Our first press release:

Detroit to Darfur: Michigan Jews Respond to Genocide in
Africa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: P.J. Cherrin, 248-642-5393
March 22, 2006

BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Concerned about the current crisis in Africa, the local Jewish community is mobilizing an organized response to the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Detroit to Darfur, a coalition that includes the Jewish Community Council, the Board of Rabbis and the American Jewish Committee, along with congregations and individual activists, has recently been formed and is already planning several community events.

"This is a world crisis that cannot be ignored and affects every one of us," said Robert Cohen, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council, a lead organizer of the Detroit to Darfur Coalition. "Our goal is to educate and mobilize the Detroit community about the horrific situation in Darfur. As Jews, we understand that a holocaust must never happen again."

Plans are underway for an educational forum on the afternoon of Sunday, April 16th, which will be open to the public. The Coalition has also begun to make arrangements for Detroiters to join the Rally to Stop Genocide, which will take place at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on April 30. Organizers of the Save Darfur Coalition are projecting that thousands of Jews from across the country will participate in the national rally. Leading that Coalition are the American Jewish World Service (http://www.ajws.org/) and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (http://www.jewishpublicaffairs.com/), the national organization of the Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Detroit.

Organizations are encouraged to screen a DVD, produced by the Save Darfur Coalition (http://www.savedarfur.org/), which is available at the Jewish Community Council office. The DVD includes background and history on the genocide, details on the US and UN response, stories of individual Americans who have mobilized, ideas for taking action, and information about the “Million Voices for Darfur” postcard campaign.

Individuals interested in more information on upcoming events, including the April 16th forum, the Washington rally, the DVD, or participating in Detroit to Darfur can contact the Jewish Community Council at (248) 642-5393. An informational blog on Detroit to Darfur may be found at: http://detroit2darfur.blogspot.com. Registration for the rally is available at http://www.ajws.org/.