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AFFC Gathers For Menorah Lighting and Second Ceasefire Vigil

Alameda Friends and Families for Ceasefire (AFFC) held a second vigil on International Human Rights Day, December 10, outside of City Hall. The one-hour event featured speakers, caroling, and a menorah lighting. Their first was held on November 26.

Alameda Post - a crowd of people in front of city hall at the ceasefire vigil on International Human Rights Day
The crowd at the Alameda Friends and Families for Ceasefire vigil on International Human Rights Day. Photo Kelsey Goeres.

“Today is a marking of International Human Rights Day,” United Methodist Pastor and AFFC member Emily Lin told the Alameda Post. “I think there is a desire to help the community not only continue to have a space to remember the massive deaths that are taking place in Gaza but also to have a place to grieve and then take action.”

Below the steps of City Hall, a microphone stand stood behind a small platform that held three menorahs. Leaned against the platform was a cardboard sign that read “FREE PALESTINE” in black, white, green, and red letters.



AFFC speaker Saara Ahmed solemnly welcomed the crowd of about 100. “I just want to call into attention the Palestinian folks, the Arab folks, who don’t feel safe to be here, who don’t feel safe to be anywhere right now,” she said. “But today is International Human Rights day. …Ceasefire is important because basic human rights have been stripped.”

Following Ahmed’s opening remarks, carol singers led attendees in singing Christmas songs reworked to bring a voice to the ceasefire cause. Singers had been given sheets of paper with the modified lyrics printed on them, To the tune of “Joy to the World” they sang “Free Palestine, the time has come/ We need a ceasefire now/ Let’s tell Joe Biden/ No funds for bombs/ And we will make him hear/ And we will make him hear/ And we will, we will, make him hear.”

Alameda Post - Chalk drawings, holiday decor, and signs that say "Permanent Ceasefire now"
Chalk drawings in front of City Hall. Photo Kelsey Goeres.

Jewish Voice For Peace member Seth Morrison was the next speaker. He vocalized his views on celebrating Hanukkah this year.

“It is really, really hypocritical to celebrate a revolt against occupation and turn around and say that Jews have the right to oppress the Palestineans,” he said. “There’s a much more positive interpretation of Hanukkah that Rabbis who developed a Talmud, which is our major book of laws and guidance, put together. They chose for this Sabbath, which was yesterday, to focus on Zechariah, one of the prophets who said, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by spirit.’ It emits our absolute horror at what is happening in Gaza. As anti-Zionist Jews, we know that bombs do not lead to peace. The only possible future for peace, whether Jews or Palestineans, whether Christians or Muslims, living in that land that is sacred to so many, is to work for peace.”

Morrison paused for the claps and snaps to dwindle before continuing.

“Hanukkah means rededication,” he continued. “So this year we rededicate ourselves to the deepest values of our tradition, in the context of rampant racism and Islamophobia. So part of what our Jewish Voice For Peace council did is talked about ways to focus each night of Hanukkah on positive change, dealing with the legacy of racism that we have in our country. The fourth night of Hanukkah, which is tonight, echoes the fourth day of creation, in which the sun and the moon were created to form day and night. So we honor the sacred interplay between light and dark. And as we light candles tonight I hope we can all focus on bringing light, peace, and freedom to all Palestineans and all who are oppressed.”

After the lighting of the menorahs below the microphone, a carol to the tune of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” was sung. “Let’s boycott Israeli produce/ Let’s Boycott Sabra hummus/ Let’s boycott Israeli products for a Free Palestine.”

Alameda Post - a crowd gathers around as a menorah is lit in front of City Hall
Lighting the menorah at the ceasefire vigil. Photo Kelsey Goeres.

Poet Terisa Siagatonu then recited two poems: “If I Must Die” by Refaat Alareer and “Semantics” by Jessica Abughattas. In the poet’s words, “​​We don’t hate anybody/ my mother always said/ What we hate is being called terrorists/ as we tend the nativity/ What we hate is being erased from Google maps/ What we hate is by any other name, still called genocide.”

Robin Lynn “OwlSnake,” a local Medicine Woman, took the microphone next to lament the recent U.S. veto in the United Nations proposed ceasefire in Gaza.

“America’s hands are dirty,” she said. “They make all of our hands dirty. That’s our money they’re spending. We can’t address poverty and feed people here but we can send billions and billions of dollars to kill innocent indigenous people. … We cannot stay silent. It’s not right.”

The evening ended with a reading of names of deceased Palestinian victims. But early into the list, cued by the sobs of the reader and the tears in the crowd, Ahmed put an end to the reading. It was too difficult for the assembled to get through.

Next Sunday, AFFC plans on singing the ceasefire-inspired carols downtown on Park Street. They also plan on attending more upcoming City Council meetings.

Kelsey Goeres is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Kelsey-Goeres.

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