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Senate honors Patricia Heaton and October 7th coalition for interfaith outreach
Summary
The Senate adopted a resolution commending Patricia Heaton and the October 7th coalition for organizing Christian leaders to oppose antisemitism and support Jewish communities; Heaton described founding the coalition after October 7 and credited local clergy and partners for a nationwide response.
The Tennessee Senate on March 24 formally recognized Patricia Heaton and the October 7th coalition with a resolution commending their efforts to mobilize Christian leaders against antisemitism.
Leader Johnson introduced the resolution and yielded to Heaton, who told senators that after viewing violent footage from October 7 she and local religious leaders organized a network of pastors and ministry leaders to publicly support Jewish neighbors. Heaton described hosting a luncheon of 80 pastors and ministry leaders, drafting a letter signed by 148 Christian leaders to local Jewish federations, and coordinating unity dinners and musical recordings to honor Israeli musicians.
Heaton credited pastors and local leaders—including Pastor Don Finto, Rabbi Saul Strasburg and others present in the chamber—for their roles in the coalition. "A movement that activates Christians to be visibly and vocally supportive of the Jewish people and to fight antisemitism," she said of the October 7th coalition. The Senate adopted the resolution and presented it to Heaton during the session.
The recognition was presented as a ceremonial item on the Senate’s consent and resolutions calendar.
