest here<\/a>. The event also will include a brief update on the current state of affairs in Gaza.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As EMU senior Aidan Yoder <\/strong>posted photos and video of the protest to the Harrisonburg Mennonite Action social media accounts, he estimated that about 40 of his fellow students had shown up to demonstrate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we really showed City Council that the people of Harrisonburg want a cease-fire and that we support them passing this resolution,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For EMU junior Emma Nord<\/strong>, the demonstration marked the first protest she’s attended. The student chaplain often leads hymn sings on campus and reflected on the power of song as a form of protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wonderful to see Mennonites coming together and acknowledging the crisis \u2026 to proclaim that genocide is wrong,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a visual recap of the impactful protest, explore our curated photo gallery below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n20240220-Mennonite Action - Gaza Ceasefire Peaceful Protest--051<\/a>