Two weeks ago I was honored to join Jewish World Watch as its Executive Director. I was immediately welcomed by a team of people serving our organization on staff and our board to ensure that people facing genocide and mass atrocities are not forgotten.
For the past 16 years, you have helped house displaced Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar, supported schools and organizations like ABFEC/ Action Kivu which enables war-affected, impoverished children from villages in the South Kivu Province to receive an education in the DRC, provided emergency medical supplies in Syria and provided kidnapped young girls in danger of becoming “bush wives” find psychosocial support, medical care, and education at the BVES Girls Center. Together we’ve helped provide relief and resources while empowering and enabling organizations on-the-ground to treat those brutalized by conflict and helping to amplify voices to change policy and conditions for survivors.
When COVID-19 struck, you stepped up. The schools we helped build and the hospitals we supported over the years have transformed into the only places where people can gain access to water, food and protective gear. We’ve launched a marketplace where you can support the delivery of facemasks and food directly to communities.
Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to spread, which means that our brothers and sisters in Chad, South Sudan, Myanmar, Syria and many of the other places we serve are even more at risk of the consequences of genocide and mass atrocities. With everything going on in our front yard, it’s easy to feel inundated. But we cannot lose sight of the nearly 1 million displaced Rohingya and millions of Uyghur people being interned, “re-educated,” sterilized and tortured.
Today, on National Nonprofit Day, I’m hoping that you’ll dig deep. Today, amid uncertainty in the world, let’s raise our voices and unequivocally unite to step outside ourselves, across boundaries and barriers and refuse to stand idly by as destructive forces ravage communities around the world. Please give now to Jewish World Watch.
In the months ahead, I’ll be reaching out to you to learn about all of the ways our work has impacted you and how we can continue to grow together. I look forward to continuing our shared mission together.
Very truly yours,
Serena Oberstein
Executive Director