With authoritarianism on the rise, for American Jewish World Service, investing in social movements led by young people is one of the best ways to safeguard democracy and democratic rights. And so, as consciously political grant-makers, we are ramping up our efforts to invest in youth movements — and calling on other funders to do …
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WASHINGTON, DC — In a visit to the White House today organized by American Jewish World Service (AJWS), 30 Jewish leaders and rabbis from across the nation met with White House officials to learn about the administration’s strategy to end violence against women, girls and LGBT people. The delegation urged administration officials to continue working …
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NEW YORK, NY—American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading Jewish international development and human rights organization, announced today that Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, founder and president of AJWS grantee and long-term partner Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), was awarded the 2013 Opus Prize, which includes $1 million to support her organization’s work. AIL was founded in …
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$15.3 million grant from the Kendeda Fund will support work of Indian activists NEW YORK, NY—American Jewish World Service (AJWS) announced today that it is the recipient of a $15.3 million grant from the Kendeda Fund to address child marriage in India. As the leading Jewish organization working to realize human rights and end poverty …
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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 …
Read MoreSitting in the dusty courtyard of Challenging Heights, in Sangor, Ghana, surrounded by children rescued from slavery, I realized I was not truly present. It was 2012, and I was on an AJWS rabbinical delegation intended to inspire American clergy to deepen our commitment to global justice by connecting with people in the Global South whom we seek to help.
Read More…Arami oved avi—my father was a fugitive Aramean. He went down to Egypt in meager numbers, but there he became a great and populous nation. The Egyptians dealt harshly with us, oppressed us, imposed heavy labor upon us… Adonai freed us from Egypt by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm and awesome power, and …
Read MoreThis week, we are pleased to welcome guest writer, Dvar Tzedek alumnus Guy Izhak Austrian. Death felt very close as I walked through the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya, with leaders of Binti Pamoja—Daughters United—a girls’ leadership development program.[1] Sewage ran through narrow alleys between the endless rows of tin shacks. Shredded plastic bags rattled amid …
Read MoreEven in a book as rich with astonishing moments as Genesis, Parshat Vayera is hard to top. At its heart is a story of a man wrestling with God, with grave consequences: from their struggle, the very notion of moral behavior is born, as well as the spirit that propels each of us into action …
Read MoreWe often say that there are 613 commandments in the Torah. One can certainly list that many, but no one person can do them all: not for lack of will, but because many mitzvot only apply to certain people or in specific situations. For example, some mitzvot are only applicable in the Land of Israel; …
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