Social Justice

A Message from Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch

There are times in our lives when we just have to get on the bus.

There are times in our lives when evil is so pervasive and suffering is so horrendous, that decent people are shaken from their complacency and are driven to do something—anything!

We are living in such a time. Genocide is being perpetuated in western Sudan, in a region called Darfur. We do not know the people of Darfur. We never heard of them before the recent onslaught. They have probably never heard of us. Many of us could not even find Darfur on the map before its plight came to our attention.

Social Action in Action @ SWFS & Around the World

Encouraged by Rabbi Hirsch to "get on the bus," 120 congregants and friends of SWFS boarded three chartered buses early in the morning on April 30 to participate in the "Save Darfur" Rally in Washington DC.

The Washington Rally was effective. The Sudanese government signed a peace agreement in May. But violence, food shortages, and disease continue to plague the people of Darfur, and so our response to ongoing genocide must continue.

Coinciding with the opening of the 61st U.N. General Assembly, we joined thousands of others in a "Voices to Stop Genocide: Save Darfur" Rally in Central Park's East Meadow on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2-5 pm. We gathered to pressure Sudan to agree to a U.N. peacekeeping force to provide security and help implement the Darfur Peace Agreement; and we gathered to pressure the U.N. Security Council to deploy a robust, 17,000 U.N. peacekeeping force.

Learn more about Stephen Wise Free Synagogue's commitment to a Caring Community and Social Services, and find out what's on our Calendar this week and ahead by clicking the links at the left.