NCJW May 2021 News and Events
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My has arrived and brought with it songbirds, daffodils, and warm weather. And of course, May means Mother's Day. We want to thank all those that participated ins our annual Mother's Day Basket Project. Your support means so much to the women spending Mother's Day in DV shelters in our community and we couldn't keep this program going year after year without you.
NCJW is all about leaving this world a better place for the next generation. Whether you are a mother or a mother figure, thank you for your support and thank you for making a difference,
“It’s about leaving something better for our kids. That’s how we’ve always moved this country forward, by all of us coming together on behalf of our children, folks who volunteer to coach that team, to teach that Sunday school class, because they know it takes a village.”
— Michelle Obama, on the future she wants for all children
May also means it's time to vote on our Officer and Director Slate for 2021-2022. Click here (or scroll down) to see the slate and vote! All NCJW Chicago North Shore Members are eligible to vote; and any eligible votes not submitted by June 5 will be deemed to be a vote in favor of the slate as submitted.
And scroll down for section news and information and more details about these great May events:
- May 6: Men in the Making: Domestic Sex Trafficking and the Male Buyer
- May 8: National John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Action Day
- May 13: Advocacy and the Arts: Last Hermanos Audio Play and Talk Back
- May 19: Salon: Running on Empty: Mindfulness Practices to Avoid Burnout
- May 24: NCJW Spotlight: Black Maternal Health
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Let's Celebrate some April Birthdays!
- Rachel Belkov
- Barbara Dolinger
- Erin Dubin
- Shirlee Goldman-Herzog
- Marlene Hirshman
- Joy Horwich
- Grace Kaminowitz
- Cindy Karlan
- Terry Kass
- Jacqueline Kimel
- Amy Kleinman
- Lili Lang
- Janet Lunsik
- Rae Luskin
- Paula McKernan
- Alison Packer
- Alison Salzman
- Lesley Shindler Hughes
- Estelle Weiss
- Nora Zuckerman
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Thank you to those who have completed our membership survey! It really helps to have all that information as we start to plan for next year (and next year starts July 1). We are leaving the survey up for one more month so if you haven't already responded, please do so. It's pretty quick and the information is so helpful to make sure we can get you the program, advocacy and community service information that most interestes you! Click here for the survey.
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You can honor and celebrate a special event in you or a loved one's life by purchasing an NCJW tribute. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and personal wins - big or small - are all great ways to honor and celebrate those we love and are most proud of.
Click here for information on how to order tributes
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From Bruce and Laura Zimmerman
to: Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From Bruce and Laura Zimmerman
to Marc and Jeanne Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From Kenneth Klinger
to: Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From David Calzaretta
to: Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
To Don and Becky Cagen
From Patricia Behrens
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From Debra Turoff
To Don and Becky Cagen
In memory Miriam Cagen
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From Sandy Ridker
to: Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From Andrea Markowicz
to Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From The NCJW CNS Board of Directors
To Donna Hershkopf
In Memory of Sophie Pollack
From: Marsha and Joe Liss
To Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
From Holly Krakow & Makom Solel Lakeside
To Don and Becky Cagen
In memory of Miriam Cagen
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Men in the Making: Domestic Sex Trafficking and the Male Buyer
Thursday, May 6, 2021, 7:00 pm
JCAST Chicago is thrilled to partner with Mary Bonnett and Her Story Theater for this event featuring a fifteen-minute monologue taken from Mary’s fourth play, MONGER performed by Jamise Wright, Artistic Associate, Her Story Theater and lead in original MONGER production. After the performance, Mary Bonnett and Ryan Spooner, CAASE Prevention Educator, will explore the impact of men’s participation in domestic sex trafficking; and how it effects individual lives, families, and communities. Please note, this program will contain adult content and mature themes. We invite audience members who are triggered during the program to do what you need to feel safe including turning off your camera or leaving the event until you feel comfortable returning. If you have any questions, please reach out to jcast@ncjwcns.org. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Action Day Votercade
May 8, 12:00 pm
On May 8, 2021, a “John Lewis National Day of Action” will ignite public support for restoring the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act. We will take the streets with more than 100 “Votercades” in more than 100 cities. On this day, street activism will join virtual activism, introducing a new concept to engage young voters and “next generation voters” through the use of a “Virtual Voter Activist Village.” Let’s get in “good trouble” together! The Chicago’s Votercade will line-up at four different Chicago locations at 1:00pm and converge at Soldier Field. The Evanston Votercade will line up at Fleetwood-Jourdain (1555 Foster Street) at *12:30pm* and proceed to ETHS (1600 Dodge Avenue) parking lot A. To participate, please click here: johnlewisdayofaction.org Early signups are strongly encouraged so that we can best prepare for the number of cars/people participating. Chicago Votorcade participants will be notified with the line-up location closest to them. Cars will receive their placards at the line-up site. You cannot enter Soldier Field’s parking lot without a placard.
Advocacy and the (Virtual) Arts
Last Hermanos, an Audio Play with Talk Back
Thursday, May 13 at 7:00 pm
Join NCJW for this amazing and exclusive event. Last Hermanos, an audio translation of a stage-work in progress, is a story of tenacious brotherhood, both chosen and blood. Set in the not-too distant future, brothers Miguel and Julio are fleeing an America where being Latinx is a life sentence. Finding themselves sequestered in a Texas state park, the arrival of a sympathetic deserter, Shepherd, brings the conflict between Julio’s desire for revolution and Miguel’s need to return to normalcy into sharp focus. Registration is $18 which gives you access to the audio play from May 1-16 and to a virtual Theatre Talk Back at 7pm CST on May 13th with Chicago actor and Red Orchid ensemble member Larry Grimm. The registration fee supports both the Red Orchid Theatre community and NCJW’s Advocacy and the Arts programming. Click here to register.
Salon: Running on Empty: Mindfulness Practices to Avoid Burnout
Wednesday, May 19, 7:30 pm
Many advocates and caregivers have a habit of running on empty, living in a constant state of “burn out.” Creative Mindfulness is your opportunity to take time to slow down and breathe, take time to reflect and create. In this transformational program, discover several easy micro strategies and practices to nourish your spirit, fill your emotional cup and tap into your inner wisdom.
We will discover several easy techniques to nourish our spirit, fill our emotional cup and tap into our inner wisdom through the transformational and healing power or ART. Creativity is life-force energy! When you tap into your authentic creative expression you tap into your life-force energy and you naturally become healthier, full of vibrancy and inspiration. Upon registration, we will send you the art project, and you’ll need pens, crayons or colored pencils and paper. Click here to register
NCJW Spotlight: Black Maternal Health
Monday, May 24, 7:00 pm
Black mothers deserve quality and accessible health care. Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience pregnancy-related deaths than white women and face more generally preventable complications. Join us as we learn about these health disparities right here in Illinois and the state and federal legislative efforts to address them. We’ll hear a special message from Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, as she introduces the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act , a series of 12 bills to save moms’ lives and end racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes. Click here to register.
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NCJW Annual Leadership Celebration:
A Toast to Leadership
Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Save the date for our
NCJW Virtual Leadership Celebration!
Join us on Zoom as we honor our outgoing board members, welcome our incoming board and kick off our new Leona Z. Rosenberg Leadership Initiative. Registration will open May 15.
Click here for more information as it becomes available.
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Did you miss a program or wish you could rewatch or share it with a friend? Visit our YouTube Channel for recordings of many of our Zoom Programs from the last year.
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NCJW Chicago North Shore Proposed
2021-2022 Slate of Officers and Directors
The NCJW Chicago North Shore 2021 Nominating Committee has offered the following proposed slate of officers and directors for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Please use the form below the slate to vote. All NCJW Chicago North Shore Members are eligible to vote; and any eligible votes not submitted by June 5 will be deemed to be a vote in favor of the slate as submitted. Click here to submit your vote.
President: Debbie Vietinghoff
President Elect: Kim Sterling
Secretary: Robbie Schreiber
Recording Treasurer: Rhea Swider
Director of Administration: Sarah Hirsen
Director of Fundraising: Jan Schwartz
Director of Advocacy: Bev Copeland
Director of Community Outreach Initiatives: Barb Dolinger
Director of Violence Against Women Initiative: Sherry Petlin
Director of Engagement: Open
Director of Communications and Marketing: Holly Smith
Director of Community Service: Donna Fishman
Board Members At Large: Amy Rubin
Board Members At Large: Lisa Goldberg
Board Members At Large: Bonnie Braverman
Board Members At Large: Julie Newman
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What is PNA and why we need to repeal it NOW!
PNA is the Parental Notice of Abortion Act which requires a health care provider to notify an adult family member prior to performing an abortion for a patient under 18. Although the Act allows for a judicial bypass for those who cannot notify an adult family member,
decades of research and experience demonstrate that laws like this hurt young people and serve no valid purpose.
The time has come to repeal this harmful legislation. It’s critical that we call our state legislators (even if we’ve done this before) and let them know we support the Repeal of the PNA. The opposition is mounting so our representatives need to hear from us.
Safeguarding reproductive rights is more important than ever. With a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, antiabortion groups across the United States are working hard to dismantle the constitutional right to access abortion established by Roe v. Wade.
Fortunately, NCJW and its Coalition partners have been working tirelessly over the years to secure these rights in Illinois. In 2017, we passed House Bill 40 which removed restrictions that made it difficult for women enrolled in Medicaid to plan if and when to have children. In 2019, we enacted the Reproductive Health Act (RHA), establishing reproductive health care as a fundamental right in Illinois. The RHA repealed the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975 and required private health insurance plans in Illinois to cover abortion as they do other pregnancy related care.
Repeal of PNA is the final piece to securing reproductive rights for all people in Illinois. We believe forced parental involvement laws like PNA create real and significant barriers to abortion access for many young people. While we hope all young people are able to talk to their parents about important life decisions, we know this is not always the case. Our Jewish tradition of pursuing justice for all means that we must not stand idly by while barriers to health care place any individual’s health or well-being at risk. At NCJW we believe that every person has the right to make their own moral and faith-informed decisions about their body, health and family. Our Jewish values teach us that reproductive freedoms are integrally bound to our religious liberty.
Contact your legislator today! Click Here to Find your Elected Official
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On January 20th, 2021, President Biden was sworn in. After, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) released our top 10 priorities list for the 46th administration’s first 100 Days focused on promoting and advancing the rights of women, children, and families. NCJW advocates across the country met with their members of Congress, hosted educational events to mobilize volunteers, and took action to help communities access COVID-19 vaccines. Nationally, we leveraged our collective impact in the coalitions we lead or engage with, including specific efforts to confirm Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke in their appointments to the Department of Justice and the passing of HR-1, the For the People Act.
We lobbied the White House directly, meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss Equal Pay Day, with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff to discuss the American Rescue Plan, and with Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to help with the vaccination release. We worked with the directors of the newly formed Gender Policy Council to discuss paid family leave, with Homeland Security Director Alejandro Mayorkas to share our immigration asks that are rooted in dignity and better for women and children.
We organized meetings for the White House as well: We coordinated a meeting with the office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and a diverse group of faith leaders to urge President Biden to be more outspoken in his support for reproductive freedom based on his faith. We introduced the White House to diverse Jews from around the country to make sure that they weren’t only consulting with white men representing the Jewish community in their committees and meetings.
The collective power of our efforts locally and nationally have led to us being able to accomplish 9 of our 10 priorities. Thank you to NCJW and the incredible network of NCJW advocates who continue to make lasting and impactful change.
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Presenting NCJW’s 2021 Israel Grant Recipients
For the last 20 years, NCJW has been investing in nonprofit organizations throughout Israel that improve the lives of women, children, and families. Thanks to donations from individuals and NCJW sections, we have allotted funding to six organizations making critical change. Click here to see the list and learn more about the NCJW Israel Granting Program.
Celebrate NCJW's 20 Year Partnership with Tel Aviv University
Date: June 17, 2021
Time: 12:00 pm EST
Location: Zoom link available following RSVP
Save the date! On Thursday, June 17 at 12:00 pm EST, NCJW will be celebrating a twenty-year partnership with Tel Aviv University and our co-founding of the NCJW Women and Gender Studies Program! Join us as we gather to celebrate the many successes of the first bachelor’s degree program of its kind in the Middle East. Click here for more information and to register.
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We Demand Better: A citywide housing forum
Tuesday, May 4, 2021, 5:30 pm
Hosted by Bring Chicago Home and Right to Recovery. Free to attend: Stream on Zoom or Facebook Live. Click here to register.
Celebrate Jewish American History Month
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 7:00pm
Join the Decalogue Society of Lawyers and Jewish Judges Association of Illinois. for a virtual Jewish sports program featuring Ron Blomberg Former NY Yankees and Chicago White Sox player telling Jewish sports stories with Justice Robert E. Gordon and Greg Harris. Click here to register.
Feasting, Fasting and Feelings; Oy Vey! A Transdiagnostic Approach to Treating Eating Disorders in the Jewish Community
June 3, 2021, 8:45 am
This 2 CE seminar will explore the impact of eating disorders in the Jewish community and provide evidence-based tools and creative strategies for clinicians to utilize in their practice. While we will explore the many aspects of Judaism that can readily be implemented for healing with eating disorders patients, we will also address those rituals and practices that may trigger the onset or maintenance of an ongoing eating disorder. The importance of working with emotional tolerance skills will be examined and clinicians will have the opportunity to learn how Jewish observances can be implemented as part of an effective value-based approach so critical to recovery. Click here to register.
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Chicago North Shore has several new ways to support our section. As always, you can make a one time donation or purchase a tribute (links are below), you can even purchase an NCJW star necklace or hanger charm or become a monthly donor!
NCJW is recognized as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code. Contributions to it are tax deductible to the full extent provided by the law.
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