Jewish World Watch (JWW) was founded in 2004 after a sermon by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis of Valley Beth Shalom challenged the Jewish people to respond to mass killings in Darfur, Sudan and honor the promise made following the Holocaust -- that "Never Again" would we be silent in the face of genocide. JWW engages member synagogues, schools, and the community in education, advocacy, and refugee relief to combat genocide and other egregious violations of human rights around the world. As global crises emerge, JWW acts as a call to conscience to respond to human rights abuses wherever and whenever they occur.

Jewish World Watch is expanding its capacity to educate the Los Angeles Jewish community on how to help stop the genocide and improve human conditions in Darfur through a variety of activities. Specifically, JWW is increasing the number of synagogue members; establishing guidelines for collaborations with non-synagogue organizations; conducting outreach to form partnerships; presenting at human rights conferences; implementing standardized procedures for selecting humanitarian relief programs to fund; and distributing a toolkit to re-create successful programs.

The generosity of the Jewish Community Foundation to Jewish World Watch makes a powerful statement on behalf of the entire LA Jewish community. We have a responsibility as Jews never to stand idly by as innocents are slaughtered.

 

Eli Herscher, Rabbi, Stephen S. Wise Temple