Press Releases

Statement of Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), on the Tragedy in Pittsburgh

The AJWS family mourns the tragic loss of life at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. This was the deadliest attacks on Jews in American history, rooted in virulent anti-Semitism and unvarnished hatred of immigrants and refugees. We hold the Jewish community of Pittsburgh in our hearts—mourning the dead and sending our hopes for recovery to the wounded and the traumatized. We shall never forget or forgive this crime.

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Statement by Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service on Proposed Anti-Trans Policy

As the leading Jewish global human rights organization that supports and works with 34 organizations in eight countries to advance the full human rights and dignity of trans people worldwide, we express our complete opposition to this heartless policy which would end the legal recognition of transgender Americans by the U.S. government. Moreover, we are gravely concerned that this policy will undermine U.S. government programs that support transgender communities worldwide and will signal to repressive governments around the globe that they are free to violate the human rights of trans people in their own countries.

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Statement of Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service, in response to the United States Department of State’s Documentation of Atrocities in Northern Rakhine State

More than a year after horrific and violent attacks by the Burmese military began on the Rohingya people, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is gravely disappointed that the U.S. State Department failed to name the international crimes committed against the Rohingya people as the heinous acts that they are—genocide or crimes against humanity.

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American Jewish World Service Urges Action on Guatemala

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales recently announced that he will not renew the mandate of a powerful UN-backed commission set up to combat corruption in the country, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) – a body that is currently investigating President Morales for alleged illegal campaign financing. In response, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) President and CEO Robert Bank issued the following statement:

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AJWS Endorses UN Report on Crimes against the Rohingya

Global Jewish human rights group endorses call for accountability from UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar NEW YORK, NY – “In a welcome move, today’s report by the UN Fact-Finding Mission calls for Burma’s military leaders to be investigated for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against the Rohingya community, and to …

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AJWS Responds to New U.S. Sanctions on Burmese Military

“As the leading global Jewish human rights organization, which has been supporting advocates for the human rights of ethnic minorities in Burma since 2002, AJWS welcomes the U.S. Government’s announcement today that it is imposing sanctions and visa restrictions on Burmese military leaders and divisions responsible for horrific violence against the Rohingya people in Burma,” said Robert Bank, President and CEO of AJWS.

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American Jewish World Service Names 2018-2019 Global Justice Fellows

15 rabbis have been named as 2018-2019 Global Justice Fellows with American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish organization working to promote human rights and end poverty in the developing world. AJWS announced the selection today of 15 Jewish leaders from across the United States who will participate in this prestigious program.

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American Jewish World Service Condemns U.S. Supreme Court Decision to Uphold Anti-Muslim Travel Ban

American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish organization working to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world, strongly condemns the decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold the Trump administration’s “travel ban,” which blocks entry to the United States of individuals from five Muslim-majority countries and two others. Over 33 years, AJWS has worked with Muslim partners worldwide to pursue goals we share in common—advancing human rights and ending poverty.

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AJWS Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council

We are dismayed by the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw the United States from the UN Human Rights Council—the global body tasked with promoting and protecting human rights across the world. Although the council is imperfect, it has successfully moved the needle towards justice on critical human rights issues, including gender equality, respecting the rights of LGBTI people, preventing destructive mining and resource exploitation, and creating accountability after conflicts and wars.

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AJWS Calls on Senators to Reject Mike Pompeo Nomination for Secretary of State

In advance of Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Robert Bank, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish organization working to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world, issued the following statement.

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