GOD HELP ME graffiti in Central Park, roughly opposite “KIDNAPPED” posters @76th Street & Fifth Avenue, Sunday afternoon, November 19, 2023. Photo illustration by Tony Carnes/A Journey through NYC religions
Reverend Hector Sanchez, Redeemer Presbyterian Church East Side
@Temple Israel New York, Friday Shabbat Service, November 17, 2023 on 75th Street:
Rabbi David Gelfand, Temple Israel New York, introduces:
It is my pleasure to call on Reverend Hector Sanchez to come forward now. Not only am I grateful for the words that he shared with us on October 13. And in addition to that, most moving was your request that we join together in a prayer vigil at every Jewish institution on the Upper East Side. It has been a very lonely time for the Jewish community. And we are profoundly grateful.
Reverend Hector Sanchez, Redeemer Presbyterian Church East Side:
Thank you, Rabbi Gelfand. Good evening, everyone. Shabbat Shalom!
My name is Hector Sanchez. I’m one of the pastors of Redeemer Presbyterian Church East Side and with me are other members of our leadership team, our board, our staff, and our congregation.
Over a month ago, the most horrific terrorist attack descended on Israel, and it has been a very dark month-plus. Not only because of the specifics of the barbarism that was carried out on that terrible day, but also because the rise in anti-Semitism here in the city and around the world is very real. And for this reason, we are here tonight once again on behalf of Redeemer East Side to express our most sincere solidarity with you and your community.
You’re not alone. You do have friends who care and are praying for you and stand with you. We have to pray for the safe return of the 200-plus hostages. We can imagine the pain and the fear that they are experiencing as well as their families. And along with you, we long for their safe return. And that is our prayer as Thanksgiving approaches. How wonderful would it be for them and their families to be reunited!
In the meantime, this Thanksgiving we do give thanks. We give thanks to God for the gift of faith that helps us rise above the dark clouds of terror. We give things for the gift of hope, the surest certainty that evil will not prevail, but justice and peace will prevail. We give thanks for the gift of love, the love of God, and the love of those around us, which makes life in this broken world bearable. And we give thanks for the gift of friendship, like our friendship. It is hard to give thanks in the dark days, but it is in the dark days that we see more clearly the things that truly matter.
Faith.
Hope.
Love.
Friends.
May this Thanksgiving be filled with all of these for you and your community. That is our wish. And once again, on behalf of our leadership team and our congregation, we want you to know that we’re grateful for you, for our friendship, and we stand with you.
And now would you please join me in a moment of a personal, private, silent prayer on behalf of the hostages and their families. Let’s pray for their safe return.
