Community members lit candles at a vigil for refugees on Monday.
By Carol Tannenhauser
A quiet crowd lit candles and prayed at Rutgers Presbyterian Church on 73rd Street on Monday night. The church had been expecting to welcome a family of eight Syrian refugees on Monday and help them get settled in a new home in New Jersey, but those plans were derailed by President Trump’s executive order banning Syrian refugees from entering America indefinitely.
The family had been vetted for more than two years, church leaders said. They were supposed to be the second refugee family welcomed by a group of NYC religious organizations, including Rutgers’s Presbyterian Church and B’nai Jeshurun, also on the Upper West Side.
Pastor Andrew Stehlik and Parish Associate George Williamson, gave short speeches and bible readings, including the passage that begins, “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Stehlik said the vigil was “a place to center ourselves spiritually and prepare for a long struggle.”
The people began to light candles, first as a group, then individually, for prayer and contemplation. It was startlingly beautiful when a woman spontaneously sang the Hebrew Shema.
Carlin Meyer, who came to the event after reading about it in West Side Rag, said she found the service comforting. “I only read about it 30 minutes ago, and I very much support refugees and what this church is doing, so I decided to come over.”
Photos by Carol Tannenhauser.
Thanks, WSR, and please continue to keep us informed about any protests or gatherings of support about any of the horrors that are being perpetrated on our country under this administration.
Yes, great to hear about events closer to home as well as the bigger protests downtown, at the airports, etc. I have a feeling this is going to a long haul until the Congressional Republicans start standing up against Trump’s illegal, cruel policies.
There is nothing illegal or cruel about this and I’ll remind you that no one has a right to come here. The Federal governments first responsibility is to protect American citizens and persons here legally and proper vetting is esential to do this. You liberals have become too accustomed to BHO flouting existing laws. BTW, where’s the outrage with BHO leaving the Cubans stranded in Mexico?
I always used to think stuff like the Chinese Exclusion Act was ancient barbaric history, but I guess SG is onto something about how our great nation loves turning arbitrary ethnic restrictions on immigration into questions of legality.
This family was vetted. The process has taken 2 years.
Being outraged at the current Muslim Ban and the Cubans stuck in Mexico is not mutually exclusive.
Families need to be reunited.
UWSSurfwer: Totally agree with you.
Exactly.
Also, where were the candlelight vigils when the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Obama was dropping bombs on the rest of the world? (over 25,000 in 2016 alone) Very selective outrage.
Well said, DJ. America is not the world’s “community center” where whoever feels like dropping in can do so, no questions asked, and burden the taxpayer. Unfortunately we also live in a time of Islamic extremism, so you really can’t be too careful about who is admitted. I’m all for the strictest vetting from many of the nations on Trump’s list, because those nations have a history of spawning jihadists. If people can’t see the reason in this, they are deluded.
Do you really believe that everyone wants to come here?
Do some reading. Immigration is actually good for this country. Even thinkers on the Right can agree (at least those who don’t live in constant fear).
No one would disagree that rules must be placed on immigration. But they need to be sensible and not knee-jerk, thoughtless reactions to the pitchfork and lantern crowd.
I was replying to sg, not Mark.
There are over 6 billion people in the world, they can’t all come here, and as a sovereign nation it’s our right to determine who does. It’s about time our immigration policy is based on what’s best for us, not them.
What does one have to do with the other.
You seem desperate with your attempt at a false equivalency.
You seem to be missing some key points.
But that’s not surprising.
The snowflakes on the Right are in full-fear mode at the scary Muslim people coming here.
to Living Here: First off, the ban Obama implemented was tied to a direct plot from Iraqi refugees that had settled in the U.S. This is a blanket ban without any known threat from any refugee from any of these countries.
Without credible reasons supporting this ban other than the general fear of foreigners from these countries, this ban is deeply concerning. It’s anti-American and xenophobic. This ban is not about immigration or security but rather a dangerous PR stunt to play into the fear mongering that has come from the Trump camp from day 1. No one is advocating to let the doors open and accept everyone but showing minimal compassion to the people in the most desperate cases of need should always be a responsibility of this Country.
Obama stopped Muslim immigration for 6 months in 2011 – no outrage because it was not on the radar.
Obama made it practically impossible for young Israelis to obtain a visa – but who cares about Jews, right?
Obama stopped Cubans in transit – was applauded.
So Trump’s antics notwithstanding, keep things in perspective.
By the way, Trump put in a DELAY of 90 DAYS – not a ban.
And if a 90 delays makes one a radicalized terrorist, maybe that person should not be here at all…
“just because you say something doesn’t make it true (more likely the opposite)”
Evidence?
Don’t worry, I’m not expecting you to back up your claim because it’s completely ludicrous as you are likely aware.
Yes, the Left has plenty of snowflakes.
But there is no shortage on the Right.
After all, which side:
-lives in constant fear and demands more guns to protect themselves?
-supports Trump’s immigration action because they are afraid?
-whines that they need special laws that will protect them from doing their jobs if the client is someone who will offend their delicate, fragile religious sensibilities?
-complains that there is a “War on Christmas” and whine that people don’t say “Merry Christmas” enough?
-whines about political correctness and simultaneously complain that people aren’t nice/fair to Trump and the GOP and that we should all be deferential?
-tends to live in isolated bubbles of people just like themselves because they are afraid of being around people who look/act/pray different?
Just watch the comments from the people on the Right on this very blog.
Almost all of their comments are based on fear.
So buck up snowflakes. Put on your big girl pants and deal with the fact that the world is a complex, diverse place.
Please elaborate…just because you say something doesn’t make it true (more likely the opposite). And by the way, you have it wrong, it’s the left whose feelings are constantly hurt…you know all those good things taught by our institutions of “higher learning” like safe zones, trigger warnings, etc
Please elaborate instead of the typical left-wing bloviating.
Thanks WSR!
Thank you WSR. I saw your story about the vigil
and attended. It was beautiful.
As Dr. King said,
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Thanks so much for keeping us informed about these types of critical events and please continue to do so. You’re providing a wonderful service to all of us.
Even better than holding a vigil is NOT destroying a country because “humanitarian intervention.” I hope these concerned citizens protested then.