An unprecedented coalition of cross-denominational Los Angeles rabbis sent an open letter to U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), urging him to take action in Congress to support the Uyghur people in China’s Xinjiang province. The People’s Republic of China has drawn international condemnation for its aggressive policies toward the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic and linguistic minority group. Within the last month, the United States and Canada have labeled China’s actions toward the Uyghurs – which include the use of internment camps and forced sterilization – crimes against humanity and genocide.

Nearly every senior rabbi in Los Angeles signed the letter, which was organized by Rabbi Pini Dunner of Young Israel of North Beverly Hills Synagogue.

“The horror stories we have heard about the Uyghur people in China being seized at night, their heads being shaved, then being put on trains and interned in concentration camps, forced into slave labor, and systematically murdered – are all too familiar to the Jewish community,” the letter read. “For us, the undersigned, remaining silent is simply not possible. We cannot stand by as the blood of our human brethren is spilled by evil murderers for no reason other than their faith and ethnic identity. All of us feel that the Chinese government must be held accountable for this unconscionable crime against humanity.”

“We implore you to take action in Congress in support of the Uyghur people,” the letter added. “One thing that you can do immediately is to cosponsor the newly reintroduced House Bill HR 6210 – Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, to help ensure that goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China do not ever enter the United States for commercial purposes, or indeed for any other purpose. This legislation will ensure that American consumers do not become unwitting supporters of the genocide and crimes against humanity being committed against the Uyghur people of China through purchases of consumer goods made in any part with Uyghur forced labor.”