In late 2010, the Referendum in Sudan brought a remarkable voter turnout of over 97% and an overwhelming 98.83% vote in favor of succession, issuing the birth of the world's newest state, South Sudan. American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee

For more information, resources and references on this historical turning point, visit http://www.interaction.org/Sudan

The formation of the new state brings many new challenges to its people even as it is diverting attention away from the ongoing crisis in Darfur.

It is our hope that the resurgence of media coverage of the region will reinvigorate donations to the JCSR. We invite you to reach out to your community to alert them that the Jewish Coalition for Sudan Relief (JRF is a coalition member) continues to collect donations in support of our ongoing efforts to bring life-altering services to the vulnerable people of Sudan.

On Behalf of the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief

phone 212-885-0851

fax 212-370-5467

http://www.jdc.org/jcdr_main.html

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.  read more »

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,

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

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.

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.

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:

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

More details follow below:  read more »

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  read more »

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

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.

Rabbi Harold M. SchulweisOn April 27, 2007, Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis of Temple Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California, California, delivered a major speech regarding genocide, the suicide of denial, and our collective responsibilities to transmit memory to our children and our children’s children.

Entitled In Honor of the Martyrs of Armenia, it commemorates the 92nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, speaks to all genocides, whether Armenian, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, or Darfur, and points out the consequences to a society which remains apathetic in the face of murder.  read more »

Listen, watch or read Rabbi Schulweis’ speech.