“Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.”

The admonition from Leviticus is taken literally by Jewish World Watch, a non-profit organization founded by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis and Janice Kamenir-Reznik in 2004 as a Jewish response to the ethnic cleansing in Darfur. The group has since extended its mission to fight genocide and mass atrocities in Sudan and eastern Congo.

Last week 2,200 demonstrators took part in the 5^th Annual Walk to End Genocide, marching in a three-mile loop from Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills. Their goal was to raise awareness of the issues and encourage continued activism.

“When a lot of people get together,” said Kamenir-Reznik, “and energize themselves to be able to focus on an issue, it not only has an impact in the media and to the people who see us walking, but it inspires every person that’s here to dedicate themselves – to rededicated themselves—to the cause of ending genocide.”

Together with the smaller walks that took place in Santa Rosa and Orange County the week before, participants and sponsors donated an estimated $160,000, exceeding the organization’s fundraising goals for the event.

Jewish World Watch not only supports political action and advocacy here at home, it has established medical facilities, schools, development projects and women’s crisis centers on the ground in the conflict zones.