Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Resource Guide for BenU: Conclusion and Call to Action

"If you believe Palestinians have suffered under decades of occupation and must fight for justice, you can still express devastation and heartbreak for the killing of over a thousand Jews. And if you believe Israel has suffered for decades under existential threat from terrorism and neighboring countries and must defend itself, you can still express devastation and heartbreak for the continued killing of Palestinians.

This does not require belief in moral equivalence, only in compassion and honoring of human life. If the only way to make a case for our people, whoever they are, is to dehumanize another community of people so far that we no longer see them as people, then we risk losing our own humanity, too." ~ Jenan Mohajir, Rebecca Russo

From the Vatican News article: "Pope Francis' appeal on the Third Sunday of Lent is just the latest in many he has issued since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas on 7 October 2023."

"Innocent people are caught in the middle of this volatile and escalating situation in both Gaza and Israel. Members of WCK’s Relief Team have arrived in the region and are forming a network of new connections and working with existing partners to discover avenues to provide critical food support.

In the midst of this violence and critical humanitarian crisis facing millions of Palestinians, access to food and the means to cook for their loved ones is hampered. In Gaza, we are working with Anera, an organization that WCK has partnered with during previous emergency responses and who is distributing food kits and warm meals to families seeking safety. Ongoing shelling and a years-long blockade have dwindled food supplies in Gaza and destroyed vital infrastructure, causing major loss of life. This current situation is preventing WCK and other humanitarian organizations from offering much-needed aid and quickly scaling our response. "

"The Aurora Food Pantry is committed to providing nutritious food relief to the community in a humanitarian and compassionate manner. When surveyed, 99% of clients reported that they were satisfied with the food they received and 93% reported that the food helped their families improve their overall health.

Through client choice, our neighbors can select the food that best meet their needs. The number of items a client receives is determined by the size of their family and the stock available. By offering choice, less food goes to waste, clients can better plan meals for their family’s needs, and we are able to serve our community with dignity and compassion."

Reach out to Campus Ministry to learn more about our commitment to interfaith and religious diversity, or just find someone to pray with you.
Campus Ministry dedicates itself to pastoral care, faith formation, and furthering the common good through practice of the Benedictine hallmarks for all members of the Benedictine University community.

If you would like to speak confidentially with someone, or know of someone who could use free counseling services on campus, please refer them to our Lisle campus Counseling Center.

Hours of operation for Fall 2023:

Monday through Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and by appointment
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and by appointment

Please call (630) 829-1800 to schedule an appointment or walk into the counseling center in Lisle Campus, lower level Krasa 010.