The human-rights crisis in Darfur is showing no signs of letting up, and Jewish leaders both on campus and off say they are embracing the issue in an effort to prevent another Holocaust.
Sunday, a group of about 25 Penn students from Hillel and campus group Students Taking Action Now: Darfur traveled to New York City to spread the word about genocide in Sudan.
They joined 20,000 people in Central Park for a Day for Darfur, as similar rallies went on in 45 cities around the globe. The New York event featured speakers and musical performances, including rock band Of A Revolution, which played at last semester's Spring Fling concert.
The predominantly Arab janjaweed militia, allegedly supported by the government of Sudan, is engaged in a conflict with non-Arabs living in and around the Darfur region.
The United Nations estimated that more than 400,000 Sudanese have been killed in the conflict, and a United Nations report earlier this year called it "the worst human-rights situation in the world today."
Jewish leaders on campus say the religious group identifies with - and has a responsibility to help - those facing oppression.
"The organized Jewish community on a national level has been making [Darfur] an issue," said Debbie Yunker, Hillel's director of engagement.
"Similar to the Nazis during the Holocaust, the janjaweed feel like they have a reason, but there doesn't seem to be a real reason for this to be continuing," she added.
The American Jewish World Service, Yunker said, was responsible for facilitating the attendance of more than 100,000 Jews at rallies on Sunday. The national organization provided travel grants to groups from synagogues and Hillels across the country, including Penn's.
The AJWS Web site sells "Save Darfur" yarmulkes, banners and wristbands to raise money for its Sudan Relief and Advocacy Fund.
At Sunday's rally, STAND Divestment co-Chairman Brad Rubin said, students from the Jewish-affiliated Yeshiva University held signs with the phrase "Yeshiva University students say, 'Never Again.'"
Penn's own Hillel also provides resources for activist groups.
"Jews have an obligation to never let [the Holocaust] happen to other people," said Rubin, a College sophomore.
But Jewish students certainly are not the only ones getting involved.
"I think that as citizens, not only of the U.S., but of all over the world, it is important that we are aware of things like genocide, and we work actively to end them," said College sophomore Rebecca Gerr, who attended the rally with the group from Penn.
The overall message of the rally, College freshman Corey Feldman said, was the notion that "genocide is happening on our watch."
The rally was timed to coincide with the opening of the U.N.'s General Assembly, and attendees wore blue berets in support of U.N. peacekeeping efforts.
The Sudanese government is preventing the U.N. troops from providing aid, Rubin said, so the rally helped send a strong message to world leaders that the U.N. has support.
