October 7: rabbi, imam, and pastor commemorate together
In light of the situation in the Middle East—which remains dire after three years—and its impact, particularly on Jewish and Muslim people, even in Germany, the multireligious House of One Foundation aims to draw attention to the messages of peace from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The religious leaders of the House of One—Rabbi Andreas Nachama, Pastor Marion Gardei, and Imam Kadir Sanci—will join Bishop Christian Stäblein of the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia and Catholic Archbishop Heiner Koch on Wednesday at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin (October 7, 2026, 6:00 p.m.) to express this wish for peace side by side. It is the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel.
In this context, Imam Kadir Sanci emphasizes: “Our religions share the message of peace and love for one’s neighbor. Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and people of other faiths must join hands so that the suffering may come to an end. All people—regardless of their religion or worldview—deserve to live a life of dignity. We must not remain indifferent to any victim of inhuman atrocities—whether Israeli or Palestinian, whether in Lebanon or Ukraine, whether in Iran or Germany.”
Rabbi Andreas Nachama adds to the words of his Muslim friend: “We mourn with all the victims. Together, let us send a message of peaceful coexistence. This spiral of violence must be stopped. As long as peace does not reign in the Holy Land of our three religions, as long as it does not reign throughout the entire region—from Lebanon to Gaza, from Tehran to Tel Aviv—hatred will continue to spill onto the streets in other parts of the world as well, including here in Germany, including here in Berlin.”
Pastor Marion Gardei highlights the events of October 7 for their sheer cruelty: “We remember the victims of the Hamas attack in Israel: we must not forget those who were murdered, those wounded in body and soul, the women who were raped, and the traumatized children. They urge us to pray and to take action so that hatred and hostility may be overcome. We want to advocate for peaceful and friendly relations between cultures and religions—including here in our city of Berlin. We stand against antisemitism and attacks on Jewish people. It is unacceptable for people to be threatened simply because they have different beliefs or love differently. All people are created in God’s image and are therefore brothers and sisters.”
The Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) and the Archdiocese of Berlin, together with the House of One, invite you to the memorial service on October 7 in Berlin. Participation is only possible with prior registration by October 4.
Translated with DeepL.com