A Cruel War on Children

 I have seen this art piece called Primer as a poster many times through the years, It was created by peace activist and artist Lorraine Schneider and first appeared in 1966 in reaction to the Vietnam War.

It surfaced online a few days ago and hit hard, given the terrible loss of life in Gaza. At least 9,600 children have died there with another 83 dead in the West Bank. These figures make me sick to my stomach. 

Here is information about how you can respond to this horrible reality through from theUnited Church of Canada:

We are working with Mission and Service partners ACT Alliance and Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees(opens in a new tab) (DSPR). As a member of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, we are also working with the Humanitarian Coalition to provide tangible support for the people of the Middle East.

Take Action

Pray

Pray for peace with justice for the people of Palestine and Israel. As people of faith, we bring the grief, compassion and concerns of a hurting world to God. Additional prayers can be found here and at Canadian Council of Churche(opens in a new tab)

Donate

Online via our secure donation page.

Phone toll-free 1-800-465-3771 and use your Visa or MasterCard.

Send a cheque or money order to:

The United Church of Canada
Philanthropy Unit - Emergency Response
3250 Bloor Street West, Suite 200
Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4

Please be sure to note "Emergency Response—Middle East" on the face of your cheque.

Advocate

Write to Foreign Affairs Minister The Hon. Mélanie Joly, and your local MP using the tool below.

Key messages to include in the letter:

• call for an end to the violence
• ensure humanitarian assistance is provided
• ensure civilians are protected

NB: The main content can be adapted. We encourage you to personalize the message, especially if you know the person you are writing to.