Newsweek: America Is Buying Chinese Goods—and Supporting China’s Genocide | Opinion
By Gordon G. Chang Author, commentator Critics and supporters are battling it out after President Joe Biden announced that he was increasing tariffs on…
The Humanity of it All: JWW Statement on the Israel-Hamas War
As a nonprofit organization guided by Jewish values and dedicated to countering genocide around the world and the hate that leads to mass atrocities,…
Tying Together Our Past, Present, and Our Future
As Jews around the world observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day this Saturday, we cannot escape the knowledge that we are only three months out…
3 Years and Just Getting Started
Three years ago this week, I took on what would become one of the greatest challenges of my career. Serving as the Executive Director…
Elie Wiesel Foundation Awards Grant to Nonprofit Trio to “Restore the Rights and Dignity of the Uyghur Population”
LOS ANGELES – Jewish World Watch (JWW), the Los Angeles-based nonprofit committed to bringing help and healing to survivors of mass atrocities around the…
Responding to the “national day of hate”
We believe in a world that does not stand idly by while civilian populations are being attacked simply because of who they are. A…
An effective response to the Syria crisis
It is difficult to fathom the current crisis in Syria. Doctors in Northwest Syria are overwhelmed, and supplies are running out following this week’s…
Jewish World Watch applauds Canada for Uyghur resettlement vote
This week, members of the Canadian Parliament stood up for human rights by unanimously passing M62. The motion calls on the Canadian government to…
Announcing the Walk to End Genocide Youth Art Contest
Calling all teen activists: Jewish World Watch seeks to receive submissions from student artists throughout Los Angeles to use as poster artwork for the…
The Armenian people are facing crisis once again
The Armenian people are facing crisis once again. Azerbaijan has blocked the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh (known as Artsakh in Armenian) to Armenia and…
Human Rights Groups Condemn State Department Decision to Honor Intel and Gap, Inc., Companies Listed on Jewish World Watch Uyghur Forced Labor Database
Washington, D.C. – Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken recognized two companies with the State Department’s prestigious Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) with well-known…
JWW’s Serena Oberstein named Activist of the Year by Asm. Jesse Gabriel
Jewish World Watch (JWW) Executive Director Serena Oberstein received the second annual Activist of the Year award from California State Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel in…
Jewish World Watch commends House passage of Uyghur Policy Act
Jewish World Watch (JWW) commends the House of Representatives for passing the Uyghur Policy Act (H.R. 4685), a bill that would increase U.S. response,…
Press Release: Jewish World Watch applauds establishment of Genocide Awareness Day in CA
ENCINO, CA — Jewish World Watch (JWW), an anti-genocide organization based in Los Angeles, applauds California Governor Gavin Newsom and California State Representative Adrin…
Press Release: Gala honoring Uyghur leader Nury Turkel raises money for anti-genocide work
ENCINO, CA — Jewish World Watch (JWW), an international human rights organization based in Los Angeles, presented on Sunday its 2022 Global Soul Award…
Labor rights are an American tradition. Let’s export them to the world.
From our deep roots as a nascent country to striking workers today at core companies, there are few things more uniquely American than worker’s…
“Women are the real architects of society”
Communities worldwide are bonded and uplifted by women. Women create life, hold families together and lead communities with strength and resolve. That is precisely…
Jewish World Watch featured in Newsweek
You are likely reading this email on a device made with Uyghur forced labor in the Xinjiang region of China. I am not saying…
Announcing the Uyghur Forced Labor Database
ENCINO, CA – Jewish World Watch (JWW), a Los Angeles-based organization fighting against genocide and mass atrocities worldwide, launched today a groundbreaking database detailing…
Column: We must act now to save the Rohingya
In 1939, four months before the invasion of Poland, 937 souls set sail aboard the MS St. Louis as a dark cloud of totalitarianism…
Xinjiang Police Files: Truth and Justice
This week, the BBC released thousands of leaked police images, files and classified speeches documenting, in damning detail, the Chinese Communist Party’s internment and…
Jewish World Watch applauds Airbnb for taking down its listings in China
Jewish World Watch applauds Airbnb and the leadership of CEO Brian Chesky for taking the initial steps toward a more ethical business model by…
Jewish Rohingya Justice Network applauds House passage of bipartisan Burma bill, calls on Senate to act
Today’s passage of the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2021 (BURMA Act) in the U.S. House of Representatives is a meaningful…
U.S. formally recognizes Rohingya genocide
This morning, the Biden Administration formally announced its determination that the Myanmar military committed genocide against the Rohingya people. Jewish World Watch applauds Secretary…
500 days of war in Tigray
Today marks 500 days since violence in the Tigray region began. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives, and more than 6.8…
Channeling the conviction of Vashti and Esther
This week, as the Jewish community gathers to celebrate Purim, one of history’s first averted genocides, we revisit the fortitude of Vashti and Esther.…
The power of women
Strong female leadership has driven the mission of JWW forward for 18 years. Co-Founder Janice Kamenir-Reznik answered her rabbi’s call 18 years ago and…
How domestic production can fight Uyghur genocide
We all celebrated the passage of the monumental Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act at the end of December. The bill deserved this praise and…
Career Opportunity: Full Time Executive Assistant
Jewish World Watch is seeking a Full-Time (Monday thru Friday) Executive Assistant to join our Organization. Working from our Encino, CA office, you’ll be…
Recommitting to the fight against genocide
As 2021 comes to a close, I am asking you to recommit to the fight against genocide and mass atrocities by donating to Jewish…
More than just a food source for Darfuri survivors
Jewish World Watch has been working with the Darfuri survivor community since 2004. This year, to continue this legacy of support, we launched Seeds…
President Biden signs Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law
Jewish World Watch celebrates the bold leadership shown by the United States as President Joe Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)…
BREAKING: Senate passes Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, bill headed to President Biden’s desk
Jewish World Watch commends the United States Senate for unanimously passing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), a bill that sets the new…
Celebrating victories on Human Rights Day
The last week has been extraordinary. So often, we share stories of tragedy and loss; however, the recognition of human rights and dignity and…
Fighting for the dignity of genocide survivors – 17 years and counting
In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its first human rights treaty on this day. The resolution provided the first internationally recognized legal…
BREAKING: House approves Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
Jewish World Watch applauds today’s passage of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) in the House of Representatives, which sets a new global…
BREAKING: U.S. announces diplomatic boycott of 2022 Olympic Games
The 2022 Winter Olympics, set in Beijing, will be held against a backdrop of human rights violations reminiscent of the Berlin Olympics of 1936.…
Let us radiate light into the world
The last year has been full of lessons. If there is one word that captures the spirit and motivation at JWW in 2021, it…
In loving memory: Katie Jay Scott & Gabriel Stauring
In life, we are blessed to meet a handful of people who have a spark that shines a little brighter. These encounters leave a…
Sadiki’s story: From the mines to a classroom in the DRC
As a mother of two, Universal Children’s Day (observed on November 20) resonates deeply with me. It is an opportunity to promote togetherness and…
ICAN, JWW, ANCA-WR inaugurate the Armenian Jewish Advisory Council (AJAC)
The Israeli American Civic Action Network (ICAN), Jewish World Watch (JWW), and the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) today inaugurated…
Once again: This year, be the shofar
Paul Wallace, in his essay entitled “Breathing Metaphors”, begins with the following exercise which I ask you to do along with me: Settle yourself…
High Holidays: What will you choose in 5782?
Rosh Hashanah is an opportunity for us to each have a fresh start, to imagine a better version of ourselves and the world around…
TAP Talks: I’m not always saving the world, and that’s okay
To any activist that might need to hear this: if you have stopped advocating for a while or have been too busy helping yourself…
Jewish Insider: Jewish groups hear echoes of Hitler’s Games in run-up to 2022 Beijing Olympics
Before the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, the International Olympics Committee, aware of the rising tensions, pressured the German government and received assurances that…
Introducing our refreshed website
We are excited to announce the launch of our refreshed online experience. The new website expresses the work of Jewish World Watch in bold…
Your support ensures the release of child soldiers in the DRC
To celebrate World Day Against Child Labor (June 12), I’d like to highlight the incredible work supporters like you make possible in the Democratic Republic of…
In loving memory of Malkah Schulweis
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Malkah Schulweis, a life force for her beautiful family, for the Valley Beth…
A momentous weekend for the Armenian people
More than a century ago, 1.5 million Armenians were rounded up and slaughtered amid a campaign of extermination that history has long acknowledged was…
Now is the time for the U.S. to increase support in Tigray
We are gravely concerned about what is happening in Tigray and believe the United States – along with other international powers – need to…
Yom HaShoah: Honor their stories with action
Each year, on Yom HaShoah, we remember the 6 million Jewish sisters and brothers we lost during the Holocaust. We say their names, we…
Uyghurs: JWW Applauds US Sanctions Against Chinese Officials
International Jewish Human Rights Organizations Acknowledge Sanctions as Important First Step Against Chinese Officials, Call for Continued Pressure to Protect Human Rights. On Monday,…
We stand firmly with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community
Jewish World Watch is heartbroken by the murder of eight people in Atlanta on Tuesday night, six of them women of Asian descent. We…
JWW applauds bill that would support Uyghurs seeking asylum
Jewish World Watch (JWW) applauds this week’s introduction of the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act (H.R. 1630) in the House of Representatives to support…
A dark week for Myanmar’s Rohingya
It has been a dark week for Myanmar and the persecuted Rohingya people. On Sunday, Myanmar’s military (also known as the Tatmadaw) staged a…
Myanmar military coup: The Rohingya need you now
On Jan. 31, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military) staged a coup in Myanmar, taking into captivity pro-democracy activists and many of the country’s democratic leaders,…
Holocaust Remembrance Day: How to honor those we lost
Holocaust survivor, author, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel promised that he would never be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering.…
Our hope for the first 100 days of the Biden Administration
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden took an important step in support of refugees by signing a new executive order that…
U.S. State Department takes significant step by recognizing Uyghur genocide
Jewish World Watch applauds the U.S. State Department’s crucial declaration that the Chinese government is committing genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghur…
50 Genocide prevention organizations and experts call for UN Commission of Inquiry on crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs
The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) has reissued an open letter to governments, along with 29 genocide and atrocity prevention organizations from seven countries,…
We will continue to fight intolerance to create a more just world
While we typically have worked on matters in other countries, what happened on Jan. 6 in our nation’s Capitol is one that requires our…
Let’s hold up the world together
[maxbutton id=”99″] It has no doubt been an extraordinary year. Because of our supporters, Jewish World Watch has been able to deepen its impact,…
Jewish leaders sign letter in support of Artsakh
Over the last few weeks, Jewish leaders from around Los Angeles came together to stand with the Armenian community when fighting broke out in…
10 years after UN Mapping Report, still no justice in the Congo
Ten years ago this month, the United Nations published the Congo Mapping Exercise Report. The landmark report documented more than 600 incidents of war…
High Holy Days 2020: To be a Jew is to act globally
As the Director of Education for Jewish World Watch, I spend a large portion of my time talking to adults and students about genocide…
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act passes House – now onto the Senate
This week, we mark another major advocacy win as the House of Representatives approved the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in a near-unanimous vote…
Myanmar soldiers confess to genocide: Now the U.S. must act
In a major development for the Rohingya justice movement, two soldiers of the Myanmar army have provided damning video testimony that they were directed…
Historic peace deal signed between Sudan’s new government and rebel groups
[September 11, 2020]: In a major development in Sudan’s transition to democracy, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok agreed to a deal that effectively ends 30…
Evidence shows that Boko Haram used children as suicide bombers
Shocking evidence has emerged that Boko Haram, an Islamist armed extremist group operating in the Lake Chad Basin, uses children as suicide bombers. This…
It’s time for U.S. to call Rohingya atrocities genocide
The Rohingya community in Southeast Asia continues to live in a state of fear, isolation and suffering. We can do something about that. Please…
Jewish World Watch demands the immediate protection of Dr. Denis Mukwege
Jewish World Watch, a genocide prevention organization that brings hope and healing to survivors of mass atrocities worldwide, urgently appeals for immediate action to…
Sharing our mission together
Two weeks ago I was honored to join Jewish World Watch as its Executive Director. I was immediately welcomed by a team of people…
Announcing our new Executive Director, Serena Oberstein
Dear Friend, Following an extensive and thorough search process, the Board of Directors of Jewish World Watch extends an enthusiastic welcome to our new Executive…
Violence spikes in Darfur: genocide survivors and Sudan’s transition at risk
UPDATE – July 30, 2020 – Jewish World Watch’s fears of mounting atrocities in Darfur have been realized. Just days after publication, on July…
COVID-19 emergency response in the Congo
A countrywide shutdown in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in response to COVID-19 has led to increased fears of starvation. Amani Tom, our…
Call Myanmar’s crimes against Rohingya by their rightful name: Genocide
Nearly three years after unconscionable atrocities were unleashed upon the Rohingya of Myanmar by their country’s military and security forces, the United States still…
Turkey waging war against Kurds and Yazidi genocide survivors
In 2014, the Yazidis in Iraq suffered genocide at the hands of the Islamic State. Last year, the Kurds of Syria were subjected to…
Genocide alert: New evidence shows that Uyghurs subjected to the crime of crimes
Right on the heels of a major advocacy victory for the Uyghur crisis — the signing of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act into…
Major advocacy victory! Uyghur Act signed into law
The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act is now law! Thanks to advocates like you, on June 17 President Trump signed the legislation, bringing us one…
Racism, Violence and the Roots of Mass Atrocities
Mass atrocity crimes — genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity — occur when civilians are targeted in an illegal, systematic and widespread way.…
When Enough is Enough = Never Again
“Enough is enough,” is the cry reverberating throughout the United States in response to the murder of George Floyd. “Enough is enough” echoes the…
Parsha Bamidbar: Can we count on YOU?
This past Shabbat we read the story of the census. God tells Moses that he should conduct a census of all the Israelite men…
Uyghur Act passes Congress: Accountability for China’s atrocities within reach
On Wednesday, the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 finally passed both chambers of Congress, a momentous win for the persecuted Uyghur ethnic…
Even during COVID-19 pandemic, advocacy efforts progressing
COVID-19 has disrupted many social justice efforts, including those most integral to the mission of Jewish World Watch — preventing genocide and mass atrocities…
Our fears realized: COVID-19 reaches Rohingya refugee camps
A Rohingya man tested positive for coronavirus inside the overcrowded refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where nearly 1 million Rohingya live. Jewish World Watch…
Jewish World Watch announces COVID-19 emergency grants
Jewish World Watch (JWW) is proud to announce the disbursement of multiple critical grants to our on-the-ground partner organizations working on the frontlines of…
COVID-19 and the Congo: The latest news from the ground
COVID-19 has reached the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is spreading rapidly. As of April 23, 377 cases have been confirmed, with…
Yom HaShoah: We refuse to stand idly by, no matter the obstacles we face
Dear friends, Today, on Yom HaShoah, we remember the horrors of the Holocaust, and we commemorate all who were lost. We also honor the…
Support The Never Again Education Act during Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month
The Never Again Education Act (S. 2085) is a bipartisan bill to support Holocaust education on a national level. The legislation would establish dedicated…
The Rohingya are living in a COVID-19 tinderbox
Imagine if you had no access to Internet or cell service right now. In the middle of a pandemic. Now, imagine you hear from…
Even during a pandemic, protect rights and prevent atrocities
COVID-19 has leveled the playing field in many ways — its indiscriminate nature and rapid spread remind us all of our fragility, but also…
COVID-19: On-the-ground updates from our partners
View a recording from our recent webinar, “COVID-19’s impact on the survivors we serve” [maxbutton id=”54″] All of us at Jewish World Watch want…
Announcement regarding COVID-19 and the Walk to End Genocide
With the continuing spread and deep uncertainty about the impact of COVID-19 Coronavirus on our community, we at Jewish World Watch want you to…
Sudan PM’s assassination attempt a reminder of the challenges ahead
Just under a month ago, in our last JWW blogpost on Sudan, the country’s transitional government was making steady progress, including by expressing its…
Sudan’s al-Bashir and the Hope of Justice: A Backgrounder
On February 11, the transitional government announced that several suspects indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes perpetrated in the Darfur region…
Justice for Darfur, Bashir will stand trial
It is not often in the “business” of fighting genocide and atrocity that we have a day in which we can claim and celebrate…
Expanded travel ban foments hate, harms civilians fleeing atrocities
On January 31, the Trump Administration added six countries to its three-year-old travel ban. Once colloquially known as the “Muslim Ban,” the parameters of…
The Syrian war: A never-ending nightmare for civilians
The horrors of the Syrian war are unending. If anything, they are mercilessly ramping up, as civilians continue to be wiped out, in blatant…
Historic day for Rohingya: World Court orders Myanmar to take immediate action to prevent genocide
Today, January 23, marks a momentous day in the Rohingya cause, as the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered the government of…
Thank you for a life-changing year
We have just closed the book on what was, in so many ways, an extremely difficult year. The Rohingya, Darfuris and Syrians, as well as the people of…
15 years of fighting genocide together
Dear Friends, It has been 15 years since Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis (z”l) and I founded Jewish World Watch in an effort to live…
Shining a light on the Uyghur crisis
As the world learns of China’s surveillance, imprisonment, torture and forced “reeducation” of millions of Uyghurs, an ethnic group based mostly in Xinjiang Province…
Global Fragility Act signed into law: A monumental victory for atrocity prevention
Earlier today, on December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed into law the bipartisan Global Fragility Act ushering in a new era of prevention-focused…
From child survivor to teacher: A Congolese success story
Thanks largely to the supporters of Jewish World Watch, Cibalonza Mushagasha Chanceline has survived the unthinkable to exemplify an extraordinary story of resilience. As…
Congo in chaos: restore order to protect lives
Hundreds of thousands of civilians are in grave danger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) eastern Beni Territory in the wake of…
Bipartisan passage of Uyghur Act critical step to demand accountability from China
Late on Tuesday evening, December 3, the House of Representatives passed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act in a landslide vote of 407 to…
A big week for Rohingya justice: major strides toward achieving accountability
The wheels of justice are finally turning for the Rohingya ethnic minority of Myanmar — survivors of the world’s most recent genocide. It has…
Stop the forced relocation of the Rohingya
Some 3,000 Rohingya people are scheduled to be moved from the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, to an uninhabitable tiny island in the…
The House overwhelmingly recognizes the Armenian Genocide
A century after 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered by the Ottoman Empire, the House of Representatives today overwhelmingly recognized those systematic attacks and murders…
President Trump: Withdrawing our troops from Syria could lead to genocide
Dear President Trump, We at Jewish World Watch, a human rights organization devoted to fighting genocide and mass atrocities, are writing to express our…
A special Shabbat dinner with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege
Recently, Jewish World Watch had the honor of hosting Dr. Denis Mukwege — our long-time on-the-ground partner and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate —…
House to vote on Rohingya genocide: the time to act is now!
(Sept. 24 at 5:15 p.m.) GOOD NEWS — the BURMA Act was just approved in the House of Representatives (394 Yeas, 21 Nays). Thank…
Two major milestones in Uyghur advocacy
Jewish World Watch (JWW) is proud to report two major accomplishments in our advocacy work related to the Uyghur (or Uighur) human rights crisis,…
Two years after the Rohingya genocide, name the crime and stop suggesting sham returns
The Rohingya suffered genocide at the hands of their own homeland’s military. This Sunday, Aug. 25, marks the two-year anniversary of the brutal crackdown…
In the Congo: Caring for survivors of rape
Dr. Denis Mukwege, a 2018 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and longtime Jewish World Watch partner, is making preparations to deploy a rapid response mission…
Congo: Returning abducted children to childhood
Tens of thousands of children have been abducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and forced to serve in militias. Jewish World Watch…
The Ebola epidemic in the DRC is just the tip of the iceberg
Instability continues to rock the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). With the spread of the Ebola crisis, this war-plagued country is now facing…
Power-sharing agreement signed in Sudan, but hard work just beginning
Despite recent developments suggesting that a transition to civilian rule could be possible, Sudan’s political turmoil is far from over. On Friday, July 5,…
Is the U.S. border crisis a mass atrocity?
Kids in cages. Scenes of chaos and filth, where basic necessities are denied to the most vulnerable: children in a foreign land forced to…
Sudan in chaos: What is happening, what’s at stake and what can be done
Sudan is in chaos. Every day brings reports of mounting atrocities as autocracy and democracy go head to head, with civilians paying the price.…
The Burma Act in the House: What it means for the Rohingya
Congress is not giving up on the Rohingya! After much anticipation, the House companion bill to the newest incarnation of the Burma Act was…
More than 100 killed in Sudan as military cracks down on protesters, derails transition
Hopes for a smooth transition to civilian rule in Sudan were dashed at dawn on June 3, when Sudan’s armed forces opened fire on…
We applaud the passage of the Global Fragility Act in the House — onto the Senate!
Jewish World Watch (JWW) commends the House of Representatives for passing the Global Fragility Act of 2019 (H.R. 2116) on May 20. This marks…
Transition agreed upon in Sudan, but still a long road ahead
[UPDATE: May 16, 2019] The transitional military council currently running Sudan has announced a suspension of talks with the opposition coalition representing the demands…
China is systematically abusing Uyghurs. The U.S. must pressure them to stop.
Jewish World Watch intern Yasmin Liberman contributed to this report. In March 2017, China’s government launched a mass crackdown against the Uyghurs, a Muslim…
Escalating violence in Syria forces hundreds of thousands to flee
In just one week, from April 28 to May 6, 152,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Syria according to a report…
A Mother’s Day Story: When a child becomes the inspiration
At just 8 years old, Sidney Ross-Stern was inspired to take action by Jewish World Watch’s Walk to End Genocide. She created her own…
Freedom, at long last, for Reuters journalists in Myanmar
Today, we at Jewish World Watch are celebrating a momentous and long-awaited human rights victory: Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have…
The tragedy in Poway
Dear Friend, On Saturday a 19-year-old gunman filled with hatred entered the Chabad of Poway sanctuary, which was filled with worshipers on the last…
Remembering the Armenian Genocide
“Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” This is the question Adolf Hitler asked in 1939 while defending his invasion…
Mourning with the people of Sri Lanka, refusing to give in to hate
It is with heavy hearts that we acknowledge the recent devastating attacks in Sri Lanka, which took some 310 lives, including many Christians celebrating…
Sudan coup ousts al-Bashir: Cause for celebration or concern?
Something incredible just happened. After nearly 30 years in power, Sudan’s President — indicted war criminal and genocidal mastermind Omar al-Bashir — has been…
The Rwandan Genocide: 25 years later
Beginning on April 7, 1994, 25 years ago this Sunday, and continuing over the next 100 days, 800,000 Tutsis in Rwanda were slaughtered by…
Rohingya Refugee Megacamp: Need as far as the eye can see
Nothing blew me away on this trip to Bangladesh more than my visit to the largest Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, the sprawling…
International Women’s Day with Rohingya survivors: Sisterhood and the Power of Information
I had the privilege of meeting some extraordinary women over the course of this past week in Cox’s Bazar. There is no better time…
With entry to Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar closed for a day, time to explore life and organizations nearby
After an auspicious first day in the camps — in the sense that we got in and moved freely without incident — the second…
Finally arrived: Meeting the Rohingya in the camps for the first time
Yesterday was my first day in the camps. Haythem, from one of our partner organizations, met me and my traveling companion/friend/photographer Rares Michael Ghilezan…
En route to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar
I arrived today in Cox’s Bazar, just a 1-hr flight from Dhaka, where I spent a day in transition on my trip from Los…
JWW on the Hill: New Congress, new opportunities
While in Washington, D.C. for the Lemkin Summit, I had the opportunity to meet with several members of Congress and/or their staff to discuss…
The L.A. Walk to End Genocide is THIS SUNDAY!
The Walk to End Genocide is a community event that brings together activists of all ages and backgrounds to rise up in one united…
Lemkin Summit Day 2: DRC locals play tremendous role in bringing peace – but U.S. engagement vital
The second day of the Lemkin Summit was largely focused on developing advocacy skills, in preparation for meeting with policymakers on the Hill. Because,…
Lemkin Summit Day 1: To stop atrocities – follow the money and see where it goes; PLUS promising indicators in the DRC
I’m currently attending the Lemkin Summit at American University in Washington, D.C., organized by the Enough Project. Saturday was the first day of the…
Women, children at highest risk with U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria
In the last week alone, more than 10,000 Syrian civilians have fled the fighting in the ISIS-held areas of Hajin enclave in Deir ez-Zor…
‘We are all Darfur!’: Sudan protests gather momentum, call for Bashir’s resignation
The protests in Sudan have entered their sixth week. Instead of fading into oblivion under the weight of President Al-Bashir’s iron-fisted response, they have…
Congo’s election drama: African leaders take a stand
Things were not looking good for the future of democracy in Congo yesterday, after African Heads of State convened at a summit in Addis…
Trump signs Elie Wiesel Act into law
U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law vital bipartisan legislation named for the late Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, the White House announced…
Sudan protests: Calls for bread evolve into civil rights revolution, reach Darfur
Sudan has been roiled by protests and concomitant violence since mid-December. What began as popular disapproval over steep hikes in bread prices, which tripled…
Congo has a new president: Will Tshisekedi bring much needed change or will things stay the same?
At around 3 a.m., Jan. 10, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following numerous delays, Congo’s electoral commission finally declared Felix Tshisekedi the…
Congolese people anxiously await presidential election results
The Congolese people are bracing for the results of the recent presidential election. Following a two-year delay in holding the highly anticipated election to…
Thank you for an impactful year
Dear Friend, In so many ways, we have just closed the book on an extremely difficult year. The Rohingya, Darfuris, Sudanese and South Sudanese, as…
Congo’s elections went ahead, marked by concerns but also courage
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) much-anticipated presidential and parliamentary elections took place on Sunday, December 30th. In the past week alone, the…
As Congo’s elections approach, the country unravels
In the lead up to Sunday’s (re-)scheduled elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), every day brings word of some new large-scale…
Why Rabbi Schulweis (z”l) believed in the mission of Jewish World Watch
At the end of each year, Jewish World Watch invites our board member Malkah Schulweis to share her thoughts. This year, Malkah chose this…
Help us make “Never Again” a reality
When Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis (z”l) and I founded Jewish World Watch nearly 15 years ago, we envisioned a world in which the Jewish community would…
The survival story of Sattar: A Rohingya boy from Myanmar
Sattar, his mother and eight of his siblings fled their homes in Myanmar after uniformed troops attacked their village. Many of their neighbors were killed…
The lifesaving impact of knowledge
At Jewish World Watch, we understand that building a community of people who do not stand idly by begins at home. Our network of…
Ceasefire called for in Yemen
Following months of deadly battles, the warring parties in Yemen agreed on Dec. 13 to a CEASEFIRE in Hodeidah, the flashpoint port city, which…
Senate passes bipartisan resolution to end military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen
In a historic bipartisan rebuke to the Trump Administration, U.S. Senators passed a bipartisan resolution today to END U.S. SUPPORT for the Saudi-led coalition…
House calls Myanmar military’s actions against Rohingya genocide
The House of Representatives declared Rohingya crisis in Burma/Myanmar a genocide. What we’ve been calling genocide for months has finally been recognized as such by…
Elie Wiesel Act passes unanimously in the Senate
The Senate, by unanimous consent, on Wednesday, Dec. 12, passed the ELIE WIESEL GENOCIDE AND ATROCITY PREVENTION ACT (GAPA), finally completing its passage in both chambers! This has…
Big gains: Elie Wiesel act passes, calling out Rohingya genocide, ceasefire in Yemen
The United States Congress may be lame-duck when it comes to other issues, but a bipartisan group is aggressively pushing forward genocide and atrocity-prevention…
Advocating for those without a voice
Advocacy, designed to create change, is an essential component of Jewish World Watch’s work. By joining your fellow JWW Upstanders, you spoke out with…
Genocide Convention 70 years later: Vision lives on despite setbacks
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Genocide Convention. Catalyzed by the “never again” sentiment pervading the aftermath of World War II, the Convention…
Rohingya repatriation: stop everything until big changes are made
After Bangladesh and Myanmar officials met in Dhaka in late October, they announced that they had developed a concrete plan to begin repatriation in…
Why the U.S. should label Myanmar military’s actions genocide
Although a genocide designation shouldn’t matter, since a country’s responsibilities to protect innocent civilians should be triggered whenever and wherever mass atrocities are under…
U.S. Holocaust Museum, State Dept. contractor join Jewish World Watch in calling Rohingya crisis genocide
Jewish World Watch was one of the first organizations to officially call the Tatmadaw’s (Burmese military) persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority a de jure…
Another advocacy victory: Iraq and Syria Act passes both chambers
[UPDATE: Dec. 12, 2018] President Donald Trump signed legislation on Tuesday to help ensure humanitarian relief reaches the members of religious and ethnic minorities in…
Jewish World Watch applauds the passing of DR Congo bill in U.S. House of Representatives
The House of Representatives passed the “Democratic Republic of the Congo Democracy and Accountability Act of 2018” (H.R. 6207) on Nov. 27. Jewish World…
Senate vote on Yemen a step in the right direction
Big news for Yemen — finally, Congress has stepped up to the plate and managed to get the ball rolling on ending the Administration’s…
In Darfur, refugee returns are involuntary, poorly planned and potentially dangerous
In my last update on Darfur, I expressed skepticism regarding the United Nations’ assessment that the situation in Sudan had significantly improved. I detailed…
The Killings in Beni: Who’s really behind the atrocities?
I mentioned in my last piece on the “mega-crisis” rocking the Congo that sources familiar with the situation on the ground in North Kivu’s…
Congo: Breaking the cycle of conflict
Jewish World Watch (JWW) supports multiple programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including educational initiatives, mass information campaigns around gender-based violence,…
Cameroon in crisis: Kidnapped children and the Anglophone / Francophone divide
UPDATE — Nov. 7, 2018: The student captives have been released after being held hostage for about two days. More than 70 students were…
Yemen: ‘I feel my friend’s pain and my pain. I don’t feel anything else’
“I feel my friend’s pain and my pain. I don’t feel anything else.” These are the words of 12 year Yemeni boy Khaled, one…
Tree of Life Synagogue: Atrocity at Home
By now, most Americans have heard about the massacre of 11 Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh this past Saturday. Jewish…
Sharing the Tree of Life Synagogue’s pain
We are all connected, and our hearts are broken. As the tragic news poured out of Pittsburgh on Saturday morning, many Jews in Los…
The Japanese man who saved 6,000 Jews with his handwriting
Sermon by Rabbi David Wolpe: “Even a hunter cannot kill a bird that flies to him for refuge.” This Samurai maxim inspired one gifted…
Excerpted from “To Be A Jew Today”: A sermon by Rabbi Paul Kipnes
To be a Jew is to wonder where God is when bad things happen to good people, and, where God was when bad things…
Benny Signer: Excerpts from his Lech Lecha Bar Mitzvah speech
Lech Lecha is the story of the start of the Jewish people. In this parasha, God tells Avram, or as we will come to…
National Refugee Shabbat: Sermon spotlights
Jewish World Watch has collected sermon excerpts from rabbis throughout Los Angeles in honor of National Refugee Shabbat. We also received a wonderful excerpt…
South Sudan today: An update on world’s youngest country
South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, made up of 10 states, and home to over 60 different major ethnic groups. Salva Kiir Mayardit…
New Challenges to Justice: Genocide in the 21st Century event
Last week, Jewish World Watch (JWW) co-sponsored a conference at Loyola Law School called “New Challenges to Justice: Genocide in the 21st Century.” The…
Congo still needs our attention: Rays of hope amidst mounting chaos
Sometimes it seems as though the world has almost given up on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). After decades of conflict, many…
The Darfur genocide 15 years on: What has changed?
Jewish World Watch (JWW) came into being as a response to the Darfur genocide. The Darfuris remain a vital cornerstone of our work. We…
Dr. Denis Mukwege, longtime JWW grant recipient, wins Nobel Peace Prize
Since our first visit with Dr. Denis Mukwege, who has just been named the 2018 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, JWW has met…
Genocide advocacy: 6 vital steps to help the Rohingya
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the Convention on Myanmar’s Ongoing Genocide, organized by Jewish World Watch’s long-time partner, the Burmese American…
Yemen on the brink: The U.S. must stop facilitating potential war crimes
The bodies of two children, a two-year old boy and a newborn girl, were dug up Sept. 16 from under the rubble left in…
The value of your gift: A Yom Kippur message from our Executive Director
The holiday of Yom Kippur offers a time for reflection, a time to see ourselves as inextricable from a larger community, sharing responsibility not…
Corruption investigation results in debarment of several Syria-related aid workers
Our small, extraordinarily efficient partners bringing hospital supplies into Syria are likely your best option for getting aid directly where you want it to…
Genocide, jailed journalists and the ICC ruling: Time for U.S. to ramp up pressure on Myanmar
Myanmar, also known as Burma, continues to make international headlines … and not in a good way. Almost daily, there are developments that confirm…
Noura Hussein’s life is in danger again
Jewish World Watch received upsetting news last week that Noura Hussein is in trouble once again. Her execution is not off the table, after…
U.N. calls Myanmar military’s attack of Rohingya ‘genocide’
It’s been an important few days for the Rohingya Muslim minority of Myanmar’s Rakhine state. Aug. 25 marked the first anniversary of the Myanmar…
Why the Rohingya crisis is a genocide
Aug. 25 marks the one-year anniversary of the start of the Myanmar (also known as Burma) military’s “clearance operations” against the Rohingya population in…
The Trump Administration’s support for religious freedom: Too good to be true?
When news of the Trump administration’s new Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response Program was announced in late July by Vice President Pence, it sounded…
Congo’s democracy remains in the balance
by Susan Freudenheim, executive director, and Ann Strimov Durbin, director of advocacy and grantmaking Tear gas fired into maternity wards. Pro-democracy protesters arrested, tortured, wounded, some even…
Yemen: The time to act is now
Scores of innocent children died last Thursday in a senseless attack on a school bus in Yemen. On August 9, an airstrike by the…
Ex-diplomats warn Pompeo against cutting U.S. refugee bureau
Thirty-two former U.S. diplomats and 11 aid groups penned a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on July 23, urging him not to…
Jump-4-Syrian-Children
Can jumping rope help survivors of genocide and mass atrocities? It can when the Hirschhorn sisters get involved! Following in the footsteps of her…
Words Cannot Do Justice
On Tuesday, May 8, Jewish World Watch (JWW) celebrated its 14th year by honoring Ben Reznik as the 2018 Global Soul award recipient, recognizing…
(Some) Darfuris Return Home
“Just as my dreams have come true in coming [to the Iridimi refugee camp in Chad] to see this [Solar Cooker] project to fruition,…
On Yom HaShoah, we remember with resolve
Today, on Yom HaShoah, we remember the 6 million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust – simply because they were Jews. It was then…
Meet Amani Matabaro Tom: JWW’s field rep in the Congo
Jewish World Watch’s field representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Amani Matabaro Tom, recently visited Los Angeles, where he briefed members…
Milken students educate about JWW, genocide
High school student activists at Milken Community Schools, in partnership with Jewish World Watch, educated their peers and the community about the issues facing…
Act against gender-based violence this Women’s Day
The statistics concerning women and violence are staggering: An estimated one out of every three women in the world will be beaten, coerced into…
Students Tout JWW’s Teen Ambassador Program
Jewish World Watch’s Teen Ambassador Program (TAP) not only can make a difference in how young people view the world; it can change their…
Purim is a Call to Social Justice
As Purim begins tonight, Jews around the world will read the Book of Esther and use a chorus of boos and noisemakers to drown…
We Will Not Forget the Darfuris
Today is the 15th anniversary of the start of conflict in Darfur, the first genocide of the 21st century. The Darfur genocide has caused…
How to Make Every Day a Day of Social Justice
The United Nations has designated Feb. 20 a World Day of Social Justice. Here at Jewish World Watch, we appreciate the recognition of this…
Anti-Genocide Advocates Converge in Washington, D.C., for Lemkin Summit
More than 150 students and adults eager to learn about ongoing mass atrocities and what they can do about them will gather from Feb.…
A Child of the Holocaust’s Call to Action
Harry Davids’ parents were killed at the Sobibor extermination camp when he was just a child, so he knows all too well what happens…
What’s it Like to Be a Refugee?
Imagine that you need to leave your home in a hurry. For many of us, it could be the result of an environmental disaster…
JWW and other Jewish organizations call on Senate to address Rohingya crisis
Today, a broad coalition of organizations from across the Jewish community — including leaders of major organizations and the Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative and Orthodox…
Thank you for a year of commitment!
To all of our supporters and friends: As we begin the work of 2018, we want to first take a moment to thank you…
Demonstrators Protest Rohingya Persecution at Myanmar Consulate
Jewish World Watch staged a public Rally for the Rohingya on Nov. 8 in front of the Myanmar Consulate, decrying “ethnic cleansing” and facing…
Rally for the Rohingya
Background: The Rohingya are a minority ethnic group from Myanmar’s Rakhine State – they are mostly Muslim but there are also some Hindu. The…
South Sudan’s youth: perpetrators or peacebuilders?
Below is an excerpt from an op-ed by Mike Brand just published by IRIN: “There are no opportunities for youth here,” said Yar, a…
The United States has Lifted Sanctions on Sudan
On Friday Oct. 6, the Trump administration decided to lift economic sanctions on the genocidal regime in Sudan citing, “the Government of Sudan’s sustained…
We are better than this
Reflections on the horror at Charlottesville… Until this past weekend, Charlottesville, Va., was best known as the home of the University of Virginia, one…
JWW’s Teen Interns React to Rabbi Schulweis’ Founding Sermon
Our Summer 2017 teen interns, Gianna Barwald (15), and Noah Stark (17), listened to the powerful sermon that called for the creation of Jewish World Watch given…
Sons of Congo: An Extraordinary Program
**JWW’s Director of Advocacy and Programs, Mike Brand, is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) visiting JWW’s partner programs, speaking with civil…
Congo’s Youth are Frustrated, Angry, and Hopeful
I’m back in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) visiting JWW’s partner programs, speaking with civil society leaders on the forefront of the…
Echoes Of The Holocaust In Syria
On Monday, a top official at the United States Department of State announced that the U.S. believes the Syrian regime has “authorized the extrajudicial…
Advocacy Success: Resolution on South Sudan Passes
If you ever wonder whether or not our advocacy makes a difference, here’s your answer: it does! Thanks to the grassroots advocacy done by all of…
A Passover without sustenance in South Sudan
The excerpt below is from a recent Op-Ed piece in the Jewish Journal by Susan Freudenheim: Each year, we gather with family and friends…
Suspending Conflict Minerals Rule Would Be Disastrous
The Guardian reported on Feb. 8 that President Trump is expected to sign a memorandum that would suspend Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act, the…
Remembering History, the Holocaust and the Plight of Refugees
Last Friday, the White House did not mention Jews in its Holocaust Remembrance Day message; it was the first time that the 6 million…
This is what activism looks like
I marched on Saturday with 749,999 of my fellow Angelenos: old and young, different races and genders, some wearing hats, and many carrying signs…
Stand Up For Refugees!
The Trump administration, as one of its first actions, is expected to completely shut our borders to people fleeing mass atrocities and violent conflict. We…
Obama Lifts Sudan Sanctions, JWW Responds
JWW’s Director of Advocacy and Programs Mike Brand wrote in The Hill today about President Obama’s decision to lift sanctions and open up trade with Sudan; a…
A Message from Our New Board Chair, Diana Buckhantz
I have been involved with nonprofits for over 25 years, and while I have had the privilege of working with other organizations that do…
DR Congo Reaches Agreement to End Kabila’s Rule
A deal has been reached in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for President Joseph Kabila to step down from power, paving the…
Taking Stock After Three Years of Conflict in South Sudan
What do South Sudanese See as the Way Forward? It has now been three years since violence first broke out in the world’s newest…
JWW’s Director of Advocacy and Programs speaks to International Business Times about DRC President Kabila
JWW’s Director of Advocacy and Programs Mike Brand speaks out in an interview with the International Business Times UK about how a bad situation in the…
Failed Evacuation of Aleppo Leaves Thousands at Risk
[su_quote]I have said before that we have collectively failed the people of Syria. The Security Council has not exercised its preeminent responsibility with regard…
South Sudan: Will Calling it Genocide Make a Difference?
Last year, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly established December 9th as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime…
Success! Your Advocacy Matters
Great news! Thanks to the work of atrocities prevention advocates like you, Congress is standing up for the Syrian and Congolese people. This week The House…
Working to End Rape by Educating the Men of Congo
There has been much talk of the prevalence of rape culture in the United States during the past year – on college campuses, in…
Post Election: Now more than ever we must work together
Dear Friends of Jewish World Watch, In recent weeks, as I’ve stepped up to take the helm of this amazing organization, I have witnessed…
Risk of Genocide Very Real in South Sudan
The situation in South Sudan is rapidly deteriorating. While mass atrocities in the form of war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly even genocide…
Where would you go? What would you bring?
*Brooke Cichosz, a 2016 Schulweis Fellow contributed to this post. Imagine if you were forced to flee your home. What would you bring? What could…
Peace in Congo remains a long way off
*JWW’s Consultant in the Congo contributed to this post. Democratic Republic of the Congo President Joseph Kabila has intentionally failed to respect his country’s…
RHMS Social Justice Fellows Announced
The Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis Social Justice Fellowship, named to honor JWW’s co-founder, the visionary longtime leader of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, is…
Teen Ambassador Program Launched
In October, JWW launched a new initiative aimed at bringing high school students together from schools throughout L.A. County to develop a cohort of…
A not so temporary sukkah
This week Jews throughout the world will celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, traditionally a time for giving thanks for the bounty of the harvest. …
Take Action to Help End Atrocities in Syria
Since 2011, when the Syrian people peacefully rose up to protest decades of dictatorial leadership by the Assad family, Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, responded…
The Butterfly Effect
It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.…
Happy Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is an ideal time to celebrate change and renewal. Along with holiday wishes, we would like to share some wonderful news of…
JWW Joins with South Sudanese for a Conference on Unity and Peace
This weekend, our Director of Advocacy and Programs, Mike Brand, will be traveling to Washington, DC for the Coalition of Advocates for South Sudan’s…
Conflict Causes Refugees: Invest in Prevention
Refugee Summit Must Address the Cause: Conflict. 65 million people, that’s the population of the United Kingdom. Imagine if the entire population of the…
Sudan’s President Bashir is still a wanted génocidaire and war criminal
When did the world forget that Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir is a wanted génocidaire and war criminal? Between the European Union’s multi-million dollar deal…
JWW Intern Gabby Blum is One Cool Kid!
One of the great pleasures of my job is that I get to work with so many incredible people. Through the Walk to End…
World Humanitarian Day – Action is Needed in Syria
On World Humanitarian Day, I find myself extremely frustrated with number of seemingly endless atrocities happening around the world. Conflicts are killing individuals, destroying…
Another Kind of ‘Dream Team’ – #TeamRefugees
In the midst of the world’s greatest sporting event is a small group of competitors representing history’s greatest refugee crisis. For the first time…
DRC Continues to Silence Human Rights Monitors
Jewish World Watch is deeply concerned by the latest attempt of President Joseph Kabila to silence any objective research and reporting by human rights defenders. Today,…
The Bare Minimum: Due Diligence Reporting Shouldn’t Be a Question
When discussing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the issue of ‘conflict minerals’ is almost always a part of the conversation.…
2016 Summer Advocacy Training & Meetings
It’s that time of year again. The August Congressional recess is rapidly approaching, which means your Representatives will be home in their district offices.…
The Necessity of Teen Engagement
**This Blog post was written by our two summer Federation Interns: Gabby Blum and Emma Aaronson** Gabby: As a Jewish child I was…
Renewed Violence in South Sudan: New Leadership Necessary for Peace
Last weekend, heavy fighting broke out between government and opposition soldiers in Juba, South Sudan, killing approximately 300 and displacing thousands. It has been…
Remembering Elie Wiesel
This weekend we lost a giant. Elie Wiesel passed away at the age of 87. The Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner may…
Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation: All are Needed in South Sudan
After more than two years of unnecessary war that accomplished nothing—except the destruction of the country—South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and First Vice President…
Congolese Protest Nationwide Against Kabila’s Third Term
* A special report from our consultant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo * Eastern Congo May 26 – Masses of demonstrators, mainly made up of civil society…
Bashir’s Continued Impunity: What it means for international justice
Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir, recently traveled to two nearby African nations and faced no consequences, despite the fact that he is wanted by the…
2016 Walk to End Genocide News Coverage
The 2016 Walk to End Genocide was a great success in all its locations this year, and in Los Angeles it garnered coverage from…
DRC‘s 2016 Elections: Expectations From the People On-the-Ground
*A post from our consultant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. * This year, all eyes are on the Democratic Republic of the…
120 Members of Congress Ask Obama to Keep Sudan a Priority
Today, 120 members of Congress called on President Obama to make Sudan a foreign policy priority, hold Sudanese leaders accountable, and protect civilians from…
Fighting Back Against Genocide Denial
Last month, during Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month, and the 101st commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, the Wall Street Journal ran a full-page ad for…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Yazidis
The Yazidis are a Kurdish-speaking ethnic and religious minority living primarily in northern Iraq. Sunni Jihadists and the Islamic State in particular, regard the…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: #DearNextPresident
Presidential election years are a great opportunity for advocates to shape candidates’ positions on various issues. Social media platforms have proven to be effective…
Organizational Statement on South Sudan
Today, Jewish World Watch joined 11 organizations, including InterAction an alliance of over 180 nongovernmental organizations operating around the world, to issue a statement…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Armenian Genocide
In 1913, the ultra-nationalist Young-Turks took political control of the Ottoman Empire, now Turkey. The group sought to develop a unified empire with one…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Bosnian War and Srebrenica Genocide
In March 1992, the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina declared independence from The Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. The event followed a series of incidents that…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been plagued by violence, corruption, and poor governance for decades. Since the Second Congo War in…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Cambodian Genocide
On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of Pol Pot, took control of Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. Over…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: South Sudan
In 2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) ended Sudan’s decades-long civil war and provided the southerners an option to vote to secede from Sudan.…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: Sudan
Sudan has undergone two civil wars spanning decades, resulting in an estimated 2 million deaths and 3.1 million displaced. In 2003, rebels from the…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Rwandan Genocide
Today we mark the 22nd anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. April 6, 1994 began 100 days of horrific violence and slaughter that would leave…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016: The Holocaust
The Holocaust refers to the systematic persecution and murder of about six million Jews during World War II by the Nazi regime and its…
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month 2016
April 1st is the first day of Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month, a month of remembrance, reflection, and action. The anniversaries of several genocides take…
Students Call on Secretary Kerry to Address Rights Abuses in DRC
Twenty five student leaders from universities across the United States call on Secretary Kerry to send a clear message to President Kabila of the…
Happy International Women’s Day!
As we take the day to celebrate the achievements of women around the world and appreciate the significant roles of women globally, we must…
An Anniversary We Don’t Want to Celebrate
Today marks the 7th anniversary of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes and…
Darfur Genocide
The ongoing genocide in Darfur has multiple interwoven causes. While rooted in structural inequity between the center of the country around the Nile and…
The Lemkin Summit: A Weekend of Learning and Action
From January 30-February 1, over 150 passionate activists from across the country, of various ages and backgrounds, gathered to attend the Lemkin Summit to…
The Lemkin Summit to End Genocide and Mass Atrocities
Once again, JWW is co-hosting a conference and advocacy day in Washington, D.C. Activists from across the nation will come together to learn about…
Burundi: As Conflict Continues the World Tries to Determine What to Do
Burundi has been experiencing waves of protests, targeted killings, mass violence, and displacement since the lead up to controversial elections in July, 2015 in…
Katzburg Gabriel Family Receives Jewish World Watch Global Soul Award
On Nov. 18th, Jewish World Watch (JWW) will present its Global Soul Award to the four members of the Katzburg Gabriel Family — Stuart…
A Family of Global Souls Reaches Outside the Self to Comfort the Other
Click here to read an article from The UCLA Anderson Blog.
Why We Can’t Turn Our Back on Syria’s Refugees
Janice Kamenir-Reznik and Zev Yaroslavsky write in the Daily News about why the United States cannot shut it’s doors to Syrian refugees. The article is reproduced…
Genocide & Atrocities Prevention – The US Government Can Do More
The Obama Administration has made great progress on prioritizing genocide and mass atrocities prevention in US foreign policy, however more needs to be done.…
Make Your Voice Heard at the Presidential Debates!
The debates throughout the primary and general election season are a huge opportunity for you to make your voice heard and ask the candidates…
eChievement Award: Janice Kamenir-Reznik of JWW
eTown honored JWW President and Co-Founder Janice Kamenir-Reznik with their eCheivement Award in August 2015. Watch the video below.
Thousand Oaks Synagogue Fosters Good Deeds for Mitzvah Day
THOUSAND OAKS, Calfi. – While Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks opened its doors to charitable activities Sunday in observance of National Mitzvah Day,…
Tell President Obama: US Should Take in More Syrian Refugees!
The crisis in Syria and the suffering of the Syrian people shocks the conscience. While the crisis will not be solved tomorrow, the world…
Threats to Peace in South Sudan
Jewish World Watch (JWW) expresses its deep concern and disappointment with President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s recent announcement to divide South Sudan’s current 10 states…
Turning Values into Action in 5776
Each New Year brings new opportunities. I’m proud to say that Jewish World Watch (JWW) has wasted no time in 5776 in turning our…
Kavumu: Terror in the Night
When girls three years old and younger are brutally raped and sometimes left permanently damaged for the rest of their lives, impunity cannot be…
“Congo’s Indiana Jones: Changing Lives, One Child at a Time” by Diana Buckhantz
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern provinces…
“Feeding Minds and Bellies” by Diana Buckhantz
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern…
“Stand Up for Congo” by Diana Buckhantz
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern provinces…
Local Groups Rally Support for Syrian Refugees
With the number of Syrian refugees climbing above 4 million, local Jewish organizations are taking note and reaching out. Jewish World Watch (JWW), whose…
On Syrian Refugee Crisis, Jewish Community Moves From Words to Action
Will Recant pulls both heartstrings and purse strings for a living. As the head of the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, a consortium of…
“A True Hero” by Diana Buckhantz
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern provinces…
“Hope and Despair from Congo’s Leaders of Tomorrow” by Mike Brand
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern…
“I Never Spoke to My Children” by Mike Brand
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern…
“Raise Your Hands Up” by Diana Buckhantz
JWW Board Member Diana Buckhantz and Director of Policy and Programs Mike Brand are traveling in the Democratic of Republic of Congo’s eastern provinces…
Next Steps: Conflict Minerals and Company Disclosures
Today, Amnesty International took an important step in the continued fight for conflict free minerals by filing a petition asking the U.S. Court of…
The Intern Chronicles: “There Are Ways to Help the People in the World that Need It.”
The following blog was written by Lior Azariya , who interned with JWW this past summer. *** I have always been interested in international…
The Intern Chronicles: “I Realized How Much I Learned.”
The following blog was written by Ally Harris, who interned with JWW this past summer and is now joining the 2015-2016 Cohort of Rabbi…
The Intern Chronicles: “I Am Through Shutting My Eyes and Done Closing My Ears.”
The following blog was written by Jake Phillips, who interned with JWW this past summer and is now joining the 2015-2016 Cohort of Rabbi…
A New Teacher in 5776
This past year, my congregation at Valley Beth Shalom — and the greater Jewish community — lost a giant. Rabbi Harold Schulweis z”l, of…
You Can Transform the World.
Featured article: You can transform the world. Click here.
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir travels to China
Sudan’s President Omar al- Bashir, an ICC-indicted génocidaire, is spending four days in China, marking four years since he last traveled there, and indeed,…
South Sudan’s Peace Deal Signed, But More Needs to be Done
Jewish World Watch welcomes the signing of a peace deal that is set to end the violent civil war that has plagued South…
Spotlight on Darfuri Refugees in Chad: Food Crisis
The Situation: Food rations provided to the Darfuris in the refugee camps in Eastern Chad have been severely reduced from the World Food…
eTown Honors JWW President & Co-Founder Janice Kamenir-Reznik with Their eChievement Award
In 2004, Janice Kamenir Reznik was considering retirement from a successful career as an environmental lawyer when just by chance she attended a service…
Saving Lives in South Sudan
Click here to read the article in the New York Times by Janice Kamenir-Reznik, Co-Founder of Jewish World Watch.
Action Alert: Tell your Congressperson to Co-Sponsor South Sudan Legislation
Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL), with the co-sponsorship of the chairs of the Sudan-South Sudan Caucus, Reps. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Barbara Lee…
University Fellow Blog: Jenna Dresner
The second semester proved to be an even greater learning experience than the one that came before it. I learned that just because people…
Independence Day in the World’s Newest Country, A Less Than Joyous Occasion
As South Sudan marks the fourth anniversary of its independence from Sudan, there is not a lot to celebrate. Many in South Sudan, and…
A Way Out of the Crisis in South Sudan
This month, President Obama will make his fourth trip to Africa, visiting Kenya for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and Ethiopia for meetings with Ethiopian…
Jewish World Watch Remembers Sir Nicholas Winton
In a world filled with constant conflict, senseless violence, and seemingly endless suffering, there’s a natural human inclination to feel paralyzed by the enormity…
Joining Jewish World Watch
This month, I became the Executive Director of Jewish World Watch (JWW). For me, assuming this role is an honor, a privilege, and a…
University Fellow Blog: Marnina Wirtschafter
Growing up with a lot of theater and music, I always believed in the power of art and the stories it tells to connect…
University Fellow Blog: Emily Collinson
Washington D.C. Walk to End Genocide It was quite poetic really; a group of diverse individuals gathered in the shadow of the Holocaust Museum…
Sudan’s al-Bashir Escapes Arrest for Genocide
Over the weekend, anti-genocide activists were watching the news with cautious hope and anticipation, thinking one of the most infamous genocidaires of our time…
University Fellow Blog: Vivian Rotenstein
I was a USC Jewish World Watch intern for the spring semester and there were several very memorable & meaningful events I was able…
Tensions are High in Burundi: Why It Matters (Updated)
Update: On May 13, Major General Godefroid Niyombare, along with members of the Burundian army, launched a coup against the Nkurunziza government. While Nkurunziza…
“Filling the Bucket” — Anne Roberts
I came to Congo in July expecting to be depressed and overwhelmed by the immense problems of this country, but decided to focus on…
“Women in Leadership” — Diana Buckhantz
We always talk about the fact that in order to really change attitudes and behavior towards women and to correct gender inequity in Congo,…
“Recommitting” — Vaughan Meyer
It has been an extraordinary experience, after these past few years working in the abstract, to have finally been in Congo, on the…
“Overwhelmed? Not a Chance.” — Michael Jeser
It’s difficult to put into words what these last days have been like, and even more difficult to fully account for my feelings and…
“There is So Much More” — Diana Buckhantz
I am always filled with sadness to leave Congo and our work here. With each trip (four for me now), I feel more and…
“Tears of Hope” — Michael Jeser
An Unexpected Prayer On our last evening on this trip as a group, we joined thousands of Jews worldwide to recite the Shema,…
“Leaving Congo One Day” — Diana Buckhantz
Diana Buckhantz, JWW Board Member, is traveling with four other JWW delegates in Congo’s eastern provinces. They will work with survivors of the country’s…
“A Day Like Today” — Diana Buckhantz
There are days that fill you with hope — with a hope that the world will one day wake up and become accountable for…
“Heroes” — Michael Jeser
It’s not every day that you get to meet a real, living, breathing hero. On this trip, it seems that heroes are everywhere. Whereas…
“Congo’s Resilient Women” — Diana Buckhantz
Resilience has taken on new meaning in Congo. In the U.S., we use the word resilience to describe someone who has made something of…
“It’s No Wonder We’re Inspired” — Vaughan Meyer
Surprisingly, this has been a journey filled with hope and inspiration. I had expected to feel more despair here, surrounded as we are…
“I Must Believe” — Diana Buckhantz
“Sexual violence.” We hear these two words over and over in Congo. They have become a part of the vernacular — and in many…
“Rape is a Men’s Issue, Too” – Michael Jeser
Here in Congo, so many of our discussions have been about the sexual violence affecting women. We have heard heartbreaking stories of horrific violence…
“Jewish in Congo” — by Anne Roberts
Throughout the world, there seems to be an epidemic rise of antisemitism. How extraordinary that in the rural villages of Congo, we are experiencing…
“Ubuntu” — Vaughan Meyer
We started our day with Dr. Mukwege at Panzi Hospital. Dr. Mukwege is an angel on earth, and a hero to thousands of women…
“Into the Mountain” — Diana Buckhantz
For the last several years, we at Jewish World Watch have been educating about and advocating to change the situation in Eastern Congo —…
“Advocating for Their Future” — Vaughan Meyer
JWW Board Member Vaughan Meyer is traveling with four other JWW delegates in Congo’s eastern provinces. They will work with survivors of the country’s…
“Hard Work” — Spencer Neiman
Spencer Neiman, board member of the Dillon Henry Foundation, is traveling with four other JWW delegates in Congo’s eastern provinces. They will work with…
Arriving in Rwanda: Ghosts of a Troubled Past, Working Towards a Better Future
The JWW team traveling to eastern Congo has begun their trip in neighboring Rwanda. It’s an important time to visit the country, which this…
A Family Experience
Spencer Neiman, board member of the Dillon Henry Foundation, and his mother Anne Roberts are joining with three other delegates travelling with JWW to…
“Responsibility” — Vaughan Meyer
My attention is pulled in so many directions every day — to my husband and children, to my ailing mother, to Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq,…
“Nothing Like It”– Michael Jeser
On July 19th, I depart for Congo. It will be my first visit. After serving as Executive Director of Jewish World Watch for a…
“Going Back To Congo” — Diana Buckhantz
I cannot believe that in a few days, I will be leaving on my fourth trip to Congo. I always have mixed feelings at…
“Grateful” –Irvin Kintaudi
I feel blessed and extremely fortunate to have gone through the experience of a lifetime traveling in Central Africa with Jewish World Watch. My…
“Swords to Plowshares” — Terri Smooke
WHY are you going THERE? I traveled to Congo to bear witness. Everyone said I was so brave to go, but I discovered that…
“Raising the Bar” — Ada Horwich
“Congo? Rwanda? Jewish World Watch? Janice, can I go with you?” That’s how it started — helping people and experiencing a great adventure to…
“Shavuot in Congo: In Pursuit of Justice” — Janice Kamenir-Reznik
Photo: One of only three girls who crossed the gender line to join the carpentry program at Laissez l’Afrique Vivre, funded by JWW with…
“Carrying on Dillon’s Mission” — Irvin Kintaudi
The day is May 30th, 2014. As we all approach our fourth day out of our nine day mission, the objectives that we have…
“Counting Our Blessings, With Love From Congo” — Janice Kamenir-Reznik
The problems in Congo are so huge. Until recently, the widespread rape of women occurred in conflict zones. Militiamen used it as a weapon…
“Inspiring Moment of the Day” — Naama Haviv
Inspiring moment for the day: The Dillon Henry Foundation remembers the compassionate spirit of Dillon Henry (z’l), who tragically passed away in a car…
“Bright White Paint, Bright New Future” — Naama Haviv
As we drove up the hill and over the river to Chambucha, we could right away see the Chambucha Rape and Crisis Center with…
“Wasted Lives?” — Janice Kamenir-Reznik
Yesterday, our plane touched down in Rwanda. We will spend some time here before departing for Congo. By all measures, Kigali has undergone a…
“Why We Go” — Janice Kamenir-Reznik
I write this blog from my flight gate, preparing to depart for a fifth trip to Congo. Although I have traveled frequently to the…
“Instrument of Change”–Terri Smooke
Friends and even my family are incredulous. They ask me, “WHY are you going there?” And they ask, “Why are you going THERE?” This…
“Superheroes of Congo” –Naama Haviv
Last October, Dr. Mukwege, one of JWW’s partners and the founder of the world-renowned Panzi Hospital in South Kivu, came for a visit in…
“First Generation” — Irvin Kintaudi
I am ecstatic to be going to Africa with Jewish World Watch as a representative of the Dillon Henry Foundation. My family is from…
“A Much Anticipated Voyage” — Ada Horwich
It’s a few days before I leave for a much anticipated voyage. Although I have experienced a great deal for a West Los Angeles…
Africa… Why Bother?
As the President of Jewish World Watch, I encounter one question, again and again: why do you bother? The question can creep up slowly…
About the Conflict in Central African Republic
Violence has escalated dramatically in CAR since early December. The conflict follows a military coup in March by a union of Muslim rebels called…
About the Conflict in South Sudan
Political tensions have been simmering in South Sudan for months, since President Salva Kiir sacked his Vice President, Riek Machar, and dissolved his cabinet…
Education through Action
“Education through Action” By: Rabbi Chaim Tureff, Rav Beit Sefer Originally appeared in the Pressman Academy Shmoozer, November Edition. In school there are many…
A Weekend with Dr. Mukwege
About Dr. Mukwege The founder and chief medical director of Panzi Hospital in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Mukwege has treated more than…
“Falling in Love” — Diana Buckhantz
I have fallen in love with two men on this trip to Congo. They are two men from very different backgrounds and with different…
Recharging Your Batteries in DRC by Diane Kabat
Electricity is “iffy” in Bukavu. Unexpectedly, power goes off, and you wait patiently for the lights to go on, the fan to start, and…
An Emotional Day by Janice Kamenir-Reznik
Today we visited our Rape and Crisis Center in Chambucha, a remote region of eastern Congo. It was an emotional, inspiring day. It took…
“We Weren’t Expecting This” — Diana Buckhantz
It’s always the children that break me down. I can listen to women tell stories of unspeakable atrocities — incomprehensible brutalization, devastating rapes, terrible…
Loss of Innocence by Diane Kabat
Dr. Murhabazi Namegabe is one of the many heroes in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He does not stand idly by. Singly handedly, he…
Never Underestimate the Power of Bandaids
It took 48 hours to get here, but we have finally arrived in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. JWW partners with various Congolese…
“Rape Crisis in Congo: Impunity for Men Must Stop” — Diana Buckhantz
She was raped by a man claiming to be a pastor. He was newly arrived in her village, so when that she felt she…
Repairing our Broken World: Stories from the Congo
Co-Founder and President Janice Kamenir-Reznik has an article about her latest trip to Congo featured in the Jewish Journal. Here is an excerpt: The…
Not in Kansas Anymore
After 5 days in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, we are now taking the “fast boat” to Goma, at the north end…
Some Final Thoughts…and a Last Word
We have spent a week in Congo and my head is spinning. We visited eleven different programs and met with and talked to hundreds…
Congo is where my heart stays.
These trips fly by for me. It seems like I just get acclimated to the schedule, to the food (or lack thereof), to not…
We All Share Responsibility for the Congo
Ms. Magazine chose to feature an article written by JWW President and Co-Founder Janice Kamenir-Reznik during her current travels in Congo. Find an excerpt…
We All Share Responsibility for the Congo, by Janice Kamenir-Reznik
I have been to the Kivu provinces in eastern Congo many times over the past five years. From outward appearances, it seems that life…
Falling in Love
I have fallen in love with two men on this trip to Congo. They are two men from very different backgrounds and with different…
An emotional day.
Today we visited our Rape and Crisis Center in Chambucha, a remote region of eastern Congo. It was an emotional, inspiring day. …
Talmud teaches us
“When you save one life it is as if you saved the world.” — Talmud, Sanhedrin 37a Each day we journey out early in…
Recharging your batteries in the DRC
Electricity is “iffy” in Bukavu. Unexpectedly, power goes off, and you wait patiently for the lights to go on, the fan to start,…
Loss of Innocence
Jewish World Watch is actively working to develop a partnership with BVES, the organization described below. If you are interested in supporting JWW…
We Weren’t Expecting This
Jewish World Watch is actively working to develop a partnership with BVES, the organization described below. If you are interested in supporting JWW and…
Never underestimate the power of bandaids
It took 48 hours to get here, but we have finally arrived in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. JWW partners with various Congolese…
Conflicted feelings in a conflict zone
Two days into our trip, we finally have internet service. Amazing that in the bustling city of Kigali, Rwanda, we cannot get connected, but…
On Our Way
I am on the first leg of our very long voyage back to Eastern Congo. Another Jewish World Watch board member and dear friend,…
En Route to Congo
Dear JWW Supporters and Activists: As you read this message, JWW Board Members Diana Buckhantz, Diane Kabat and I are en route to…
Chosenness
by Ari Averbach, student of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies We struggle with the idea of “chosenness”. What does it mean that God…
Hope Springs
by Annie Turnbull (Cord Africa Programmes Operations Manager) We arrived in Farchana in Eastern Chad just a couple of days ago to visit projects…
Forward with Intention
It has been a long, exhausting and thought-provoking two days of meetings here in N’djamena. We have been meeting with Cord, our implementing partner…
We have not forgotten.
Janice Kamenir-Reznik December 7, 2012 Today we visited the Farchana refugee camp. The camp is located in the remote and isolated Chadian village of…
Hats off to the Aid Workers
It sounds self-evident and maybe even trite to assert that aid workers are extraordinary human beings, but it is true. Today we spent the…
Rape, Ruin and Silence
by Gregory Metzger One day Dinah, Yaakov’s only daughter, goes out to ‘visit the daughters of the land,’ and is seized and raped by…
Way to Go, California!
The JWW-organized lobby day in support of SB 861 yesterday was a huge success! JWW activists Diana Buckhantz, Joshua Brobrowsky, Beverly Magid and Susan…
Sad news from Bukavu
On Saturday, an oil tanker exploded in Sange, a town just south of Bukavu in the South Kivu province of Eastern Congo. The BBC…
In Every Generation
I returned home less than 40 hours ago. Images of Congo are still fresh in my mind: the children slaving in the Bunia goldmine,…
I Don’t Know if My Eyes are Open or Closed
It is ironic that one week ago I was standing at a gold mine in the very dangerous, remote Orientale Province in the Democratic…
Found In Translation
In the capacity of translator, I happened to be invited by the Jewish World Watch team on mission trip to Congo from 2nd to…
Our “Collective”
Greetings JWW blog readers. My name is Mike Ramsdell. I have had the privilege of capturing this “Congo journey” in still and moving images.…
What I Love and/or Will Miss About Congo
How strange to be out of Congo. As Isaiah, our incredible translator, and I walked across the border he showed me the river that…
Humanity Gives Us No Choice
Ten days ago we arrived in Kigali with trepidation and expectation. It seems like a day or two ago in some ways; yet in…
Teach the Children
Suddenly we are surrounded by a sea of children. As we stand there they begin to form a circle around us and move in…
Congo Curse of Riches
I don’t sleep here, even with sleeping pills. I wake up after a few hours, images of the day racing through my head, trying…
Ready When You Are
We are taken by convoy on an impossible 3 hour drive, high up in the mountains where the Congolese Tutsis control the terrain. The…
The People of Congo Are Its Greatest Resource
Yesterday I felt completely engulfed by sadness. I wrote a blog entry that I will not post with you now, crushed by what I…
Maybe the World Has Not Closed Its Eyes
I thought it couldn’t get worse. Yesterday listening to Renee and Sabine tell the stories of their rapes I felt my heart begin to…
Women of Valor
I have been thinking during the last four days about the definition of a woman of valor, something we talk about in our Jewish…
I Think We Can Do This
When your translator is in tears, you know you’re in trouble. This morning we met with two women, both of them survivors of rape.…
Renee’s Face
As she entered the room, my eyes froze on her scarred and disfigured face. Skin melted like a plastic mask. I winced and a…
If Only We Knew the Answer
I was haunted by their faces. Renee with deep scars carved into what was once a beautiful face, eyes with a depth of sorrow…
I Don’t Want to Reflect . . . I Want to Act
Yesterday, at the Goma border crossing, a local Congolese official told our translator that she wanted to go through our luggage. We knew it…
Mama Francine
For nine years Mama Francine (for her safety I cannot reveal her true name) has lived in the safe house in a remote and…
The Flip of a Coin
Congo is unlike anything I have experienced. I can barely process what I have seen and heard today. The poverty and desolation are unimaginable.…
A Stark Contrast
Yesterday we drove east from Kigali to visit the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village, an extraordinary program established by Jewish philanthropist Ann Heyman as a…
A Cause for Hope?
As we drive through plush verdant fields and towering mountains on our way to Kigali and the Congo border, we pass men, women and…
Ingrid
I met Ingrid in person in April, 2007 when she came to California for her admissions interview at Stanford University. At the time, Ingrid…
It’s Not Academic Anymore
I knew I shouldn’t have gone into the room about children long before I stepped inside. It’s the last room of the Kigali Genocide…
Half a World Away or: Reconciling the Rage and Learning to Live with the Pain
It took us 30 hours from the time we departed from Los Angeles to when we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda. We spent the evening…
Naama Speaks with Fight on for Darfur
Naama Haviv will share stories from her mission to DRC with the actist student from USC’s Fight on For Darfur. When: 7:30pm Where: USC…
Naama’s First Public Debriefing after Congo
JWW Assistant Director Naama Haviv will speak about her recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo at Temple Ahavat Torah. This will be…
How blessed are we, that we have the awareness and the capacity to do what we are about to do.
In just a few hours our small group representing Jewish World Watch leaves for the Eastern Congo. Every day for the last week, my…
First Post
By all accounts I shouldn’t be making this trip. My mother keeps tracking me down to tell me that she is “opposed” to it,…
First Post
This will be my sixth trip to the continent of Africa over the past thirty five years. I am very excited to make this…
Diana Buckhantz
I am a public relations consultant and as such I am always the one pitching the story. I am much more comfortable to stand…
Re-entry
After three days of travel within Chad, some of which got a bit dicey, we finally boarded the Air France plane which would take…
Day 8: Boundless Capacity
Today we had the most intense experience we have had to date. We went to the Touloum refugee camp to see the expansion of…
Day 8: Today, We Cried
Man’s inhumanity to man is limited only by the creativity of his cruelty. Today we cried. We have sat with small and large groups…
Day 7: I’m Convinced
This was our last day in the Iridimi refugee camp ALREADY. Clearly it is not enough time to develop real relationships with the people…
Day 7: Bearing Witness
Bearing Witness What does it really mean to bear witness? Having been here in the Iridimi refugee camp now for several days, it seems…
Day 6: Look What You’ve Done!
My thoughts today are focused on Janice and Rachel. Today was our second day visiting the Iridimi refugee camp in eastern Chad. Refugee camp!…
Day 6: When there are Laughs
My friend Monica wrote me a sweet note before I left. In it, she said to think of her “when there are laughs, and…
Day 6: The Similarities are More Glaring than the Differences
Today we continued with the evaluations of the Solar Cooker Project inside the Iridimi camp. At the end of each 30-minute interview related to…
Day 5: Dignity and Kindness
Today we visited the Iridimi refugee camp, where our Solar Cooker Project was launched 18 months ago. The sense of being, literally, a world…
Day 5: Iridimi Camp — An Incredible Day
What an incredible day! A UN convoy escorted us to the refugee camp today – finally! (Picture this: a truckload of armed guards in…
Arriving in Iriba
Today we arrived in Iriba. Having “slept” last night in Abeche, we woke early to catch the UN flight to Iriba. The 12-seater plane…
Day 4: Abeche, Iriba and Happy Accidents
It’s hard to believe it, but today, 4 days after leaving Los Angeles, we finally arrived at our destination – Iriba. The town is…
Day 3: Waiting
Waiting…waiting…waiting. It seems like 90% of the time we have spent since arriving in Chad has been spent waiting. In the first 24 hours…
Day 3: I’ll never be the same
The most common comment I heard before we left LA was, “You’ll never be the same. This experience will change your life forever.” At…
Day 2: In N’Djamena — Life Here is Incomprehensible
I’ve driven my children down Skid Row at dusk so they can see the reality of life in Los Angeles for people not as…
Day 1: Arrival in Chad
Hello JWW Friends, It’s Sunday evening and we have just arrived in N’Djamena, Chad! The almost 24 hours of flights went fine and we…
How will I go? How will I return?
How do you reassure your 7 year old that you WILL be safe, that you WILL return and that it’s not SCARY to go…
Anxious
I was thinking today that exactly thirty years ago this week my husband and I, as young twenty-somethings, stood in a passport control and…