AJWS Blog

The AJWS community has a lot to say about what's happening in the world. Read our insights about the struggle for justice and human rights around the globe — and meet the activists on the frontlines of the fight to build a better world.

Crying Over Spoilt Onions

Originally posted on The Jew and the Carrot. It was the pile of onions that made me cry. Not in the way you might think—I wasn’t standing over a cutting board, knife in hand, sobbing my way through an extended dicing activity. The onions that made me cry were whole, bagged and stacked about 5 …

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Haitian Women and Rabbi Tarfon

“It is not upon you to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” I have used this saying by Rabbi Tarfon from Pirke Avot many times, but until last week, I hadn’t truly comprehended the meaning behind these words. Over the course of three days, I had the honor of …

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What Would Rambam Think About Donorschoose.org?

Originally posted on the blog of Where Do You Give? In today’s world, the opportunity to engage in the work of social change is, literally, at our fingertips.  But, does this newfound accessibility make us better donors? Adene Sacks and Dawne Bear Novicoff talk about our role as donors in an age of interconnectedness and …

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Sh** Jews Say About Philanthropy

In celebration of AJWS’s “Where Do You Give” Design Competition, and in honor of the successful slew of “Sh** People Say” videos, we present: Sh** Jews Say About Philanthropy… brought to you by members of the AJWS staff: “Yes, dear, it has to be in multiples of 18.” “I shouldn’t talk about it on Shabbos, but…” “Is …

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What Happened in Burma and Why it Matters for the Future

Some of you may have seen Burma featured prominently in the news as the U.S. government decided to restore full diplomatic ties with the country. And, yes, it is big news. We’d like to put these developments in context and share our thoughts on what we will be looking for in the coming months. First, …

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