A RELIGION, NOT A RACE:

Hasenson-Gross's efforts added to an unusual mobilization that has turned British Jews -- including their chief rabbi, who usually remains aloof from political issues that don't directly involve Jews or Israel -- into some of the most vocal advocates for the Chinese Muslim minority.

"Reflecting upon the deep pain of Jewish persecution throughout the ages, I feel compelled to speak out," Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis wrote in a December 15 op-ed in The Guardian titled "As chief rabbi, I can no longer remain silent about the plight of the Uighurs."

For British Jewry, the effort is akin to the fight by American Jews 15 years ago against the genocide in Darfur: a situation so resonant of the Jews' historical trauma that entire communities are joining in. Unusually, the push to draw attention to the Uighur cause is captivating not just liberal Jews often involved in issues of social justice but Orthodox Jews, as well.

"People in the rank and file of the community are talking about this issue," said Herschel Gluck, a prominent Orthodox rabbi who has fostered relationships with British Muslims. "This is something that is felt very deeply by the community. They feel that if 'Never again' is a term that needs to be used, this is certainly one of the situations where it applies."

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