Jewish World Watch

JEWISH WORLD WATCH IS AN EXPRESSION OF JUDAISM IN ACTION, BRINGING HELP AND HEALING TO SURVIVORS OF MASS ATROCITIES AROUND THE GLOBE AND SEEKING TO INSPIRE PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND CULTURES TO JOIN THE ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST GENOCIDE.

ROOTED IN OUR OWN EXPERIENCES OF PERSECUTION, JEWISH TRADITION AND VALUES, JEWISH WORLD WATCH WAS FOUNDED IN 2004 WHEN THE SILENCE ABOUT THE GENOCIDE IN DARFUR WAS DEAFENING. MORE THAN 18 YEARS LATER, GENOCIDE AND MASS ATROCITY ARE STILL RAMPANT AND WE FEEL OBLIGATED TO ENSURE THAT "NEVER AGAIN" ISN'T JUST A VISCERAL PHRASE BUT A CALL TO ACTION. OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON GALVANIZING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WHERE WE ENGAGE EVERYONE FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN TO SENIORS IN ETHICAL ACTIVISM, GUIDED BY THE TENETS OF JEWISH THOUGHT AND PRINCIPLES. **(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)**(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2)THE ESSENTIAL TASK FOR JEWISH WORLD WATCH, WHOSE MISSION IS TO PREVENT GENOCIDE AND ADVOCATE FOR POLITICAL ACTION TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, IS TO HELP JEWS AND NON-JEWS UNDERSTAND THAT THE UNIVERSE OF OBLIGATION MUST EXTEND BEYOND THE SELF, THE FAMILY AND THOSE WHO WE IDENTIFY AS "US," TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO WE CLASSIFY AS "THEM." JEWISH WORLD WATCH IS THE ONLY JEWISH ORGANIZATION NATIONALLY DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE CRITICAL WORK OF CULTIVATING AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY AROUND GLOBAL MASS ATROCITIES AND THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE. WE SERVE AS A CONVENER WITHIN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND AN AMBASSADOR IN COMMUNITIES FREQUENTLY UNFAMILIAR WITH JEWISH TRADITIONS AND VALUES. IN PURSUIT OF THE ASPIRATIONAL VISION TO END GENOCIDE AND MASS ATROCITIES, JWW SEEKS TO ELEVATE THE PERCEPTION THAT THE PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM TARGETED HATRED AND DISCRIMINATION BELONG TO EVERYONE WITH A CONCOMITANT DUTY TO SPEAK OUT AND TAKE ACTION.JEWISH WORLD WATCH ACCOMPLISHES ITS MISSION THROUGH A THREE PILLAR APPROACH INVOLVING ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS.ADVOCACY EFFORTS INCLUDE REACHING OUT AND BUILDING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS VIA EMAIL, PETITION AND INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS. WE ALSO ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS TO RAISE AWARENESS AROUND KEY ISSUES. KEY TO OUR ADVOCACY STRATEGY IS PARTNERING WITH DIASPORA COMMUNITIES FROM CONFLICT-AFFECTED AREAS TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOICES AND EXPAND OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE. DIASPORA MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY GENOCIDE OR MASS ATROCITY PROVIDE PERSONAL AND COMPELLING INFORMATION ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF GENOCIDE ON THEM HERE AND ON THEIR FAMILIES IN CONFLICT AREAS WORLDWIDE.JWW TRAINS OUR COMMUNITY IN ADVOCACY BEST PRACTICES AND COMPELS THEM TO TAKE ACTION. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE ENCOURAGE OUR CONSTITUENCY TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY AND EASILY WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ON TIMELY AND IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY ISSUES. JWW YOUTH PROGRAMMING INVOLVES HIGHLY TARGETED OUTREACH AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATE AND INSPIRE OUR COMMUNITY. AMONG OUR MANY EFFORTS, WE HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY IN WORKING WITH YOUTH TO ENSURE NOT ONLY THAT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE HOLOCAUST ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, BUT ALSO TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO DISCOVER THE RELEVANCY OF THAT HISTORY TODAY, TEACHING THEM HOW TO BECOME EXEMPLARY LEADERS WHO EMBRACE THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY IN OUR INCREASINGLY INTERCONNECTED PLANET.GLOBAL IMPACT:-RAPID RESPONSE MISSIONS IN THE CONGO : JEWISH WORLD WATCH IS WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH 2018 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE DR. DENIS MUKWEGE TO BRING RAPID RESPONSE MEDICAL MISSIONS TO REMOTE AREAS OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO UNREACHABLE BY TRADITIONAL AID. THESE MISSIONS PROVIDE HOLISTIC MEDICAL CARE, PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSISTANCE AND COLLECT EVIDENCE TO BOLSTER LEGAL EFFORTS AGAINST PERPETRATORS.-SECURING THE RELEASE OF CHILD SOLDIERS : IN THE CONGO, JWW IS HELPING TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF BOYS AND GIRLS FROM ARMED GROUPS, MANY OF WHOM ARE BEING USED AS CHILD SOLDIERS AND SEX SLAVES. OUR AMAZING PARTNERS RISK THEIR OWN LIVES TO NEGOTIATE THE RELEASE OF THESE CHILDREN. ONCE THE CHILDREN REACH THE SAFETY OF OUR PARTNERS' FACILITIES, EACH CHILD RECEIVES PSYCHOSOCIAL ASSISTANCE AND HELP IN TRYING TO REUNITE WITH HIS OR HER FAMILY.-A SCHOOL DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS : THE CONGO PEACE SCHOOL PROVIDES PEACE-RELATED EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN UNABLE TO AFFORD SCHOOL FEES, TAKING THEM OFF THE STREETS, OUT OF THE MINES, AND INTO CLASSROOMS. THE SCHOOL TEACHES ORGANIC ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND FARMING PRACTICES TO ITS STUDENTS AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, ENHANCING SOCIAL COHESION IN A COMMUNITY OTHERWISE RIVEN WITH STRIFE AND VIOLENCE. EDUCATION IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR GLOBAL CHANGE.-COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN THE DRC : IN THE DRC, CHILDREN, MANY OF THEM ORPHANS, DEPEND ON SCHOOLS FOR THEIR ONLY MEAL EACH DAY. WITH THE COUNTRY SHUT DOWN DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS, FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING SCHOOL KITCHENS OPEN AND SAVING THESE CHILDREN FROM STARVATION. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FOOD AT THE CONGO PEACE SCHOOL, WITHOUT WHICH THESE CHILDREN WOULD MOST CERTAINLY STARVE, OUR PARTNER IS FORMING A TASK FORCE TO REACH OUT TO LAST-MILE COMMUNITIES TO TEACH THEM ABOUT COVID-19, PROVIDE THEM WITH FOOD SUPPLIES, HYGIENE MATERIALS AND HANDMADE MASKS.-BRINGING EDUCATION TO ROHINGYA CHILDREN : JWW IS OFFERING DIGITAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN 75 SCHOOLS WITHIN THE ROHINGYA REFUGEE CAMPS IN COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH. THIS AWARD-WINNING INNOVATIVE EFFORT WILL ENABLE THE CHILDREN TO LEARN IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE, SOMETHING ROHINGYA REFUGEE CHILDREN ARE UNABLE TO DO IN OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE CAMPS.-COVID-19 RESPONSE FOR ROHINGYA SURVIVORS : THE CRAMPED CAMP CONDITIONS MAKE SANITIZATION AND SOCIAL DISTANCING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. THROUGH OUR SUPPORT, OUR PARTNERS ARE WORKING INSIDE THE CAMPS PROVIDING REFUGEES ACCURATE COVID-19 HEALTH INFORMATION IN THE ROHINGYA NATIVE DIALECT. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO DISTRIBUTE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES INCLUDING FOOD, MASKS AND LOCALLY MADE SOAP TO THE MOST VULNERABLE ROHINGYA IN THE CAMPS.-PERMA-GARDENING FOR DARFURI REFUGEES : TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY ISSUES IN THE DARFURI REFUGEE CAMPS IN CHAD, JWW SUPPORTS TRAINING DARFURI SURVIVORS BY TRAINING THEM TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES SUSTAINABLY WITH A SMALL PLOT OF DRY LAND AND ESSENTIAL TOOLS. THE PROGRAM HAS TRAINED NEARLY 1,000 GARDNERS, IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY AND FINANCIAL STABILITY WHILE BENEFITING MORE THAN 3,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.-MEDICAL SUPPLY SHIPMENTS TO SYRIA : JWW HAS SHIPPED LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL AID TO THE HARDEST HIT AREAS OF THE CONFLICT INSIDE SYRIA, WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED MOST, AND WHERE MOST LARGE ORGANIZATIONS CANNOT GO. SUPPLIES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 28 HOSPITALS IN THE IDLIB AND ALEPPO PROVINCES. THESE SHIPMENTS INCLUDED PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT WILL HELP FIGHT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.