Tax ID no. 20-3406211 | Director of Advocacy and Programs Mike Brand | |
Founded August 16, 2005; 11 years ago (2005-08-16) Founders Harold M. Schulweis and Janice Kamenir-Reznik Headquarters Encino, California, United States | ||
Jewish World Watch (JWW) works to end genocide and mass atrocities worldwide by educating and mobilizing individuals, advocating for policy changes and funding projects to support and build resilience in conflict-affected communities. JWW is primarily focused on the conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Jewish World Watch was founded on three distinct principles: that we must educate ourselves, raise our collective voices, and refuse to stand idly by while atrocities take place. The principles have formed the foundation for the three pillars to our work: Education, Advocacy, and our Projects on-the-ground.
Organizational History
Founded on the shared history of the Jewish people and the principle of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis (z”l) and Janice Kamenir-Reznik created Jewish World Watch (JWW) in 2004 after learning of the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Recalling the deafening silence during the Holocaust, and the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Rabbi Schulweis believed that we must not be silent in the face of yet another genocide; that we must educate ourselves and raise our collective voices, and that we cannot stand idly by. The “we” at the time was the Jewish people, but since its founding JWW has grown from a collection of Southern California synagogues into an organization that draws support from schools, churches, individuals, communities, and partner organizations across the country all sharing a vision of a world without genocide.
In March 2010, JWW became a member of the Eastern Congo Initiative founded by Ben Affleck.