Darfur

Places to Donate to Support the People of Darfur

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:11:49 -0500

American Jewish World Service Logo The American World Jewish Service, The Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief and The Save Darfur Coalition recommended agencies for making donations to support the people of Darfur.

American Jewish World Service (AJWS) - Genocidal crisis in Darfur
Since April 2004, American Jewish World Service has been providing humanitarian aid to many of the displaced and traumatized people who have been violently forced from their homes and are now living in camps in Sudan and Chad. Recognizing that humanitarian aid is crucial but will not stop the genocide, AJWS is engaged in a simultaneous education and advocacy campaign to put pressure on United States and world leaders to end the crisis.

AJWS is accepting donations by check to their Sudan Relief and Advocacy Fund at: AJWS Sudan Relief and Advocacy Fund, 45 West 36th Street, 10th flr, New York, NY 10018, or donate online.
The Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief (JCDR) - Sudan Relief
JRF is part of a multi-Jewish organizational coalition which is addressing the crisis in the Sudan.

To date, the Jewish Coalition for Sudan Relief has raised and distributed over $445,000 to help the victims of this crisis. Grants have been made to the International Medical Corps (IMC) and the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children to support their humanitarian, nutritional and reproductive health efforts.

Coalition support is also being given to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society to help conduct a psychosocial assistance program in two of Chad's refugee camps. A grant to the International Rescue Committee is helping support their educational and support services with refugees and the local host community in Chad. Recent grants have been made to other international organizations to improve the quality of emergency obstetric medicine in Nyala, Darfur, and to support a psychosocial program for refugees in Zalingei, Darfur. Click here for JCDR's online donations page.

Save Darfur Coaltion The Save Darfur Coalition is an alliance of over 130 diverse faith-based, humanitarian, and human rights organizations, assembled to raise public awareness and to mobilize efforts to help end the atrocities and reduce the suffering in Darfur and nearby refugee camps. Donate to the save Darfur Coalition.

Jewish World Watch (JWW) has been instrumental in working directly with KoZon, the organization on the ground in the Iridimi camp om Darfur. JWW helps them complete the outfitting of the camp with solar cookers.

The price of each solar cooker is $30. JWW has raised so much money that they have actually been able to not only pay for the training and the cookers, but also fund the construction of a workroom for the manufacture of the cookers. Additionally, JWW has paid the women back wages for making the cookers. JWW has also funded both the production of the hay baskets and of carrying bags for the cookers. They have funded the purchase of seeds to give the women a chance to grow some vegetables, something they have not had before. JWW wants to build on its successes and offer even more. Donate to Jewish World Watch

Fast for Darfur

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:30:55 -0400

On April 27th, Mia Farrow began fasting in solidarity with the people of Darfur, who face ever worsening suffering since Sudanese President Bashir expelled over a dozen aid organizations from the country.

Mia Farrow had to stop fasting due to health reasons, and since then elected officials, activists, and celebrities including Congressman Donald Payne, musician Peter Gabriel, as well as hundreds of activists in over 35 countries have joined the fast, forming a chain of fasters. For six years, a genocide has raged in Darfur.

Each day, mothers and fathers living in camps look into the eyes of their children knowing that they would sacrifice anything for them — but being unable to provide them with the basic food and clean water that they need. As the rainy season threatens mass migration and epidemics in Darfur, rabbis across the continent are invited to fast June 18th. I will be doing this to coincide with the last day of a three day solidarity fast with Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center and other clergy and international activists trying to end this ongoing genocide. Visit www.fastdarfur.org for more information on the fast.

For those of us fasting in solidarity with the people of Darfur, our hunger is a choice and a temporary state. But there are hundreds of millions worldwide — in Darfur and elsewhere — who feel powerless and who have no choice. They are crying, and we must hear them.

Rabbis, Cantors and student clergy:
The fast is a water-only fast, from sundown June 17th to sundown June 18th. So that we may keep track of those fasting and create a community of solidarity, please RSVP to me at SZevit@jrf.org

For lay leaders, communal staff, educators and congregational members please see Ruth Messenger's AJWS initiative to join in the effort.

Dor Hadash, Recon Pittsburgh affiliate man to eat Darfuri refugee diet for 30 days.

JTA coverage of Jewish community participation.

From the Fast for Darfur website: www.fastdarfur.org

"The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has reduced the daily food ration for Sudanese refugees to 1,050 calories — about half an average person’s minimum daily requirement — because donor countries have contributed less than one-third of promised funds for 2006. This severe food cutback, together with attacks on civilians and the humanitarian aid operations trying to help them, endangers the lives of over 2.5 million uprooted Sudanese.

In response to this food ration reduction, many concerned citizens have begun a fast of 1,000 calories per day to stand in solidarity with the victims of genocide in Darfur. Our 40-day fast, which began on May 9th and end on June 17th, has two specific goals: First, we demand the protection of civilians in Darfur through the immediate intervention of an international peacekeeping force of sufficient size and strength to end the genocide. Second, we challenge donor countries to fulfill their promises to fully fund humanitarian aid operations in Sudan and Chad. We appeal to persons of good faith everywhere to reflect upon the urgent situation in Darfur and take action in support of these goals."

Please circulate as you deem appropriate,
L'Shalom,

Shawn

Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam
Congregational Consultant
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
101 Greenwood Avenue
Beit Devora, Suite 430
Jenkintown, PA 19046
Cleveland Office: 216-591-1886
www.jrf.org/darfur

JCPA 2009 Plenum Resolutions- JRF National Religious Organzation, Voting Member

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:52:53 -0400

For your information, here are the resolutions that came out of the recent JCPA plenum. In the two years since JRF became a member religious organization and fourth Jewish movement in the JCPA, we have participated in many coalitions and sign-on initiatives. This Plenum marked the first time we were a national religious organization co-sponsoring three of the resolutions below. Thanks to Carl Sheingold (JRF Executive Vice-President), Bob Barkin (JRF President) and Val Kaplan (JRF Chair of External Affiliations) for representing us and voting on our behalf at the Plenum,

Full list of 2009 JCPA Resolutions

Full listing of partner organizations and sign-ons,

L'Shalom,

Shawn

Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam
Congregational Consultant
Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

JCPA
JCPA speaks to you each week, alerting you to what the community relations field is doing to safeguard the rights of Jews here, in Israel, and around the world and to protect, preserve and promote a just, democratic and pluralistic American society. For three generations, we have brought together diverse voices in the Jewish community to unite a strong Jewish public policy force.

Date: March 11, 2009
From: Max Mulcahy, Program Director, JCPA

Below are the final versions of the JCPA resolutions as adopted by the 2009 Plenum. Click on the links to access the resolution text in pdf format. Please share these resolutions with your board and leadership. If you have any questions please feel free to contact JCPA offices.

Strengthening the Assets of Low Income Households

Challenges in Coalition Building

Comprehensive Energy Policy

Criminal Justice Reform

Darfur

Freedom of Expression/Defamation of Religion

Supporting Comprehensive Early Childhood Care and Education Programs for All

Muslim Jewish Relations

Alleviating Hunger and Food Insufficiency among Children, the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities, and other At-Risk Individuals in the U.S. and Internationally

Reform of the Federal Poverty Measure

JRF Organizational Sign-ons

Brian Fink — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:46:04 -0500

There are many JRF initiatives or letters of support in which we are continually asked to participate. In all of these cases, JRF is invited to join other interfaith or Jewish denominational coalitions in national and international social justice areas or letters/programs about forthcoming legislation or policy in keeping with our already existing resolutions.

Sign-ons through 2009:

JCPA 2010 Jewish Community Budget Letter

JCPA 2009 Resolutions: JRF voting and resolution co-sponsor

Faith United Against Tobacco Letter to Senators and White House

HIAS 2008 Faith Statement on Immigration

Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act, which passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives unanimously.

National Committee for Israel’s 60th anniversary

National Faith Leaders Amicus Brief for Marriage Equality Case in Iowa

Faith United Against Tobacco

Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (“FMAP”) for the Medicaid program as part of Congress’ economic stimulus

Interfaith letter on the stimulus package

Interfaith Sign-On Letter on Flower Worker Rights in Colombia

Jewish Genetic Disease Symposium

Interfaith Sign-On Letter, Disability Rights

Federal student aid letter

Federal family planning funding

Faith Leaders brief for marriage equality: Varnum v. Brien

Sign Letter to Maximize Human Needs Funding in Budget

HEA Campus Hate Crimes Data Collection Improvement

SUDAN inter-faith NGO sign on letter about funding in the FY08 supplemental spending bill

Foreign provisions for AIDS in PEPFAR

Jewish Community anti-UMC Divestment against Israel campaign

SUDAN inter-faith NGO letter

Interfaith ADA Restoration Act letter of 2007 - equal civil rights for individuals with disabilities

Interfaith Joint Healthcare Statement

Non-partisan Get Out the Vote guide co-sponsor with the Religious Action Center

NGO sign on letter about U.S. presidency of UN Security Council - (AJWS)

Amicus Brief in 9th Circuit California EPA Waiver Litigation (Environment)

A New Jewish Mobilization for Immigration Reform (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society - HIAS)

National Interfaith week of action on Poverty, Sep 10th - Sep 16th, 2008 (JCPA, MAZON)

"ONE" International anti-poverty campaign, 2007 and prior

The ADA Restoration Act would close loopholes in the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act that allow courts to roll back rights for the community it was designed to protect. The bill will ensure that individuals who utilize “mitigating measures,” such as prescription drugs and hearing aids, will be protected under the original ADA legislation, and that those who suffer from the side effects of medications used to treat their disability are also covered.

The Community Choice Act of 2007 would increase access to community-based services for the elderly and for individuals with disabilities. This legislation would reform the Medicaid program by giving long-term care recipients the choice of home- and community-based care or institutionalized care. It would also provide federal financial assistance to help states reform their long-term care systems.

Letters to Congress urging support for the Clean Water Restoration Act, a bill which would incorporate the long-standing regulatory definition of “waters of the United States” into the Clean Water Act itself.

Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (now S. 2271).

Support of two energy bills sitting in the House (H.R. 3221) and Senate (H.R.6) which differ on major provisions including raises to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards, requirements for Renewable Electricity Systems, and funding for alternative energy research and jobs.

Government provision passed that is fair to insurance companies, requiring a reasonable standard for risk assessment of “a good faith actuarial analysis” – and permitting other exceptions, such as a “serious health-related condition” or “an ongoing military conflict.” Some travelers to Israel have been denied life insurance coverage even though, according the best analysis of current data, travel in Israel is not statistically more dangerous than travel in the United States.

S 21, the Prevention First Act, a bill introduced by Senator Reid that would help women prevent unintended pregnancies by increasing funds for family-planning services, assuring contraceptive equity in health-insurance plans, and improving women's access to emergency contraception.

S 1555, the Access to Birth Control Act, a bill introduced by Senator Lautenberg that would ensure that women have timely access to birth control, including emergency contraception, at the pharmacy counter.

S 1240, the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act, a bill introduced by Senator Clinton that would ensure that hospital emergency rooms offer emergency contraception to sexual-assault survivors.

S 1800, the Compassionate Care for Servicewomen Act, a bill introduced by Senator Clinton that would ensure that military health-care facilities stock emergency contraception and make it available to servicewomen and military dependents upon request.

Older sign-ons

Opposition to "High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004" - US Congress - URJ/JRF - June 2004
Interfaith service for Justice for Children and the Poor - Children's Defense Fund, support of event - October 2004
Defense of RLUIPA Coalition - Becket Fund for Religious Liberty - December 2004
Brief in legal defense of church/state land use separation on behalf of Coalition for Free Exercise of Religion - Cutter vs Wilkinson - US Supreme Court
WISC Health Care Working Group- Medicaid to the president, members of Congress and OMB - January 2005
Supplemental Security Income benefits for elderly refugees - Senate Finance Committee - HIAS - March 2005
Petition to Congress for Sudan Darfur relief
- US Congress - Hillel International - March 2005
National Coalition Building Institute 20th anniversary event - Congressman John Lewis speaker- Washington - NCBI - April 2005
NY State Amicus brief in support of same-sex marriage,
April 2005

Tents of Hope for Darfur

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:51:16 -0400

Visit the Tents of Hope Project: www.tentsofhope.org
The mission of the Tents of Hope project is to support a one-year process in which people respond as communities to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan by creating tents that are both unique works of art and ongoing focal points within communities for learning about, assisting and establishing relationships with the people of Sudan.
The tents are not answers in themselves. Rather, they are points of entry for more concrete forms of Darfur advocacy.

Since the launch of Tents of hope in 2004, the American Jewish World Service, the Save Darfur Coalition (of which JRF and the RRA are members) and other faith and non-profit groups have joined as participating organizations.

The structure of the Tents of Hope project is decentralized and temporary. It is a one-year project in which local communities are responsible for taking the initiative to shape the project both through the creation of the tents as works of art and the use of the tents as focal points for education, advocacy and fundraising for humanitarian assistance. National coordination is focused on giving support to these local efforts in such areas as the project website and the national event in Washington, DC November 7-9, 2008. JRF congregations sent tents to Washington to be shipped to Africa, and Rabbi Shawn Zevit represented our movement at the Interfaith service at the 6th and I Street Synagogue, Sunday Nov. 9, 2008.

For more information and to register for the Tents of hope event in washington go to http://www.tentsofhope.org/homepage.aspx

For outline of the weekend and national activities see
http://www.tentsofhope.org/scheduleofevents.aspx

Photos from the event: http://www.flickr.com/photos/18128473@N00/sets/72157609365941939/

Also see http://www.jrf.org/darfur

Darfur - children playing

Brian Fink — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:28:42 -0400

The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) on the ground in Chad providing trauma counseling and social services to Darfuri refugees

HIAS is the only Jewish organization with staff on the ground in Chad, where we provide services in five of that country’s camps for refugees from the Darfur region of Sudan. At the request of the United Nations, we are providing counseling and community services programs for some 90,000 refugees, including conflict resolution training, sexual and gender-based violence education and sensitization, and trauma counseling. One of the most successful activities has been HIAS-organized playgroups, which allow children to express the traumatic events of their young lives through art, music, and sports therapy.

In addition, HIAS has created a cadre of refugees in each camp to serve as community mobilizers. Participants are trained to identify and intervene appropriately so they can provide help to their fellow refugees. HIAS’ refugee peer groups empower community members and allow them to help others deal with sensitive issues in a culturally acceptable format.

To support HIAS’ activities on the ground in Chad with Darfuri refugees, please call HIAS at: (866) 871-9681 or online.

Resources for Fighting Genocide in Darfur

Rabbi Shai Gluskin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:25:56 -0400

Darfur Resources: Poets and Artists for Darfur African Women Writers on darfur

Ritual: A Prayer for Darfur
By Rabbi Jerry Seidler
This prayer was written in advance of the April 30, 2006 day of rallies for the people for Darfur that took place across the U.S.
Speech: Darfur: A Religious Imperative
By Rabbi Steve Gutow
A passionate plea for action in Darfur, Sudan in response to genocide. Speech was given on April 29, 2006 to a JRF gathering at the I Street Synagogue in Washington, D.C. in advance of the April 30th Save Darfur rallies held in Washington, D.C. and around the country.
Ritual: Passover Reading on Darfur Genocide
By Rabbi Michael Strassfeld
Written for the April 30, 2006 rally to stop the genocide in Darfur, this prayer is a riff on the Passover song, "Who Knows One?" Each verse delineates another horror taking place in Sudan. Our knowledge of these facts cannot be denied. Action is the only alternative.
Advocacy Help: Resource Kit for Darfur Activism
By West End Synagogue Yad Mordecai Social Action Committee
Packet that both makes the case for the importance of advocacy on stopping genocide in Darfur and also helps groups and individuals to get that work done. Beautiful and moving photos are included and literally put a face to the conflict. Many clickable web links are included in the pdf. The production of this packet serves as a model of what lay committees in congregations can do that serves others.
Article: RRC Divests from Sudan
By Jewish Telegraphic Agency
In the wake of the Darfur demonstrations on April 30, 2006, The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College's Board of Governors divested its endowment holdings from Sudan. This is the JTA article that reported that event.
Speech: The FAQs of Genocide: Four Questions Frequently Asked of a Jewish Darfur Activist
By Rabbi Brant Rosen
Speech delivered on April 29, 2006 at a JRF gathering the night before the Save Darfur rally in Washington, D.C. The speech answers common questions asked by Jews in assessing the importance of this issue. It is a forceful argument for full engagement by the Jewish community in efforts to stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
Ritual: The Spiritual Dimension of Justice
By Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Prayers, songs, and text study meant to be used to focus and inspire those set out to do social justice work.

Action needed on AIDS legislation

Brian Fink — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:14:23 -0500

There is exciting activity happening on the reauthorization of the PEPFAR AIDS legislation. (PEPFAR = President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief).

JRF is a partner with the American Jewish World Service (AJWS) in the Jewish Coalition Responding to HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The PEPFAR legislation will be "marked-up" in the House foreign affairs committee on Wednesday, February 27th at 9:30 am (and may be televised on C-SPAN).

There are two important action items:

A conference call with Ruth Messinger on Monday, February 25, 2-3pm
An email action alert

More details follow below:

On Monday, February 25, listen in/participate on a conference call with Ruth Messinger, Executive Director of AJWS, and member of the SAJ (Society for the Advancement of Judaism, a Reconstructionist synagogue in NYC).

Follow this link to e-mail your congress-person about PEPFAR. Fill in the information, edit the text (if you wish), and hit the *send* button.

At most, this will take you THREE MINUTES. Please take this action now, send the link to at least 20 other people asking them to take the action, and them to forward to 20 others.

Visit here for more information on PEPFAR, and the work of AJWS addressing the global AIDS pandemic.

Kol HaLev to Co-Sponsor “Sounds of Justice” Havdalah Concert and Advocacy Event for Darfur

Lisa Tuttle — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:56:56 -0500

Start: Feb 9 2008 - 7:30pm

End: Feb 9 2008 - 10:00pm

Please join congregation Kol HaLev and more than 20 congregations and organizations throughout the Cleveland, OH area for a special community-wide event: “Sounds of Justice” Havdalah Concert and Advocacy Event for Darfur, featuring JRF's director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam, Rabbi Shawn Zevit.

Saturday, February 9th at 7:30 pm, B’nai Jeshurun Congregation, 27501 Fairmount Blvd., Pepper Pike, Cleveland, OH.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY

Help spread the word - download and post the event flyer.

Following the concert, which will emphasize the theme of tikkun olam, there will be hands-on activities for everyone to work together to encourage an end to the genocide in Darfur:

Write letters to the media, local and national legislators and the Chinese government
Decorate symbolic refugee tents with prayers, words of support, and images for a better world
Make donations to American Jewish World Service to provide much needed items for Sudanese refugees through Jewish World Watch

For event coverage in the Cleveland Jewish News see: http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2008/02/01/news/local/darfur0201.txt

and

http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2008/01/28/news/local/rally0125.txt

Learn more about JRF's work to end the genocide in Darfur, Sudan at http://www.jrf.org/darfur

Bet Am Shalom Takes Part in Backpack Project for Darfur

Lisa Tuttle — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:39:52 -0500

JWW Backpack ProjectCongregation Bet Am Shalom in Whiteplains, NY, joins the Westchester Darfur Coalition and Jewish World Watch (JWW) in providing and education for children fleeing genocide in Darfur. JWW's Backpack Project will enable children in the Oure Cassoni refugee camp in Chad to attend schools run by the International Rescue Committee. Filled with shoes, books, school supplies, soap and toothpaste (all obtained as locally as possible), the backpack allows each child to make the most of school under the most difficult of circumstances.

Backpacks are $36 each. Every dollar donated to the JWW Backpack Project will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $100,000, through the generousity of a local family foundation.

For for more information on Bet Am Shalom's Giving Program, e-mail Fran Heyman at franheyman@msn.com, and visit www.JewishWorldWatch.org

Bet Am Shalom's flyer and donation form are attached below.

Click here for a full listing of JRF's resources and response to the ongoing genocide in Darfur.