As we approach the joyful holiday season, it is important to remember the challenges that so many across the world continue to face. Malaria, which is transmitted from the bite of a single mosquito, causes 200 million illnesses per year and kills more than 600,000 people, most of whom are children under the age of five. Jewish tradition teaches us that human life is sacred because all of humanity is created b’tselem Elohim, in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Thus, we must make sure to treat each life with equal value, and fight this disease that is both treatable and preventable.
We were thrilled to have a number of students lobby their senators and representatives about preventing malaria this past Monday at our first L’Taken Social Justice Seminar of the season. The students spoke passionately about why they care about this deadly disease and how their Member of Congress can become a champion of ending malaria by supporting full funding of the President’s Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Our Nothing But Nets Malaria Fellows have already also been working hard to improve awareness of malaria and fundraise on their college campuses. The Fellows joined us in DC last month for a summit where they learned how to be champions and worked to plan out their programming for the coming semester. They also spent that Monday on the Hill lobbying their Members of Congress.
However, you do not have to be in Washington to help prevent malaria! Our Social Justice Hanukkah Gift Guide presents a number of social justice-minded gift ideas, including gifting a net! You can join the Union for Reform Judaism's Nothing But Nets campaign with a simple gift of $10. This gift will provide a life-saving bed net to refugees living in the Horn of Africa, who have left their homes to seek safety from drought, famine and conflict. Help protect them from malaria, a leading cause of death among these families. Make a $10 donation and we'll send your recipient a special Hanukkah card or make a $20 donation and we'll send your recipient a Nothing But Nets "Buzzkill" T-shirts!
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