Riverside Community Catholic Worker

10/01/2025

Starting at 5 PM TODAY October 1st in Knoxville, Tennessee people will be gathering to hold a vigil in support of the Global Sumud Flotilla and to stand with Palestine Join us to protest the illegal interception of the flotilla and to demand an end to the genocide.

on the Henley St Bridge in Knoxville TN

10/03/2024

10/03/2024

Since Israel began committing genocide in Gaza in October 2023, it has wiped out at least 902 families, erasing their entire bloodlines from existence. The Abu Salem family, once spanning four generations, was obliterated with over 270 families killed.

Israel has also killed all but one member of over 1,360 families in Gaza and all but two members of over 3,470 families. Israel’s acts are part of its genocidal campaign that has systematically targeted Palestinian families, destroying entire bloodlines and leaving their communities and loved ones to grieve the overwhelming loss.

But Israel’s erasure of Palestinian families doesn’t end there; it goes beyond Gaza. In March 2023, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly advocated for the destruction of Palestinian towns in the West Bank, specifically calling for the obliteration of Huwara. This violent rhetoric is matched by Israel’s ongoing actions on the ground, deliberately destroying Palestinian communities.

This violent erasure mirrors Israel’s longstanding practice of ethnic cleansing, dating back to 1948 when Israel committed dozens of massacres to violently drive over 75% of the Palestinian population from their homes.

And yet, President Joe Biden continues to supply Israel with the bombs and funding that enable its war crimes from Gaza to the West Bank to Lebanon.

It’s time for Biden to end US complicity in Israel’s atrocities against the people of Palestine and Lebanon alike.

Sources: Palestinian Media Office, Reuters

10/03/2024

03/01/2024

TODAY!!! Friday March 1st at 5:30pm, rain or shine: Hands off Rafah at Market Square. The event will start at 5:30 and will include a brief program prior to a march. The march will kick off at 6pm so people are encouraged to be on time! There will also be a memorial space in remembrance of the over 30,000 martyrs in Gaza and the West Bank and Aaron Bushnell. People are invited to bring flowers, photos, candles, etc. to honor the lives lost in the struggle for Palestinian liberation.

02/10/2024

I have some books that I am passing on. Let me know if you want any of them.

01/07/2024

As we continue to witness the genocide of Palestinians we encourage everyone to take action in some way to call for a ceasefire and an end to US support of Israel. Without the weapons supplied by the US, these massacres could not continue.
Until there is peace and justice for all we cannot be silent in the face of oppression.

Israel’s 2023 genocidal assault on Gaza is among the “deadliest and most destructive in recent history,” according to AP News.

“In just over two months, the offensive has wreaked more destruction than the razing of Syria’s Aleppo between 2012 and 2016, Ukraine’s Mariupol or, proportionally, the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II,” writes AP.

In less than 3 months, Israel has killed over 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza, 40% of whom were children.

Israel has also destroyed over 40% of homes in Gaza, a small, 25-mile strip of land home to over 2.2 million people.

Palestinians need a permanent ceasefire to save lives now.

Link in bio to urge your reps to demand a permanent and immediate ceasefire.

12/26/2023

updated numbers from aljazeera.com

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/12/26/israel-hamas-war-live-no-respite-for-gaza-as-israeli-attacks-continue

12/21/2023

It is not enough to say that we are deeply saddened by the massacre of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and the violence against Palestinians living in the diaspora. Since October 7th, 2023 over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli Occupation Forces and settlers, and over 50,000 Palestinians have been wounded.
We stand with Palestinians of all faiths as we do our best to live out the values of the Catholic worker tradition. Our community is made of people of many faiths and identities. As we approach Christmas, honoring the birth of Jesus, we look to the churches in Bethlehem, Palestine where Jesus was born. Celebrations for Christmas in Bethlehem have been canceled this year.

"The heads of major churches in Jerusalem announced in November that holiday celebrations would be canceled. “We call upon our congregations to stand strong with those facing such afflictions by this year foregoing any unnecessarily festive activities,” they wrote.
“While the world is celebrating, our children are under the rubble. While the world is celebrating, our families are displaced and their homes are destroyed,” said the church’s Pastor, Munther Isaac. “This is Christmas to us in Palestine.”"

excerpt from https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/christmas-celebrations-cancelled-in-bethlehem-jesus-traditional-birthplace-due-to-israel-hamas-war/ar-AA1lGPSf

We call upon the broader community to join us in 12 days of action during the 12 days of Christmas this year. We have created an easy guide to follow for taking action each day to uplift the voices of Palestinians and demand a ceasefire to end the massacre of all Palestinians.
We cannot remain silent in the face of these atrocities and we must stand with our Palestinian brothers and sisters to demand an end to all violence against them.

We have linked these 12 days of Christmas for Palestine with clickable links to make these days of action easier.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF3iyaMIg8/qHIqn0h-Htm8xgv3glLA9g/view

10/18/2023

Please take action to end the siege of Gaza Today!! it can be a letter to the editor, calling or writing to congresspeople, it can be standing on a streetcorner, it can be putting a sign in your yard, it can be talking to a friend or neighbor. Reach out to us if you want help or more ideas. In solidarity....

04/30/2023

Two dear members of our community have lost everything to a house fire. Please share this widely as we continue to support them as they recover from this devastating loss.

Dearest friends and family, On the evening of April 27th, a fire … Willow McLeod needs your support for Support Sarah Margaret and James after house fire