We will not turn away
“‘Faith in a Time of Genocide’ will stand alongside Christian confessions written in other times of crisis, such as the Barmen Declaration during the rise of Nazism (1934), MLK, Jr’s Letter from the Birmingham Jail during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement (1963), and The South Africa Kairos Document during the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa (1985).” – Jeff Wright, Disciples of Christ, on Kairos Palestine II.
The genocide continues and we will not turn away
Much international news coverage has turned away from Palestine and Palestinians in recent weeks. Yet, the genocide continues in Gaza, and the “silent genocide” grows in the West Bank. In Gaza, Israeli forces continue to bomb and attack Palestinians (425 killed since October), continue to restrict the aid required for their basic survival, and continue to violate ceasefire terms. In the West Bank, Israel advances the construction of new settlements and outposts, seizes land, demolishes homes, and turns a blind eye to settler violence. Just this week, IDF soldiers raided Birzeit University in Ramallah, injuring and intimidating many students. This is a moment of great urgency. We at CFOS will not turn away from the horrors and we ask the same of you, our supporters. Together, let us continue to bear witness, to advocate and to act for a just and liberating peace in Palestine/Israel.
Anglican pilgrims reflect: “Happening Now in Palestine”
In early December, CFOS led a group of Anglican clergy from the Diocese of Toronto on a pilgrimage to Palestine, hosted by our partner Sabeel Liberation Theology Center. Upon their return, members of the group wrote heartfelt reflections which are posted on the Diocese’s website under the heading, Happening Now in Palestine.
These reflections testify to “the challenging, the hard, the bewildering and the hopeful” encounters which the group experienced, in the phrase of the Bishop of Toronto the Right Reverend Andrew Asbil. The collection includes nine posts, including that by CFOS Board Vice-Chair Rev. Steve Berube, who notes the increase in tension and danger since his earlier visits, and quotes Jesus’s lament in Matthew 23.37—“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets…”
An invitation to “Come and See, Go and Tell”
In partnership with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem, CFOS invites artists, writers, professors, musicians, Indigenous leaders, clergy, seminarians, and other public voices to a webinar about our “Come and See, Go and Tell” initiative.
This invitation takes place at a moment of great urgency. Genocide, starvation, forced displacement, and the systematic destruction of life is occurring daily in Gaza, alongside accelerating ethnic cleansing, apartheid, settlement expansion, increasing settler violence and the violent military occupation in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. In the face of these ongoing horrors, CFOS and Sabeel believe it is essential to create spaces for personal encounter, truth telling, witness, and informed engagement.
The webinar will be held at 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, January 29, 2026. We will share more about the purpose and vision of this initiative, and individuals who have recently returned from Palestine/Israel will describe the realities that they saw and heard. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about reasons for going, logistics and practical matters.
Prospective participants will also hear about the ways in which this project will equip them to return home prepared to speak, write, teach, and advocate with integrity.
This program is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and older who are committed to peace with justice, and international law, and who are seeking ways to respond meaningfully to the ongoing catastrophe in Palestine/Israel.
To register for the webinar please complete the form by clicking here.
For more information contact Rana Atie at cfosinfluencer@gmail.com.
Take action on illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank
Since October 2023, there has been a dramatic increase in Israeli-approved illegal settlements and an explosion in settler violence against Palestinians across the West Bank. See the timid response of our Canadian government to the latest Israeli government approval—contrary to international law—of 19 new West illegal Bank settlements.
In this bland joint statement, Canada and 19 European countries “condemn the approval” and “are resolute in our support of Palestinians’ right of self-determination,” but do not commit to any concrete action in response.
In the wake of a Canadian delegation to the Kairos Palestine annual conference and the release of the manifesto Kairos Palestine II: “A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide,” Kairos Canada urges supporters to intensify their advocacy to Canadian MPs and other leaders to “[e]xpand existing sanctions on settler violence” and “[c]ondemn Israel’s annexation plans, land theft and violent displacement and dispossession of Palestinians.” Please join us in demanding that Canada back up its words with concrete action. Send an urgent message here.
Take action on Israel’s banning of 37 humanitarian organizations in Gaza
As of December 28, Israel has banned 37 humanitarian aid agencies from operating in Gaza, a move that will immensely increase suffering for many thousands of Gazans already at risk of starvation and death. The list includes such stalwart and reputable agencies as s Doctors Without Borders, World Vision and Defense for Children International Palestine.
Our friends at Just Peace Advocates point out that Israel, as the occupying power, has the legal obligation to care for and protect the people whose land it is occupying, and they draw attention to all countries’ obligations “to take concrete actions to hold Israel accountable and enforce international law.” In the post, here, you are called to pressure the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and your own MP to take urgent action to this end. Please join us in demanding life for the people of Gaza. Send an urgent message here.
Study guide coming on Kairos Palestine II
The quotation by Jeff Wright at the top of this e-bulletin conveys the importance of the recently released Kairos Palestine II: “A Word of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide.” If you missed our last e-bulletin and our feature on Kairos Palestine II, catch up by visiting our website here.
A Lenten study guide on Kairos Palestine II will be released in early February. This study guide “invites congregations into a sacred dialogue with the Kairos Palestine II document—a living confession born from the heart of Palestinian Christian suffering.” This is an initiative spearheaded by the Palestinian Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Methodists for Kairos Response and Friends of Sabeel North America. More information on this upcoming timely document is available here.
Upcoming Winnipeg conference: “In the Shadows of Genocide”
For another robust response to the call of Kairos Palestine, save the dates of May 14-16 and plan to attend the conference “In the Shadows of Genocide: Palestine, Settler Colonialism, and a Multifaith Call to Action,” at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. This conference follows on a previous one (Ottawa 2025) confronting genocide in Palestine and examining the response of Western churches and global faith communities. This event will highlight the theme of settler colonialism – both in Palestine and Canada – and explore how justice-oriented and multifaith alliances can resist and transform decolonial structures. More details—including registration, speakers, and the full program—will follow in the coming months. CFOS will keep you posted.
Weekly events hosted by Sabeel Jerusalem
Sabeel conducts a weekly English online worship service on Thursdays at 11:00 AM EDT. The services are a time to meet together to discuss how weekly scripture readings apply to life today, especially in Palestine and Israel, and to pray for the specific needs of this region through the Sabeel Wave of Prayer. Register here to participate.
Sabeel’s weekly topical Wave of Prayer email draws on specific experiences from the preceding week; you can find each week’s prayer here.
Sabeel’s Kumi Now program hosts weekly online sessions every Tuesday via livestream. Each week, Kumi Now highlights a different organization working to raise awareness about specific issues in Palestine and Israel, provides information about a specific issue of injustice through the stories of those affected, and promotes a creative nonviolent advocacy action. Register to participate here. After streaming live, all sessions are posted on the Kumi Now YouTube channel.