Holiday Greetings from NCJW CEO Sheila Katz

As we approach The holidays, we are reminded to be the light in the darkness. October 7th showed us the worst of humanity. It’s on us to be the best of humanity. We have a long way to go to repair this broken world, and we are grateful to be in this work together.

Chanukah, Winter Solstice/ Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa…. in the darkest time of the year we are buoyed by traditions celebrating light, joy, and peace. Thank YOU for your dedication to bringing about a better world and being the light onto our community.



WISHING YOU A JOYOUS, LIGHT-FILLED DECEMBER AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Floridians Protecting Freedom – putting the abortion rights petition on the 2024 Florida ballot.

We have wonderful news to share, for those who may not have heard. Our NCJW advocacy group, headed up by our indefatigable Mindy Aguire, partnering with Temple Beth Am, Temple Judea, RAC, and other volunteers, worked tirelessly to make an enormous contribution to the statewide effort to put the abortion rights petition on the 2024 ballot. The good news is that we have reached the goal number and currently we’re waiting on the last few thousand from other counties to be officially processed. What a fabulous achievement!

We cannot underestimate the hours Mindy spent connecting with the groups, collecting and curing ballots that might have been rejected, and mailing hundreds of new forms to be completed, to those who had errors. It was a complex time-consuming job! Thank you, Mindy, for making this a huge success!

Special thanks also to our core team of NCJW members who were out every Sunday collecting when we had a table at Pinecrest Gardens, of course our team at the J and those who collected citywide: Joane Erde, Jane Moscowitz, Caren Boren,Judith Villar del Saz, Mindy Finkelman, Susan Malca, Jen Resnick, Ali Sokol, Carole Bernstein, Cindie Blanck, Cindy Lerner, Connie Alter, Diane Pinchuk, Helene Davis, Joani Stein, Mindy Hersh, Shelley Mitzner, Judy Aguirre, Katie Aguirre, and Marcia Reisman.

Grateful thanks also to Shelley Jacoby and All In One Printing for her donation of printing the forms and then mailing out the new forms. It takes a village!

The Advocacy team will keep you posted as we move forward. When the petition is officially confirmed we will begin to think about voter registration and getting the vote out. We need to make this happen!

Jen Resnick

Last Tuesday I was invited to attend the Exchange for Change Graduation Ceremony for women inmates at the Homestead Correctional Institution. It was the first time I have set foot on the grounds of the facility, and I had no idea what to expect, barring movie stereotypical images in my mind!

Exchange for Change is a non-profit educational organization, created by its founder and Executive director Kathy Klarreich. The vision of the program is to give incarcerated men and women an opportunity to experience language, literature and creative writing, and communication skill building, all college credit courses, to find a pathway to self- expression, dignity and self-worth.

This was graduation for 104 women inmates who graduated from this year’s courses. They read their poetry, told their stories, and provided a skit for our entertainment. I was moved beyond words at the pain and resilience, the beauty and warmth of the women and their love and gratitude for the inspirational work that Kathy has brought to them. There is so much to share about this experience that I couldn’t possibly do it justice. There is one message however, that came through repeatedly. They are grateful for not being forgotten, grateful for connection and so grateful for this program.

Kathy would love us to do a visit. I personally would love to go back with NCJW members.

If anyone is interested in leading a weekly class for the next semester there is information through exchange-for-change.org

For those who are interested in visiting or more information, please contact: Jen Resnick at jensresnick@gmail.com

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in NCJW Kendall’s tour of Lotus House. It was such a special and informative day and we are so fortunate to have Lotus House in our community! We took the opportunity to donate 75 toiletry bags and other items such as clothing and baby items. Please click here to read the thank you letter from Lotus House.

If you are interested in getting involved please contact Judith Villar de Saz at judith002@aol.com

Thank you for sharing this day with us.

Judith Villar del Saz, Mindy Finkelman, Louise Stubins and Nadine Pertnoy

A special thank you to: Michele Stone, Karen Waas, Debbie Gomberg, Sally Russomanno, Janet Trallins, Ana Rubin, Eileen Faar, and Carole Bernstein for their generous dinner donations to the residents at Casa Valentina.

This past year the girls have been treated to delicious Italian, Chinese, and barbecue dinners. They send their sincere thanks to Kendall Section for their generosity and support.

In January, we will be resuming our monthly "mitzvah" project for Casa Valentina. This is a one-time commitment and is that much more fun to do with a friend. If you are interested in providing dinner for 15 girls on the third Tuesday of the month, please contact me.

The following dates are available: January 16th, February 20th, March 19th, April 16th, May 21st and June 18th.

Thank you,

Susan Malca

suzbow33@gmail.com

An exciting reunion for our NCJW members past and present at Cindy Lerner’s kickoff event!

Former State Representative Elaine Bloom and Former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner, Judith Vilar del Saz and Jen Resnick

On Dec. 4th, National Council of Jewish Women had the distinct honor to help organize a special session at the United Nations — hosted by Ambassador Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN — to shed light on the gravity of the rape and brutal sexual assault inflicted upon Israeli women by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

The event, titled “Hear Our Voices,” featured a keynote address from LeanIn.org founder Sheryl Sandberg, a video message from Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and remarks from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, activist Mandana Dayani, and Former Miss Universe Linor Abargil — as well as other women’s rights and human rights experts.

More than 700 people filled the room to bear witness to the horrors from that day and to be a voice for those who were silenced. 

You can access the full recording of the event here. Please note, these videos — the full event in particular — are hard to watch due to the details of the brutality perpetrated on Israeli women and girls.

To keep track of ALL of our EVENTS go on our webpage at www.ncjwkendall.org

or click here

The next scheduled Newsletter will be published January 3rd. Please make sure all articles and photos are submitted by January 2nd.

Please email all submissions to kendallncjw@gmail.com with the word "Newsletter" in the subject area.