NCJW December 2021 News and Events |
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December is here and so is Chanukah, the Festival of Lights! There are so many things I love about Chanukah (and not just the traditional exchanging of socks each year - this year my daughter gave me RBG socks!). For me, Chanukah is about light, hope and rededication - rededication to family, my community and to social justice! Eight festive nights bring eight opportunities to take action! I love coming up with 8 days of action each year for NCJW. If you missed the email on Sunday, you can find it here: https://conta.cc/3liidt7.
Today, December 1, more than any other day this year, we need you to take action. To join your voice with the more than 200,000 NCJW advocates around the country and speak out for abortion access. Today, the United States Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the state of Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that will determine whether or not Roe v Wade is overturned. This has the potential to undo decades of progress, taking us back to a time when people are forced to be pregnant with limited options. Our reproductive freedom is at stake. But the Chanukah candles bring light into a world of darkness; our little flickering lights are our stubborn reminder to ourselves to remain vigilant in our pursuit of light in a seemingly dark world. We know that reproductive freedom is religious freedom: ensuring that every person can make Chanukah reproductive decisions according to their own values and beliefs. That is why this Chanukah we rededicate ourself to the pursuit of freedom for all people, including abortion access for all.
Today, on December 1, visit https://ncjwcns.org/actions/1201actions/ and take action with us to protect abortion access! Now, more than ever, we need to show that supporting reproductive health, rights, and justice is an issue of moral concern, religious concern, and Jewish concern. Together, we can fight for laws that uplift rather than restrict reproductive freedom. Together, we can change the world.
Melissa Prober
NCJW CNS Executive Director
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Please Welcome our Newest Member:
Let's Celebrate some December Birthdays!
- Paula Alexander, Becky Brodsky, Carolee Caplan, Bev Copeland, Dorothy Fiedler, Donna Gutman, Beth Najberg, Elaine Nekritz, Ellie Prober, Stacy Saef, Cheryl Susman, Gail Weisberg
We regret to inform you of the Passing of:
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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.
To order a tribute, visit our donate page where you can use the donate form to indicate that you would like a Tribute card be sent. You will also find a link there to order packages of Tribute cards to have on hand for any special occasion. |
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To: The Family of Lois Berman
From: The NCJW CNS
Board of Directors
In Memory of Lois Berman
To: Cookie Cohn
From: Roberta Rittenberg
In memory of Steve Cohn
To: Andy and Lauren Absler
and Family
From: Joel and Sylvia Fishman
In memory of Bunny Rosen
To: Debbie Vietinghoff
From: Bev Frank
In honor of Debbie Vietinghoff
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To: Jan Schwartz
From: Jill Lexier
In honor of Jan Schwartz
To: Lisa Goldberg
From: The NCJW CNS
Board of Directors
In memory of Ted Pehr
To: Stephanie Orsi and Family
From: Joel and Sylvia Fishman
In memory of Bunny Rosen
To: Beth Najberg
From: Bev Frank
In honor of Beth Najberg
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Springfield Comes to Us:
A Conversation with Our Legislators
December 2 at 7:00 pm on Zoom
Over the past year NCJW CNS advocated successfully on many issues that were enacted into law, including fair and safe voting regulations, comprehensive sex education, criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and, most recently, the repeal of the PNA. Now is the time to prepare for the 2022 Illinois state legislative session and emerging issues we want to impact. Join us to meet with members of the Illinois Jewish Caucus who represent many of our section members: Rep. Jonathan Carroll Rep. Margaret Croke, Rep. Bob Morgan, Sen. Julie Morrison, Sen. Sarah Feigenholtz and Sen. Ram Villivalam. While they share their views and perspectives, you too will have the opportunity to bring up issues in which you’re most interested. Your voice is important. By fostering our relationship with state legislators, we strengthen what can be accomplished. Click here to register.
Soup Kitchen at Beth Emet
December 8 at 4:00 pm
Volunteers are needed to prepare bag lunches and salad for the NCJW Soup Kitchen at Beth Emet synagogue December 8, 2021. You will need to drop these items off (no volunteers on site). Cash donations are also very much appreciated. For more information on preparing food, please contact Ellen Hall at ellenyhall@aol.com, To donate, please visit Donate - Chicago North Shore (ncjwcns.org) and earmark your donation for Soup Kitchen.
Hannah G Solomon Virtual Award Presentation to Sara Feigenholtz
December 8 from 7:00 pm — 7:30 pm
Join us as we honor Senator Sara Feigenholtz, recipient of the Hannah G. Solomon Award 2020-2021. NCJW Chicago North Shore is proud to present the Hannah G. Solomon Award to Senator Sara Feigenholtz. This prestigious award is presented to a woman who has helped to change and expand the role of other women in vital areas of community life, and whose leadership has motivated others to fight for change. Click here to register.
9th Annual Interfaith Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence
December 11 from 5:00 pm — 6:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Church, 3637 Golf Rd, Evanston, IL 60203
On December 11, we can all come together to continue to honor victims and survivors of gun violence and create a space for community support and healing.
This event will adhere to the Village of Skokie guidelines with respect to COVID mitigation practices, including masking and social distancing. Click here to attend in person. Click here to attend virtually.
She Votes Illinois Presents: The Ugly Truth Behind Crisis Pregnancy Centers
December 9 at 6:00 pm
Join She Votes and partners on Thursday, December 9 at 6pm CST for an in-depth conversation about the dangerous practices of crisis pregnancy centers. Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are storefronts that use false and misleading advertising and they offer of free pregnancy tests or other services to lure individuals into their offices. Then, their goal is to prevent visitors from making autonomous decisions about their pregnancy by discouraging abortion and even misrepresenting the safety and commonality of this essential care. These practices block entrants from making fully informed choices about their reproductive health and may endanger their health by delaying access to legitimate healthcare services. Click here to register.
The Three Ps of Friends and Allies: the personal, political and professional!
December 16 at 7:30 pm
As we celebrate Chanukah in December, we gather with family but also with friends. For many, our friends ARE our family. We will talk about the value of female friendships in our personal lives, including our relationships with Jewish women in particular. Also, we’ll talk about friendships in the work place and creating allies who can help women advance and succeed professionally (including office politics and the importance of allies at work). Join us for some lively conversation.
In the spirit of Chanukah, send Donna your favorite Chanukah recipe, and we’ll do a recipe swap! Click here to register.
NCJW Spotlight: The Challenge of Advocacy: Where do I Begin?
December 27, 7:00 pm
If you’re a novice who clicks on links asking you to support causes or you're ready to work with a legislator to initiate a bill, you’ll learn about advocacy and your advocacy capacity at this interactive Spotlight.
Sue Loellbach, Manager of Advocacy for Connections for the Homeless, https://www.connect2home.org/, will lead us to discover where each of us is on a continuum of advocacy and how we achieve the next level.
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Taste of NCJW
January 16 from 3:00-4:30
Join us on Zoom (from the cozy comfort of your home) on Sunday, January 16th, 2022, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm, as we ring in the new year with a ‘Taste of NCJW’! We’ll enjoy some favorite recipes to stave off winter doldrums, while learning about NCJW’s volunteer and community service opportunities!
Spotlight on Reproductive Justice
January 24 at 7:00 pm
NCJW Spotlight provides a platform to examine and discuss current social justice issues. Engaged individuals then act to transform their communities. Join us in January for an update from the Reproductive Health Coalition. Please check back for registration and more information about this particular spotlight program.
Repro Shabbat
January 28-29
Repro Shabbat is an opportunity for congregations, organizations, and communities to celebrate the critical importance of reproductive health access, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice, and to learn more about Judaism’s approach to these issues.
JCC Chicago Jewish Film Festival: Belly of the Beast Panel
January 23 at 7:00 pm
Join us for a screening and panel discussion of the film Belly of the Beast.
When a courageous young woman and a radical lawyer discover a pattern of illegal sterilizations in California’s women’s prisons, they wage a near-impossible battle against the Department of Corrections. This shocking legal drama captured over 7-years features extraordinary access and intimate accounts from currently and formerly incarcerated people, demanding attention to a shameful and ongoing legacy of eugenics and reproductive injustice in the United States. Registration information will be available in January.
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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 Gives Back December 2021
NCJW CNS is giving back to Mothers Against Community Gun Violence by donating books to local children and young adults who are coping with the trauma of gun violence in their lives. All donated books will be distributed through MACGV Chicago’s grief support groups. For the list of books to donate and links to local booksellers, please click here.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Service Project
The City of Highland Park’s Annual Martin Luther King Day of Service will take place virtually again this year on January 17, 2022. NCJW will be participating in the donation line from 12- 2 pm that day collecting items that will be used to fill the Mother’s Day Gift Bags for women/ families in area shelters for Mother’s Day. Items needed are new fleece blankets, travel size toiletries, regular size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, tooth brushes, tooth paste, other personal grooming items, like nail polish, files, clippers, perfume, scarfs, new pillows, small activity items for school-age children. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
Thank You!
Thanks to everyone who donated warm weather items for our NCJW Gives Back collection for the Night Ministry. Learn more about all NCJW Chicago North Shore community service projects at SERVICE - Chicago North Shore (ncjwcns.org)
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December 1 Actions for Abortion Access The fate of Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance. Join us in mobilizing together to protect abortion access this Wednesday, December 1st.
On December 1, the United States Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the state of Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that will determine whether or not Roe v Wade is overturned. This has the potential to undo decades of progress, taking us back to a time when people are forced to be pregnant with limited options.
It is critical for us to show up and speak out and we must acknowledge that we are still battling a pandemic. We encourage you to show up in the ways that feel best and safest for you. Your voice is needed whether in person or online. Here’s how you can join us:
December 1: Rally with NCJW at the Supreme Court in Washington DC
For those local or interested in being in DC, join us in person on December 1st first for our Interfaith Gathering and meetup at 7:30am ET and then for the Abortion Is Essential Rally at the Court. We will have NCJW hats, scarves, and posters. Dress warm. Please note that for security purposes we are not advertising the location of the Interfaith Gathering publicly and attendees must complete this form to receive the location information via email the night before the event.
December 1: Watch the Abortion Is Essential Rally from Home or with a Group
The Abortion Is Essential Supreme Court rally will be livestreamed here starting around 8:15 am ET on December 1, 2021. Consider watching with friends or family and sharing your reflections on social media using the hashtags #73Forward #AbortionIsEssential and #BansOffOurBodies. The oral arguments begin at 10:00 am ET.
Ongoing: Contact your Senators
Voice your support for the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), which would provide federal protections to access abortion care throughout the United States.
Ongoing: Talk about Abortion
Take action in your own home to talk about abortion with your family and/or friends. Consider printing out this #73Forward Courageous Conversation on reproductive journeys or this text study on The Torah of Reproductive Freedom. Simply pass out the conversation guides and start talking. The more we talk about abortion, the more we normalize it. And remember, we all love someone who has had an abortion!
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House Approves “Build Back Better Act” with Historic Housing Investments; Contact Your Senators!
The House of Representatives approved the Build Back Better Act, a $1.75 trillion economic recovery package that includes more than $150 billion in affordable housing investments!
With this vote, Congress is one step closer to enacting this historic legislation, which includes robust funding: $25 billion to expand rental assistance to over 300,000 households; $65 billion to preserve the nation’s deteriorating public housing infrastructure; and $15 billion for the national Housing Trust Fund to build and preserve over 150,000 affordable, accessible homes for households with the lowest income.
Email and call your senators and urge them to support the Build Back Better Act and its historic investments in rental assistance, public housing, and the Housing Trust Fund!
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Hanger Project Reproductive Justice Charms
Abortion is a racial justice issue. It is an economic justice issue. It is a public health issue. We must continue to advocate for access to abortion so that everyone, not just those in positions of privilege, can make their own health care decisions with dignity. NCJW has been advocating for reproductive rights, health and justice for over 125 years. And for any donation of $36 or more, we will will send you a Hanger Project charm to symbolize the desperate acts women will take when they don’t have access to safe abortion care. No woman should EVER have to resort to a coat hanger in place of safe, quality healthcare. Click here to donate. |
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Membership - Are you up to date?
Annual Member? Most NCJW annual memberships expired on June 30? Click here to join, renew or gift a membership online. If you prefer to mail a check, please send your membership donation to the NCJW Chicago North Shore (NCJWCNS) to: NCJW Chicago North Shore, 5 Revere Drive, Suite 200, Northbrook, IL 60062. Your annual membership donation is only $50 but it helps us make such a difference! And for those 36 and under, we offer a special double chai membership rate of just $36!
Life Member? You're not just a life member because you made that life member donation back in the day - you are a life member because you are the heart and soul of our section! Is there someone in your life that you think would enjoy being a part of our group of motivated, fun, and thoughtful women? A collective of folks connecting with each other and learning together as a community of progressive change-makers. If you do, why not gift them a membership!
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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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