By Abigail Gan | Staff Writer
Young Women for America will be hosting a prayer vigil for Israel at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Bill Daniel Student Center. There will be free T-shirts for the first 100 attendees.
Phoenix senior Madison Eberhard, founder and president of the organization’s Baylor chapter, said the conflict in the Middle East has turned into more than just an Israel versus Palestine issue.
“It’s turned into more than a geopolitical issue,” Eberhard said. “It’s turned into an attack against Jewish people and an attack against the family members of Jewish people. When we’re talking about such a terrorist organization like Hamas, I don’t see them stopping at the lives of Jewish people. I think when people say, ‘To the ends of the sea, Palestine will be free,’ I think they mean eradicating all people who don’t believe the same way they do. And I think the first people in that line of fire, unfortunately, are Jewish people.”
Eberhard said the prayer vigil is to be a time of peace. She said she hopes it will spark a fire in people to learn about the situation and continue to pray for Israel.
“We also want to be a voice for Jewish people on campus,” Eberhard said. “I know that Baylor doesn’t have a huge Jewish population, but to show that … we do stand with [them] and we recognize the pain and the hurt that [their] people are facing.”
Azusa, Calif., junior Kayla Carter, vice president of Young Women of America’s Baylor chapter, said there will be specific prayer points and scriptures written out for the event.
“It’s not a demonstration,” Carter said. “It’s just simply a prayer for the people of Israel. So I just hope everybody’s open-minded and kind and comes to pray.”
Eberhard said the event is nothing more than a reflection time for students.
“[The prayer vigil] is a place where students can come … and just stop for a moment and reflect on what’s going on in the Middle East, but also to pray for Israel,” Eberhard said. “And we want to pray for the U.S. military, but also for the Israeli Defense Forces. … And we want to pray for people who are innocent in this but who have had their lives taken or family members’ lives taken.”
Carter echoed that they won’t be presenting any information at the event and are simply seeking to utilize the power of prayer.
“We think that a couple of voices is more powerful than the one, and getting people together to pray can be really powerful and empowering — also for those on campus that might be Jewish or know somebody who is,” Carter said. “I would just encourage people to come.”
