A Saturday night vigil beginning at the Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg will bring attention to the ongoing devastation in Gaza.
The all-night Longest Night for Gaza vigil will begin at Community Mennonite Church at 8 p.m., with the first of several candlelight marches to the Harrisonburg office of Sixth District Congressman Ben Cline at 9 p.m.
The vigil is being done in conjunction with the U.S./Canadian movement called Mennonite Action that has been leading the call for peace in Gaza.
“For over a year, families in Gaza have endured night after night of sleeplessness and anxiety as the sounds of falling bombs, drones, and airplanes surround them,” said Emily Hershberger, a local resident of Harrisonburg and member of Shalom Mennonite Congregation, who will attend the Longest Night for Gaza service.
“We grieve the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” Hershberger said. “We grieve the lives lost and struggle to see a path to peace. Amidst the joy of the season, we feel deep loss. How do we hold this grief, during a holiday season that centers joy and love? This is why after over a year, we continue to take action against this genocide.”
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Chris Graham
