Jewish Women International has always stood with our sisters in Israel. Since Oct. 7, 2023, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, the urgency of this work has become clear.
JWI has been at the forefront of leading the call for accountability for survivors and those who were killed by Hamas and other terrorist groups on Oct. 7. Below, you’ll find additional resources and information about our work.
Through our I Believe Israeli Women initiative, we’ve partnered with the Seed the Dream Foundation to support Israeli survivors of gender-based violence on and after Oct. 7 and their families, who are facing denial and disinformation about what happened to them.
JWI Thought Leadership: OpEds, Speeches, and More
Congressional Appearances
• JWI CEO Meredith Jacobs spoke at a Congressional Roundtable on the October 7th Gender Based Violence against Israeli Women on Feb. 14, 2024
(Intro to Meredith’s speech begins at 1:17:00)
• JWI Senior Director Laura E. Adkins spoke on a Hill Briefing on Women, Peace, and Security Policy Responses to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Globally, placing what happened on Oct. 7 into the global context, on Feb. 23, 2024
Articles in the Forward
“The women’s movement has a double standard when sexual violence happens to Jews”
by Meredith Jacobs on Nov. 27, 2023
by Laura E. Adkins on March 29, 2024
Articles in the Jewish Journal
“Why I’m Adding a Flower to the Seder Plate This Year”
by Laura E. Adkins on April 18, 2024
JWI Statements and Position Papers
• Response to the March 2024 U.N. Sexual Violence Report (March 4, 2024)
• Statement on survivor Amit Soussana’s testimony (March 26, 2024)
• Statement on the bodies of Israeli hostages found in Gaza (May 17, 2024)
Additional Resources on Oct. 7 Sexual Violence
Associated Press
“New signs emerge of ‘widespread’ sexual crimes by Hamas”
The New York Times
“‘Screams Without Words’: How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7”
”Israeli Hostage Says She Was Sexually Assaulted and Tortured in Gaza”
Physicians for Human Rights
“Gender-Based Violence as a Weapon of War during the October 7 Hamas Attacks”
Our Work in the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Young Women’s Impact Network
YWIN Israel Mission Blog (Coming late May 2024)