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AJWS Receives Major Grant to Support LGBT Communities in Africa, Asia and Central America

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September 8, 2015

American Jewish World Service Proud to Stand with Pope Francis in Struggle against Poverty and Oppression Worldwide

Leading Jewish international human rights organization lauds Pope Francis’ commitment to human dignity and call for global justice New York, NY – As Pope Francis visits the United States this week, Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service (AJWS) issued the following statement: Statement of Ruth Messinger, President of AJWS “As Jews who are committed to pursuing justice for the …

July 31, 2015 by AJWS Staff

Reflections on President Obama’s visit to Kenya

by Gitahi Githuku and Caroline Kouassiaman For over a month prior to President Obama’s visit to Kenya, “POTUS” was the hot topic of conversation, as much of the country was captivated by Obama’s first visit to his father’s homeland as President. The fact that President Obama had kin in Kenya coined the popular term “Our …

July 28, 2015

Op-Ed: American Jews must speak out for Haitians in Dominican Republic

Fewer than 800 miles from our shores, a deeply disturbing crisis is unfolding as tens of thousands of citizens of the Dominican Republic face deportation from their country simply because of their heritage. Tragically, people of Haitian descent who were born in the Dominican Republic have been stripped of their rights and their citizenship, and are …

June 29, 2015

American Jewish World Service Congratulates State Department for Release of Annual Human Rights Report

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 and the State Department on the release of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. This report helps guide U.S. government and foreign policy assistance and also underscores threats …

June 18, 2015 by AJWS Staff

“I have the right to a name and a nationality”: Witnessing Injustice in the Dominican Republic

“We are asking for your help,” said Jenny Moron. “We feel a tremendous sense of frustration when we use all of the political levers and nothing works.” With this call to action, Jenny, a Dominican legal advisor for AJWS grantee MUDHA (Movimiento de Mujeres Dominico Haitiana or the Movement of Haitian-Dominican Women) closed a June …

Dvar Tzedek

July 11, 2011 | 5771

Pinchas

In many biblical stories, women are not named. While we know her salty fate, we never learn the name of Lot’s wife; and despite her central role in the Joseph story, Potiphar’s wife remains nameless. However, five women—Machla, Noa, Chogla, Milka and Tirtza—are named in Parshat Pinchas and again and again in the Bible. These …

July 5, 2011 | 5771

Balak

A specter of violence and conflict hangs over Parshat Balak. Fearing attack by the approaching Israelite nation, Balak, king of Moab, hires the prophet Bilaam to curse the Israelites. Balak entreats Bilaam: “come then, put a curse upon this people for me, since they are too numerous for me… for I know that he whom …

May 16, 2011 | 5771

Bechukotai

We are pleased to welcome guest writer, Lisa Exler, senior program officer at American Jewish World Service. Walking—putting one foot after the other—is, for many of us, our most basic vehicle for navigating the world. Yet we probably don’t put much thought into it. We’re more concerned with where we’re going than how we’re getting …

April 24, 2011 | 5771

Kedoshim

Everyone is crying out for peace None is crying out for justice I don’t want no peace I need equal rights and justice.[1] -Peter Tosh Peter Tosh’s revolutionary lyrics in his 1977 song “Equal Rights” challenge some of the core assumptions of social justice activism. Critical of the tendency of his era’s dominant activist culture …

January 24, 2011 | 5771

Mishpatim

After describing a series of laws dealing with property, damages, injury and other torts, our parsha concludes the section with a final warning: “Do not oppress the stranger; you know the feelings of a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.[1] Explaining the seemingly odd placement of this verse, Rabbi Shimshon Refael …