Run Against Genocide

This is a great story from North Jersey. Two synogogues got together to hold a run to raise the profile of the Sudanese genocide as part of their annual run in anticipation of Chanukah.

The 6-mile torch run had a new purpose this year: to shine light on a genocide in Sudan that has claimed more than 180,000 lives and displaced about 2 million people since 2003.

Organizers said they hope to raise awareness and encourage politicians to get involved.

"During the Holocaust, everybody felt that they didn't want to speak out," said one of the runners, Larry Silverman, a member of Barnert Temple. "We've gone through it and few people spoke up for us, and we're not going to let that happen to anybody else."

The runners - members of both synagogues - left Beth Rishon at about 9:45 a.m., arriving at Barnert Temple a half-hour later. About 100 children - students at Barnert's religious school — greeted the runners with songs, including Peter Yarrow's "Light One Candle." One of the runners used the torch to light the menorah.

One has to wonder whether the large Muslim population in nearby Patterson, New Jersey or Jersey City, New Jersey would take similar steps to decry the Sudanese genocide. Let's just say I'm not holding my breath.