On Tuesday, June 26th, the United Nations Human Rights Council assembled its first panel on women human rights defenders (WHRDs) as part of its annual consultation on women’s human rights. The panel reviewed the current context for women human rights defenders and presented recommendations to the UN and member states on pursuing gender-specific programs for …
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As the Israelites wind down their adventures in the desert and prepare to enter the Promised Land as a free generation, they must again confront their faith in God’s ability to protect and provide for them. At the heart of Parshat Chukat is the puzzling episode of Moses and the rock that yields water. Through Moses and …
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During Pride Month, many countries around the world have been celebrating progress, equality and human rights gains for LGBT people. But in Sri Lanka, we are fighting to simply survive. Since 1886, LGBT people in Sri Lanka have suffered tremendous bigotry and oppression. The criminalization of same-sex relationships along with cultural and social stigmas means …
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When it comes to high drama, it’s hard to beat Parshat Korach. When Moses’s first cousin, Korach, challenges the leader’s authority, Moses retorts by suggesting a “spirituality duel” of sorts, charging Korach and his band to return the next morning so each party can present offerings to God. Korach’s offerings are rejected, and God renders …
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New York, NY; June 19, 2012—American Jewish World Service (AJWS), an international development and human rights organization, has received a $300,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to improve economic security and civic engagement in the Central and Southwest regions of Haiti. The three-year grant, covering June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2015, will provide …
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Originally published on the blog of Pursue: Action for a Just World. On June 20, Pursuers will join AJWS and Global Circle to see the winning entries from the Where Do You Give? National Design Competition and engage with innovative speakers about giving in the 21st century. As a preview to the event, we asked speaker …
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Coalition pushes for anti-hunger and sustainable agricultural policies in the United States and abroad WASHINGTON, D.C.; June 14, 2012—Today, seven national Jewish groups delivered a petition with more than 18,000 signatures to House Leadership and the Obama Administration demanding a focus on food justice in the next Farm Bill. The signatures represent a Jewish communal …
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Intergenerational Tour Will Include Visits with Nobel Peace Prize Winners New York, NY; June 13, 2012—American Jewish World Service (AJWS), an international development and human rights organization, will lead an intergenerational trip to Liberia from June 17-24. The study tour, headed by AJWS president Ruth Messinger, with special guest and distinguished Jewish feminist and author, …
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When God tells Moses in Parshat Shlach, “Send for yourself men to spy out the land of Canaan,” it sounds like the start of an exciting adventure. But what seems exhilarating soon becomes chilling—then downright devastating. Of the 12 men who are sent to scout the land, 10 return with a negative report: The people are …
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Originally posted on the Global Circle blog. We know there just aren’t enough gallery openings in NYC these days, which is why we’re hosting one just for you. Earlier this year AJWS launched the Where Do you Give? National Design Competition, challenging artists to create new vehicles for giving tzedakah that reflect our increasingly interconnected, global …
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