This is the NCJWBCS Archives (January 2013 - May 2021). The current site can be found here.

Bergen County Section Press Releases

National Council of Jewish Women
Bergen County Section
75 South Washington Avenue
Bergenfield, NJ 07621

Contact:
Elizabeth Halverstam
ehalverstam@ncjwbcs.org

WOMEN MAKING CHANGES IN ISRAEL

In celebration of the International Day of Women, National Council of Jewish Women Bergen County Section’s Israel Affairs Committee invites you to a program showcasing the accomplishments of three powerful, diverse Israeli feminist leaders. The panel will address the challenges of women’s empowerment in Israeli society and the work of NCJW’s Israel Granting Program (IGP) and Connecting for Impact (CFI). The program will take place on Zoom on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 12:30 PM. To register for this event or for more information, please visit www.ncjwbcs.org. There is no charge for the event.

The panel will be moderated by Liron Peleg-Hadomi, NCJW’s Representative in Israel, who oversees all programming and relationships on the ground. She oversaw the creation of NCJW’s Connecting for Impact Fellowship since its inception and is responsible for running the program. She manages the NCJW Israel Granting Program and networks with NCJW and Sections around the USA on Israeli issues relating to women and families. She works to empower women, advance gender equality, and support the strengthening of civil liberties, democracy and peace efforts. Over the last 20 years, she has been a CEO and consultant for a variety of civil society organizations committed to strengthening relations among communities in Israel through leadership development, learning exchange programs, and the creation of networks for social change. She is a member of the Global Leadership Network of Vital Voices.

Three illustrious panelists will present different aspects of how women are making changes in Israel.

Dana Meitav is Executive Director of the Israel Women’s Network since November 2020. IWN has been one of NCJW’s Israel Granting Program grantees for the past 2 years. She has held several legal, policy-promoting and strategic planning positions in the Civil Service Commission. Among them is Director of the Gender Equality Department. She will discuss the gender inequality in the Israeli workforce and the IWN’s response to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on women.

Debbie Gross is the founder and director of Tahel: Crisis Center for Religious Women and Children which serves women and children throughout Israel. She has developed an educational workshop program to give children and teenagers the skills to recognize and prevent sexual abuse and domestic violence. In addition, she has created training courses and workshops for rabbis and other religious leaders on how to intervene in cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse. She is a Connecting for Impact fellow. This year Ms. Gross was awarded the Nefesh B’Nefesh “Bonei Zion” Award which is given annually to formally recognize the achievements of outstanding Anglo immigrants and their contribution to the State of Israel. Ms. Gross will discuss how to intervene in cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse in the Religious community and will help define the challenges and ways to help.

Samah Salaime is the Director of the Wahat al-Salam Neve Shalom Communication and Development Department. She is a social worker, community activist and feminist. She is the founder and director of AWC: Arab Women in the Center, an NGO which seeks to promote the status of women in the cities of Ramla, Lod and Jaffa, and to combat gender-based violence against women, particularly in Arab societies. Ms. Salaime is a Connecting for Impact fellow and was chosen twice as Yediot Achronot, one of the ten most influential social activists in Israel by the Israeli National Newspaper. She will discuss the challenges Arab women are facing in Israel and will explore the ways to overcome those challenges with stories of inspiration from women who are effecting change in their communities.

Carole Benson, a NCJW Bergen County Section Vice President and Chair of the Israel Affairs Committee, says, “Through Zoom, we are able to learn how women are making changes in Israel from the perspectives of four remarkable Israeli women. These women are following in the footsteps of Ruth Bader Ginsburg who believed that ‘Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.’”
NCJW BCS provides educational and stimulating programs and speakers throughout the year, including six general meetings and a myriad of speakers, book groups, trips and advocacy activities. For Zoom instructions or information on NCJW BCS and its upcoming programs, please visit www.ncjwbcs.org.

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