Elaine Bieger, Gladys Laden, Ann Levenstein and Shelly Winner were proud to be your delegates at the NCJW Triennial Convention in St. Louis in early March. Following are just a few of our take-aways:
- In attendance were 230 delegates and 5 alternates representing 32 sections from across the county. The participants ranged in age from very young on up!
- “Gifting” new members will continue for the 2014-15 year.
- Women Who Dare Awards were presented to several amazing women, including an ob-gyn who is based in LA but runs a clinic in Albuquerque, NM where she is one of a handful of U.S. doctors who performs late-term abortion. Another awardee was a young woman who had been a victim of human trafficking and now speaks out about her horrible ordeal.
- Our own Ellen Jacobs was honored as an outgoing National Board member.
- HIPPY USA is celebrating its 25th anniversary in May in Washington D.C. Hillary Clinton plans to attend.
- Former National Board member and BCS member Helen Astmann helped us celebrate NCJW’s 120 years of social change.
- NCJW, Inc. was presented with the Founder’s Award from HIPPY USA.
- BCS Co-President Ann Levenstein presented our 22 years of outstanding Stay-at-Home campaigns in a fundraising workshop. The participants were wowed by our creative invitations, and many used their Smart Phones to photograph them.
- Our section is right on target: workshops focused on Human Trafficking, the Affordable Care Act, Reproductive Justice and Why Courts Matter (to name 4 of the 16 workshops offered).
- NCJW, Inc. has formed a Trafficking Advisory Board to implement its new initiative on human trafficking.
- We learned that Sammie Moshenberg, after 30 years as Director of our DC operation, is retiring on June 30. Aren’t we lucky to have her for our April 29 general meeting.
Some interesting facts we learned:
- Only 30% of federal judges are women.
- Voting is the one time we are all equal: young and old, black or white, rich or poor. Voting is the essence of democracy.
- Voting suppression is growing rapidly in many states. This is the first time in our history that the Constitution is being used to take away rights rather than granting them.
- Children in foster care are often victims of human trafficking.
- Social change is not a sprint; it’s a marathon.
We learned, we laughed, we voted, we debated, we prayed, we shared, we installed AND we were bursting with pride when Bergen County Section’s name was called as the winner of the best project in the Community Impact category at the “Show Me Showcase” for our COURTHOUSE WAITING ROOM FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Co-President Gladys Laden put together a striking exhibit to share with our NCJW sisters. |
 Bergen County Section delegates. L-R Helen Astmann, Ellen Jacobs, Ann Levenstein, Gladys Laden, Shelly Winner, Elaine Bieger  Bergen County Section delegates. L-R Gladys Laden, Elaine Bieger and Shelly Winner voting during a plenary.  Our COMMUNITY IMPACT Award  Co-President Gladys Laden displaying the Section’s Community Impact Award which we won for our Bergen County Courthouse Waiting Room  Co-President Ann Levenstein at our Human Trafficking exhibit at the “Show Me” Showcase |
