People of Color Worship & Reflection Group

10/14/2026

If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, how do we pave the way for peace and reconciliation?

What is the Road to Reconciliation Paved with?

09/22/2026

Hundreds of Jewish New Yorkers marked Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, on Monday (Sept. 21) with a mourning ritual memorializing Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war. A few days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s highly anticipated visit for the U.N. General Assembly, the gathering also served to denounce how the Israeli government has handled the war.

Brad Lander, a New York Democratic nominee for Congress, who is Jewish, addressed the crowd gathered at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza by denouncing Netanyahu’s visit and what he described as a “genocide” happening in Gaza.

He said he belonged to a group of Jews “who say no to ethnic cleansing, who say no to human-made famine, who say no to the use of U.S. tax dollars to bomb entire families, who say no to war criminals in our city this holy week or any week.”

In the city that’s home to the largest Jewish population in the U.S., Netanyahu’s visit has prompted divides — especially after Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a staunch Israel critic, in July reignited the debate over Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. despite the International Criminal Court’s efforts to arrest him for what it deemed were war crimes committed in Gaza. The mayor called Netanyahu a “war criminal” but backtracked on his campaign promise of arresting him, citing the city’s lack of legal authority — which Netanyahu dismissed as comments “fomenting hate” and fueling antisemitism.

Netanyahu’s visit is expected to prompt a number of protests, which the mayor encouraged New Yorkers to participate in over the summer. However, according to The Forward, last week he said he “never encouraged them to protest,” but said they “have the right to do so in the city.” Last week, a group of Modern Orthodox Jewish teens protested the mayor’s stance on Israel in front of the mayor’s residence at Gracie Mansion. Showcasing their support for the Jewish state, the teens prayed with tefillin, the black leather threads attached to boxes containing Torah verses worn by observant Jewish men during prayers.

Now in its third year, the public remembrance service has become a space for Jewish New Yorkers opposed to the war in Gaza to voice their criticism and lament the devastation caused by the conflict. It was organized by Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, a left-wing Jewish organization of which Lander is a member, and Rabbis for Ceasefire, a collective of 450 Jewish faith leaders demanding an end to the war. The demonstration was co-sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace, IfNotNow and the American Council for Judaism.

NEW YORK (RNS) — As the highly anticipated US visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approaches this week, attendees denounced how the Israeli government has handled the war.

09/08/2026

This summer, Friends visited Palestine and met with peacemakers from the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities. Find out what they witnessed: What did they see and learn? What do the people of Palestine want us to know? What is life like under the occupation today? Please join us Wednesday, September 16th at 7:30 p.m. ET online for their report-back and presentation, "Spirit Moves at the Margins in Palestine." RSVP @ https://cutt.ly/1yjc78EN

09/02/2026

Our Palestine solidarity delegation will report-back on Wednesday, September 16, 7:30pm EST. Register @ https://cutt.ly/1yjc78EN

08/31/2026

Catholic clergy from South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali and Uganda - including Cardinal Stephen Brislin of South Africa - have issued a joint statement declaring that the policies and actions of the Government of Israel in Gaza constitute genocide. The statement is issued on behalf of Priests Against Genocide - Africa (PAGA), the African chapter of the international Priests Against Genocide network.

Catholic clergy from South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali and Uganda - including Cardinal Stephen Brislin of South Africa - have issued a joint statement declaring that the policies and actions of the Government of Israel in Gaza constitute genocide. The statement is...

08/26/2026

Hannah Arendt talks about “the banality of evil” to describe the normalization of horrific acts by ordinary people. In Korea, Jejudo is now marketed as a “Hawaiian” vacation paradise for those seeking tropical sun and waves. In Occupied Palestine and North America, you will hear endless debates over highways, congestion and parking on stolen land soaked in blood. On Sundays at the Flushing Meeting House, you will hear Quakers read a land acknowledgement in recognition of the indigenous Matinecock Nation and then spend the next couple of hours arguing over property maintenance or the disposition of their endowment.

It’s Too Early for Land Acknowledgements in Palestine

08/23/2026

The Fourth Circuit upheld Tuesday an injunction barring immigration officials from adopting a relaxed policy on enforcement actions in places of worship.

The injunction, sought by groups of Quakers, Sikhs and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, came after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rescinded a longstanding policy of limiting immigration enforcement actions at or near houses of worship in January 2025. The injunction, granted by a Maryland-based federal judge, requires the department to revert to prior guidelines articulated in 2021 under Joe Biden.

“This is an important victory for religious liberty,” Selden Smith, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Religious Society of Friends presiding clerk, said in a statement. “Our Quaker form of worship, in which all ministry emerges from the congregation, is strengthened by the presence of immigrants and threatened by the prospect of ICE raids.”

The injunction, which applies to groups of Quakers, Sikhs and Cooperative Baptists, blocks a new policy that gives immigration officials discretion to conduct enforcement actions in sensitive areas like places of worship.

08/05/2026

How do you translate inner peace into ‘outer’ peace, or peace in the world? We might think of peace work beginning inside of ourselves and creating a ripple effect into the shared spaces of our lives. Sometimes that outward effect happens through grace, or in unexpected ways, but we may also encounter discord between our inner-peace practices and the happenings of the world around us. What steps do you take to bridge that gap?

Finding a daily spiritual spiritual practice that's right for you can bring freedom, joy, inspiration, and grounding.

06/11/2026

Concerned about Quaker investments in military technology? Please join our discussion TODAY (Thurs, June 11) 7pm

Join other NYC Friends to worship on and share messages about the investment choices of the New York Quarterly Meeting and Friends Fiduciary.

06/02/2026

Apartheid-Free Communities is a network of people and communities around the world working to end apartheid. Come learn, share, and help us grow the movement for a world free of apartheid.

Join Apartheid-Free Communities for an inspiring event of movement-building and story-telling. Learn about how multiple communities across Turtle Island are living into the pledge - from student groups and businesses, to faith groups and congregations. **In commemoration of the initiative's birthday...