Press Releases

May 5, 2015

Media Advisory: New US Special Envoy for LGBT Persons will join Ugandan Human Rights Advocate to Speak at National Policy Summit for American Jewish World Service

Washington, D.C. – Randy Berry, newly appointed as the first ever U.S. State Dept. Special Envoy for the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons, will speak at the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) Policy Summit on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, in Washington, D.C. Berry will be joined by Dr. Hilda Tadria, founder and current executive director of the Mentoring and Empowerment Program for Young Women (MEMPROW).

April 25, 2015

American Jewish World Service Launches Disaster Donation Drive for Nepal and India

New York, NY – In the wake of the devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal, India and Bangladesh today, American Jewish World Service (AJWS) has launched a disaster donation drive to raise and distribute aid through an Earthquake Emergency Relief Fund to organizations in hard hit areas of Nepal and India.

April 20, 2015

American Jewish World Service Names Rona Peligal Vice President for Development

New York, NY – American Jewish World Service (AJWS) has appointed Rona Peligal, Ph.D., an expert in both human rights and fundraising, as its Vice President for Development, effective immediately. Peligal comes to AJWS, the leading Jewish international human rights and development organization, from Human Rights Watch (HRW) …

April 9, 2015

AJWS calls on President Obama to urge Dominican Republic’s President Danilo Medina to restore the rights of more than 200,000 Dominican-born people of Haitian descent stripped of their citizenship

New York, NY – Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service, issued a statement in advance of President Barack Obama’s visit to the Summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama.

April 9, 2015

American Jewish World Service joins the World Bank and more than 30 faith-based organizations to end extreme poverty by 2030

New York, NY – American Jewish World Service (AJWS) announced today it is joining the World Bank Group and leaders from more than 30 faith-based organizations to launch a major global campaign, #faith2endpoverty. The initiative was officially launched at a teleconference media briefing on Thursday, April 9. AJWS, which works to end poverty and realize human rights in the developing world, is the leading Jewish international development and human rights organization.

March 21, 2015

AJWS Calls on First Lady to Highlight Violence Against Women and Girls While Visiting Cambodia

New York, NY – Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish international development and human rights organization, issued the following statement in advance of First Lady Michelle Obama’s visit to Cambodia: “I commend First Lady Michelle Obama for her historic trip to Cambodia this week to promote the Administration’s ’Let …

March 18, 2015

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Offers Feminist Reading for Passover

New York, NY – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of three women currently sitting on the United States Supreme Court, has co-authored a feminist reading for the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins at sundown on Friday, April 3, 2015.

March 11, 2015

American Jewish World Service Applauds Bipartisan Reintroduction of the International Violence Against Women Act in Congress

Washington, D.C. – Congress must act swiftly to stop the intensifying worldwide wave of violence against women and girls, including the targeting of women and girls by ISIS and Boko Haram and escalating sexual violence in India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries.

February 23, 2015

AJWS Applauds Historic State Department Appointment of Randy Berry as America’s First Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons

Washington, D.C. – American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish international development and human rights organization, applauds U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for making history by appointing veteran diplomat Randy Berry as the first Special Envoy for the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons.

February 3, 2015

Mexico Should Continue Investigation Into Disappearance, Possible Murder of 43 Student Activists

New York, NY – American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading international Jewish human rights organization and a funder of 26 human rights organizations in Mexico, today issued a strong demand for Mexican authorities to resume their investigation into the disappearance and possible murder of 43 student activists, who went missing in Iguala, Guerrero State, in September 2014 on their way to a protest against government violence.