Reading Minister on 16 Day Tour of Iraq

Rev. Tim Kutzmark, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church, is currently on a 16 day tour of Iraq. Kutzmark, along with a small group, plans to witness the impact of the United States invasion and assess the current state of the country.

Kutzmark left on Saturday morning and will remain in Iraq for just over two weeks. The goal of the trip is to see the impacts of the US invasion, war, and "ongoing sectarian violence in that war-torn land," according to a recent press release. Kutzmark plans to assess the state of the country and to spend time at Islamic Holy sites and ancient Babylonian, Sumerian and Assyrian archaeological sites.

“I am thrilled to have this rare opportunity to step into a war zone to see what day-to-day life is for normal Iraqi civilians, and to bear witness to the devastation wrought over the last ten years,” Kutzmark said in a release. “I have developed a keen interest in the conflict in the Middle East and Central Asia, but I’ve learned that the American media gives us a view into this region that is often very different from what is actually happening on the ground.  You have to go and see with your own eyes and talk with real people living there to get an accurate understanding of what is truly transpiring.” 

Kutzmark is most excited about visiting Ur, he said in the release. 

"I’ve always loved the stories in the Bible about Abraham, and the legend says that he was born in Ur and left from that ancient city to travel with his family to Palestine. Ur is where is where it all began! A few years ago, I taught a class about Abraham from the Jewish, Islamic and Christian perspectives. I will bring a pocket copy of The Book of Genesis, and read the Abraham story while I walk the same dusty streets he once walked," he said.

Kutzmark knows that Iraq can be dangerous, and says that armed security will be present with his group at all times.  

He was once tear-gassed by Israeli Defense Forces when visiting occupied Palestinian Territories during a peaceful protest against Israel’s Barrier Wall. He also spent time in Afghanistan with a small group to study women’s rights in post-Taliban years. 

Interested in his trip? Stop by the Unitarian Universalist Church on May 22 at 7:30 p.m. to hear all about it. He will also discuss his trip at services on June 9 at 9:15 and 11:00 a.m.