The Adas Israel Social Action Committee is coordinating an open letter to the Biden Administration from synagogues, rabbis, and other leaders of Jewish religious institutions and community organizations. Our intent is to make a public, moral statement from the Jewish community in all its diversity by bringing together a broad tent of Jewish voices.
Following the designation by the US government of the Chinese government’s actions against the Uyghurs a genocide , Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt worked with the Adas Israel Congregation Social Action Committee to establish a Uyghur Crisis Response Team. The team has worked to raise awareness of the Uyghur genocide in a number of ways. An initial educational event with Jewish World Watch, Human Rights Watch, the Uyghur Human Rights Project and Uyghur community members began the process. Since then we have worked with Jewish World Watch to create materials to include in the Passover seder and participated in their Uyghur seder. We are holding monthly protest walks from our synagogue to the Chinese Embassy. We have found therapists to provide pro bono therapy to Uyghur refugees. We have had Uyghur community members speak to the larger social action team and speak at our protest walks. This Open Letter to the Biden Administration is a part of an effort to raise awareness within our community, the DC region and now to the broader Jewish community of the dire situation the Uyghurs are experiencing. The Biden Administration needs to hear the moral voice of Jews raised in support of the actions they have taken and urging them to do more.
To add your name to the letter please click here to sign.
