Congressman Issues Statement, Churches Fold Cranes, for Anniversary of October 7th Attack

Almost exactly one year after the attack by Palestinian terrorists against Israeli citizens on Saturday, October 7, 2023, during the Jewish High Holidays, two churches in Westwood and Norwood have reached out to the Westwood's Temple Beth David with a physical representation of their congregations' many prayers of peace for their Jewish friends -- one thousand folded, paper origami cranes.

Led by the Reverend JT Hills of First Parish of Westwood and the Reverend Michele Bagby Allan of First Congregational Church Norwood, the congregations of the two churches embarked on a summer-long, meditative project of folding origami cranes. Parishioners were given a suggestion to pray with each fold for peace. By summer's end, the congregations had collectively folded over 5,000 paper peace cranes - 2,000 in excess of their initial combined goal. The 5,000 folded cranes represented well over 140,000 prayers for peace.

On Tuesday, October 1st, Revs. Hills and Allan together presented a curtain of 1,000 of those peace cranes to Rabbi Karen Citrin of Westwood's Temple Beth David. The churches plan to also present gifts of 1,000 peace cranes each to a local Islamic house of faith, a Russian church, and a Ukrainian church.

On Monday, October 7th, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04) issued a statement in strong support of Israel and against antisemitism, in which he also noted in part, in regards to peace, "World leaders should forgo false moral equivalency and commit to the side of peace, for the sake of the Israeli people as well as the Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian people – and millions more who have been immiserated by the Islamic Republic of Iran's 50-year campaign of fanaticism and strife."

"All who believe in social justice must uproot all forms of hate, including antisemitism," said Congressman Auchincloss. "In our reflection and remembrance, let us hold close the hostages and their families. The hostages have been brutalized for a year, their families tormented. They must be returned, and there must be justice.”

For a local lens on larger issues, subscribe to Westwood Minute.

You may also be interested in:

- Congressional Reps. Auchincloss and Lynch Take Contrasting Positions on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's Visit with Congress

- Statement of Congressman Auchincloss on Terrorist Attacks on Israel

- Westwood In A Minute: Community, Congeniality, and Respect (Updated)

- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Church Needs to Follow Facts, Ask Tough Questions

- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: A Plea for Goodwill for the Priest at Center of Conflict over Staff Firing