Hundreds attend interfaith service

Hundreds sang the words "peace, salaam, shalom" Tuesday in an interfaith prayer service at Westlake Park. Some joined hands with those near them, some bowed their heads in prayer and some brushed tears away as their voices floated out among the city's buildings.

The memorial service, sponsored by the Church Council of Greater Seattle, remembered the victims of a shooting at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle on Friday. Pam Waechter was killed and five others were wounded when a man opened fire, proclaiming, "I am a Muslim American, angry at Israel."


		Mike Urban / P-I
	Members of many faiths pray Tuesday in Westlake Park at a service, sponsored by the Church Council of Greater Seattle, to remember the victims of Friday's shooting.

More than a dozen ministers, pastors, rabbis and community leaders led those assembled in prayer.

"Be comforted, be comforted, my people," said Rabbi Daniel Weiner of Temple De Hirsch Sinai, quoting the book of Isaiah. "And then perhaps, our voices, our spirits will reach beyond this city ... so that tomorrow will be different," he said.

But Tuesday's service did more than honor those who took bullets for the Jewish faith; it affirmed the bonds of Seattle's interfaith community.

"God chose to give us diversity so we that we could truly get to know one another," said Jamal Rahman, co-minister of the Interfaith Community Church. "My friends, let us truly make a commitment to get to know one another."

The Rev. Beverly Spears of University Baptist Church said respect connects all faiths, particularly in difficult times.

"In this moment, we cannot possibly be threatened by our differences," she told those gathered.

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The Church Council of Greater Seattle usually holds a prayer service when homicides affect its communities. Gov. Christine Gregoire and lawmakers attended Tuesday's service.

Gus Mansour spoke at the gathering, representing the Lebanese American community and the organization Find Common Ground. Before the service started, he said the Muslim community is in shock and that the Quran prohibits violent acts such as Friday's.

"We're here to give our love and support to the Jewish people," he said. "We denounce (violence) with the strongest words. But denouncing it is not enough."

Those in attendance came for different reasons, but many said it was to support the Jewish community and to try to make some kind of sense of Friday's tragedy.


		Mike Urban / P-I
	John-Otto Liljenstolpe and Ayesha Anderson join Tuesday's interfaith prayer service.

"The pain is what brings me out," said Sandy Grace of Seattle, who took an elderly neighbor to the service. "I'm asking why we can't get along anywhere in the world."

Helen Congleton, also of Seattle, said she wanted to do something for Jewish Federation employees.

"I walk by the Jewish Federation all the time... ," she said. "It's hard to believe that this kind of thing still goes on in this day and age."

The gathering was officially termed a "service of hope" by the church council. Many of the religious leaders embraced before the ceremony and talked like old friends.

While watching his colleagues mingle, Rabbi John Singer of Temple Beth Am said there is hope for the interfaith community.

"To me, what's so important about this gathering is that it shows what American religion can be and really is about," he said. "This is a way of saying that we will not be pushed apart. ... The act of an individual will not destroy what we are building up."

MORE EVENTS

Two more events are scheduled tonight in the aftermath of the shootings at the Seattle Jewish Federation:

Starting at 5, the community is invited to join together for "an hour of readings, remembering and a renewal of hope" at Temple De Hirsch Sinai, 1511 E. Pike St.

In Snohomish County, the Interfaith Association of Northwest Washington, the United Way of Snohomish County and Temple Beth Or invite the public to "stand against hate" at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Or, 3215 Lombard Ave., in Everett.

P-I reporter Amy Rolph can be reached at 206-448-8223 or amyrolph@seattlepi.com.

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