1. The recent floods in Thailand have been the worst the country has experienced in seven decades. The floods have claimed over 600 lives since July when the water began traveling from the north of the country, submerging agricultural and industrial areas before drowning Bangkok in October. Damages have been estimated to reach 300 billion …
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Following on the heels of the Akeidah, the near-sacrifice of Isaac, Parshat Chayei Sarah (“Sarah’s Life”), opens by immediately announcing her death. Although a connection to the previous narrative is not explicit, many commentators link Sarah’s sudden passing to the Akeidah, imagining that the emotional shock of hearing the news literally kills her. Rashi expands …
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Originally posted on the Global Circle blog. This Sunday, November 6th, 10 runners from the inaugural AJWS Marathon team will embark on a journey that will test not only their physical but mental strength as well: The ING NYC Marathon. For the past five months, these ten runners have endured countless miles, consumed countless packets …
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Educational Program Encourages Discussion and Action to End Food Crisis New York, NY; October 31, 2011—American Jewish World Service (AJWS), an international development and human rights organization, has enlisted over 100 synagogues, 20 college groups and dozens of homes across the U.S. to participate in its 2nd annual Global Hunger Shabbat on November 4-5. A …
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Originally posted on Jewcy.com What’s not to love about Shabbat? It happens every week, there’s not a super-sad story attached and it often involves food. Some say you just need candles, wine and bread and you’ve got Shabbat. Heschel’s book The Sabbath, is the only Jewish book I continually reference. It’s the way that Heschel describes Shabbat, the …
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Originally posted on Pursue: Action for a Just World This Food Day, we have a chance to ask the big question about hunger: why does it still exist? Does it occur: Because there is not enough food for everyone? Because of climate change? Because of insufficient infrastructure? The simple answer is that none of these is …
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Looking ahead to the 2012 Farm Bill, new campaign will mobilize American Jewish community to change U.S. food aid policy New York, NY; October 17, 2011—Building on its legacy of advancing global justice, American Jewish World Service (AJWS), an international development and human rights organization, unveiled its new Reverse Hunger campaign today. The campaign seeks …
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Liberia is in the public spotlight. Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian women’s peace activist and the director of an AJWS grantee organization, along with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, both won the Nobel Peace Prize. We have much to celebrate. But there is still much work to be done. On October 11th, Liberians went to the …
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Elections continue to be an expected trigger of violence on the African continent. They led to serious disputes and deadly crimes in countries such as Kenya and recently in Cote d’Ivoire. Liberia (where AJWS will be hosting a Study Tour in March 2012—join us!), is preparing to hold its second ever presidential and legislative elections …
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Why does Rosh Hashanah precede Yom Kippur? No sooner do we mark the New Year than we begin repenting for our sins. Surely the logical sequence would be the reverse: we should repent and then usher in the New Year with a clean slate. Rosh Hashanah is a day we celebrate the world. We appreciate …
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