Utahns build bridges with prayer even as conflict continues in Israel

SALT LAKE CITY — As Utahns watch the conflict in Israel closely, some along the Wasatch Front have felt the need to seek unity.

Rabbi Alan Bachman created the House of Prayer for All Peoples in March, collaborating with the Center For Spiritual Living. Together they dedicated the place for interfaith speakers and prayers on Shabbat.

“God, Allah, whatever is your preferred name for the creator, You have created all of us,” Bachman said. “And in the eyes of the creator there is a real beauty in seeing your creation in harmony with each other.”

As the conflict in Israel continue, Bachman wanted to dedicate the next prayer service to those in the Middle East.

“We even had a distant relative who was murdered on October seventh so this hits a lot of families personally,” Bachman said.

Zeynep Kariparduc is Muslim and will offer a prayer at the service. Even though they’re full of differences, they are also full of peace.

“We are just ordinary people,” Kariparduc said. “We don’t have power to make change or to make the decisions to change the things, but we believe in the power of the prayer.”

“The real victory that anyone is going to have is when all learn how to love each other and respect each other,” Bachman said.

The interfaith prayer will be at the House of Prayer for All Peoples Friday at 7 p.m. Services will stream at houseofprayerforallpeoples.org/

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