Jewish World Watch: Difference between revisions

Overview

Jewish World Watch (JWW) is a non-profit organization founded by Valley Beth Shalom in 2004 based on Jewish experiences and values. Valley Beth Shalom is a synagogue in Los Angeles, California. JWW is a global coalition which includes schools, churches, individuals, communities and partner organizations.^[2] The organization's aim is to educate people about current genocides, advocate for the end or prevention of genocide and provide relief to those suffering from genocide. Their main concerns at the moment are the genocides occurring in Darfur and the eastern Congo. They have several projects going on right now to help provide the economic, education, health and safety needs of those in the areas mentioned above.^[3]

Mission Statement

It is the mission of Jewish World Watch to:
1. Educate target constituencies by developing appropriate materials and programs;
2. Advocate for policies to stop or prevent genocide and other atrocities through community organization and mobilization; and
3. Develop resources and allocate funds towards relief and development projects aimed at empowering and alleviation the suffering of survivors.^[5]

Projects

JWW has local projects as well as projects that take place in conflicted areas. Their local projects consist of community events, political campaigns and opportunities for student participation. They have several projects to help provide economic, education, health and safety. A quick overview of the current on the ground projects:^[7]
Projects in Darufur:

• Little Ripples - Creates preschools for children ages 2-6. This ensures that children have someone watching them during the day and prepares them for higher education.
  
• Sister Schools - Schools in the United States raise funds to help build and restore school buildings, train teachers and provide students with school and sports equipment.
  
• Solar Cooker Project - Provides solar cookers for families in Darfur. Solar cookers decrease the need to leave refugee camps for firewood.
  

Projects in eastern Congo:

• Action Kivu - Provides educational opportunities to children in the South Kivu province. The program has an emphasis on empowering girls to receive an education.
  
• Animal Husbandry - 215 women learn the basics of animal husbandry: how to take care of their animals, how to enrich their soil with animal waste, how to market their products, etc.
  
• Chambucha Rape and Crisis Center - Provides health care to women and girls that have been raped.
  
• Generation Hope - Provides a tutoring program twice a week after school for children living in Goma.
  
• Home Away from Orphanage - Provides housing for 50 in-need children.
  
• Safe Motherhood Watch - Women run a business in which the profits go towards pre-natal and maternity care for women that need it.
  
• Sons of Congo - A program ran by men advocating for the fair treatment of women.
  
• The Tumaini Project at Maison Dorcas - Provides housing and support to women treated at Panzi Hospital that cannot return home after treatment.

Communication

JWW has several means of communicating their goals and programs. They have a Facebook page, Twitter account, Flickr account and several blogs. JWW plans events throughout the Southern United States. One southern California event is the "Walk to End Genocide" from April to May 2014. The walk is an opportunity to educate the public about genocides in Darfur and the eastern Congo. The events and dates differ from city to city.

References

<references> http://www.flickr.com/photos/36054082@N08/sets/72157632492696232/

<references> http://www.vbs.org/page.cfm?p=883 <references> http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/ <references> http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/about/our-mission <references> http://www.flickr.com/photos/36054082@N08/sets/72157634442589297/ <references> http://www.jewishworldwatch.org/projects/ontheground