By Daoud Kuttab

For the second Sunday in a row, a group of Palestinian and Jewish Americans have been visiting local churches in the Philadelphia area calling on worshipers to pray for Gaza.

The ad hoc effort on the part of several veteran Americans of Palestinian origin and members If not Now American Jewish group which began at one megachurch in Philadelphia on Sunday, November 12^th  has spread to five other churches on November 19^th.

Samuel Kuttab the Palestinian initiator of the prayer vigil said that the second week’s events were a big success. “Today’s event was a wonderful success with almost fifty  Palestinian Americans and another fifty Jewish Americans who visited five large Philadelphia area churches. Protestors distributed leaflets and held signs identifying themselves as long-time Philadelphians and calling on them to pray for Gaza; The signs said that every ten minutes a Palestinian child is killed in Gaza.

In all the mega-churches, thousands of worshipers saw and heard the calls for peace in Gaza.

Sylvia Nesheiwat said that she went with a group to a church in North Philly. There were two entrances. “We split the group to make sure there were equal Palestinians and Jews in each entrance. The head pastor walked in the door that the rabbi was at.  Halfway through the service someone came out and asked the rabbi to walk in with his sign so they could pray for him. I interrupted and asked if we all could come and she said no, just the rabbi. I said Well at least take me. I’m a Palestinian, and we should pray for both sides. She looked down at my sign and said OK, that’s great, you should both come.  They welcomed us all to the front and prayed for us.

Philadelphia’s Channel 10 interviewed protesters outside the 10th Presbyterian Church. At Mt Zion on North Broad Street members of the group were invited in. At Deliverance 20th and Lehigh, the group was able to hand out flyers. At Calvery 4701 Lancaster the group of American and Palestinian Philadelphians was met with warm welcome.

At Zion Baptist church the group was welcomed. The pastor spent five minutes speaking to his congregation and gave a prayer for Gaza.  Commenting on the events, one of the participants said that the effort was good, and the results were seen immediately. “The positive response from the participants was encouraging.” Participants vowed to continue to visit churches every Sunday with the hope that  Philadelphia will be an example of how communities come together to demand from their leaders that it is wrong to support the massacres in Gaza and as Palestinians and Jews we say enough is enough to end the occupation.”

Across the river into New Jersey, a number of churches were visited by Palestinian and Jewish Americans who held similar signs calling on the faith to pray for Gaza and for peace. CBS News also covered the protestors and interviewed them.