A Path Toward Justice: First UU Considers the Apartheid-Free Pledge

This coming June, our congregation will gather for a significant congregational vote: deciding whether First UU will take the pledge to become an Apartheid-Free community.

This pledge is part of a growing interfaith movement—joined by over 500 congregations and organizations—to affirm a commitment to freedom, justice, and equality for the Palestinian people. By signing, we declare our opposition to all forms of racism, bigotry, and oppression, and commit to ending support for systems of apartheid and military occupation.

Preparing for the Decision
To help our community navigate this important choice, the Palestine-Israel Justice Group has spent the past several months hosting educational events designed to deepen our understanding and foster thoughtful reflection.

• In August, the group hosted a powerful panel discussion focused on the denial of Palestinians’ human rights. The panel featured diverse voices, including UU ministers and activists, who spoke to the moral and spiritual imperative of standing in solidarity with those living under systemic inequality. Read more about this event.
• In November, the congregation gathered for a screening of the documentary "No Other Land." This Palestinian-Israeli collaboration offers a raw, firsthand look at the forced displacement of families in the West Bank. Despite winning the 2025 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and receiving global acclaim, the film has faced significant hurdles finding a U.S. distributor—making our community screening a rare and vital opportunity to witness these stories. Read more about this event.

What is the Pledge?
The Apartheid-Free pledge is an invitation to join a network of "communities of conscience." It is built on the belief that our faith calls us to witness the "divine light" in every person and to take active steps toward dismantling systems that diminish human dignity.

As we move toward our vote in June, we encourage every member to continue engaging with these resources, asking questions, and reflecting on how we can best live into our Unitarian Universalist values of justice and compassion.

Learn More:
You can read the full text of the pledge and learn about the global movement at Apartheid-Free.org.

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