The seemingly never-ending Israeli attack on Palestine has been going on now for almost five months. With no foreseeable end in sight to Israel’s brutal offensive, millions all over the world are calling them out for the death and destruction they are executing against the Palestinian population. In a recent update by the news outlet Al Jazeera, President Biden has announced that Israel has allegedly agreed to “not engage in military activities during Ramadan in Gaza.” What this actually means nobody knows for sure, but the world can only wait and hope that this massacre comes to a peaceful and permanent end.

Last week, the Harrisonburg chapter of Mennonite Action called for a spontaneous hymn sing outside of City Hall in support of City Council’s discussions of putting out a statement regarding the ongoing conflict. This statement would serve as a ceasefire resolution, following in the footsteps of countless other towns and cities that have put forth such statements. The hope is that if enough municipalities come together in unison calling for an end to Israel’s wrongdoings, the elected officials of the United States will start to notice and change the current policies that are enabling Israel to commit these atrocious acts in the first place. A number of EMU students have been extremely active in this movement, with third year Aidan Yoder standing out as an exemplary contributor. He was one of the many EMUers at the protest, taking pictures and getting footage of the event for Harrisonburg Mennonite Action social media.

“After coming back from the Middle East Crosscultural this summer I knew that I had to listen to the people who I had met there when they asked us to go back to the United States and work to end the occupation,” Yoder remarked. Mennonite Action has given him that opportunity to carry out this peace work and prepared him to organize his own demonstrations back home in Iowa. Another EMU community member heavily involved was director of orchestra and choirs, Dr. Benjamin Bergey, who played the role of co-song leader at the event. From his perspective of being in the middle of the singing protesters, it was overall a very emotional experience.

“Music has a beautiful way of bringing people together, especially around a common purpose,” expressed Bergey. “This was like a mix of an ensemble and a worshiping body, yet in an exact collection of people who have not sung together before and won’t sing together again in that exact composition.” The set of hymns chosen for the protest are very reflective of the Anabaptist belief in peace. Various songs discuss longing for peace in the midst of violence, turning to God for tranquility, and celebrating humankind’s resilience during conflict.

“Although we may not have changed the world, every little bit helps, if for no other purpose than to know that we are not alone in our quest for peace, and to help the world know that this is our desire,” Bergey surmises. If Israel stays true to its word about not conducting any military operations in Palestine during the month of Ramadan, then hopefully a more permanent resolution can be achieved through that. In closing, a verse from Ya Rab as-Salami, one of the hymns sung at the protest: “Ya Rab as-salami, Imla qulubana as-salam,” which translates to “God of peace and justice, let every heart be filled with peace.”