National Council of Jewish Women - NCJW New Orleans bulletin March2016.pdf · 2016-07-30 · issue, taking notes for reporting back, or following up with a thank-you note. Everyone

Bulletin March 2016

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National Council of Jewish WomenGreater New Orleans Section

www.NCJWneworleans.org

Washington Institute 2016:A Tremendous Opportunity for NCJW New Orleans

to Learn, Network, Advocate & Shine

By Jenny Nathan

(Continued on page 3)

From left: (front row) Nora Udell, Fran Dinehart, Rollie Rabin, Susan Kierr, Michelle Erenberg, Dana Keren, Ina Davis. (Back row) Shayna Blum, Arianna Baseman, Maddie Fireman, Jenny Nathan, Jennette Ginsberg

Washington Institute, NCJW’s tri-ennial policy conference, has a well-deserved reputation for attracting intelligent, passionate women leaders from across the country for a week-end of inspiration and education that culminates in direct legislative advo-cacy on Capitol Hill. Our section was

proud to send a delegation of 13 en-thusiastic participants: Section Presi-dent Susan Kierr; NCJW National Board Director Ina Davis; State Policy Advocate Michelle Erenberg; Section Board Members Sefira Fialkoff, Jen-nette Ginsburg, Jenny Nathan and Rollie Rabin; and the 6 participants in

the NCJW Way Fellowship, sponsored by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust: Arianna Baseman, Shayna Blum, Fran Dinehart, Maddie Fireman, Dana Keren, and Nora Udell.

MESSAGEPresident’s

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PresidentSusan Kierr

Managing EditorSef ira Fialkoff

PhotographsIna DavisLinda Freeman


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of gold, jewels and the lost treasures of Captain Kidd. Now this little island on the south shore of Nova Scotia is even featured on a TV series. Our search may be much easier, as our gold is found in our capable and dedicated membership and in the wide variety of community programming which we support. And we have an ex-tra dimension... in the home base; family members who are there for us as we

Dear NCJW Readers and Thinkers,

Have you noticed the con-nections that NCJW gener-ates, and how far back into

our lives these are sometimes root-ed? It’s the phenomena of spheres of influences that effect us, broaden us, engage us and challenge us. Wit-ness the trajectory of growing up in a family concerned with community, on a small scale or large scale. For ex-ample, Mom notices a neighbor who needs her newspaper brought up the stairs and we see our Mom carry the paper up to the door. We carry car-ing observations with us into school, where perhaps we see that the coach needs help collecting the softball mats. Maybe we aren’t spectacular softball players, but we find a way to help the team. Then our teachers point out which academic skills show our strength and that leads us to find what we want to study, which leads us to where

we want to work, which takes us to professional organizations, where we are able to network and engage in the future of our field. Our parents may have provided us with some kind of religious study and we maintain a spiritual affiliation. Our religious/spiri-tual/social convictions lead us to join NCJW where we have like-minded friends. With NCJW we follow efforts for social justice, sign on to letters to congressmen, maybe drive to Baton Rouge with friends to make a political statement or fly to Washington DC to do the same. We have coffee with a committee, perhaps we attend a lunch meeting, and we go to a lovely gala at Maison du Lac on April 16th to spend a warm, delicious evening with people we know and love. Then there’s another amazing sphere of influence – or maybe the same sphere with the energy flowing in more numerous directions. Let’s say we workout, because of course exer-cise is so good for us, mentally and physically, with an interesting young woman whom we influence by tell-ing her about a panel/ meeting/com-mittee/luncheon. Or maybe we tell a date/child/grandchild about a project we are attracted to, and in the telling

discover a new alliance. Our pride in ourselves grows by leaps and bounds as our sphere of influence expands. Welcome to the world of commu-nity involvement documented in this bulletin. As you read through you’ll see these spheres of interest delineat-ed, with names and faces, with smiles, passions and efforts. Notice how vi-brantly these articles ring? Proudly,– Susan

NCJW GNO President Susan Kierr at the Washington Institute with National Board Member Sue Tilis, former NCJW GNO President, now Assistant Treasure for National.

Spheres of influence:How our circles of interaction can change our lives and our world

A FAITH IN THE FUTURE.

A BELIEF IN ACTION. ®

NCJW | Page 3Be in the know - Send your email address to [email protected] today!

Our delegation stood out amid nearly 400 advocates from 28 states. On Sunday night, March 13, Michelle Erenberg re-ceived the Outstanding Advocate for Social Change Award, a prestigious national honor. Ina Davis addressed the partici-pants at Monday’s Issue Briefing Breakfast, providing valuable advice for effective Capitol Hill visits. I personally helped or-ganize a Sunday evening networking session for the 45 and under crew that brought together women from all over the country for a fun night of networking at a local DC bar. Our first-time participants jumped into the fast-paced and rigor-ous lineup of plenaries, workshops, and meals with enthusiasm and commitment to the important issues that we would bring to our legislators.

NCJW Washington Institute always attracts high-level think-ers and engaging speakers, and 2016 was no exception. The conference opened with a fascinating plenary featuring NPR’s Mara Liasson and Washington Post’s Janelle Woods and mod-erated by Jane Eisner, Editor in Chief of the Forward, providing insight into the 2016 elections. Sunday night, Wade Hender-son, the director of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights spoke about the importance of maintaining a fully functional Supreme Court, emphasizing that President Obama is in office until January 21, 2017 and has the authority and obligation to appoint a Supreme Court Justice because,

Michelle Erenberg received the National NCJW’s Out-standing Advocate Award for Social Change at the Wash-ington Institute. Erenberg, NCJW GNO Vice President of Education and NCJW State Policy Advocate, serves as a founding member of the Legislative Agenda for Women (LAW). This is a coalition that advocates for progressive policies to improve outcomes for women and children in Louisiana, including, equal pay and fair wages, Medicaid expansion, sexual health education for young people in public schools and preventing violence against women.

Edith Windsor and Ina Davis

(Continued on page 4)

“At my first WI session I found I was engaging and being engaged. My first was the LGBT Equality workshop with speakers Angela Peoples from ‘Get Equal’ and Catalina Velasquez from ‘Young People For.’ I was given a shock when, after the panelists introduced themselves, they acknowledged Edith Windsor, the tiny blonde head in the first row. She complimented and thanked the speakers for enlightening her. I am very familiar with LGBTQ issues but I enjoyed learning about specific policy initiatives. Both speakers were fantastic, but Catalina’s realism, her emotion and her approach to the work that she did - that of a transgender, undocumented, Latina - was moving, near poetic. It was reassuring to see that the other participants were eager to learn, and asked insightful questions.”

–Maddie Fireman

Capitol Hill visit during Washington Institute. Pictured (from left): Dana Keren, Jenny Nathan, Arianna Baseman, Fran Dinehart, Maddie Fireman, Shayna Blum, Senator David Vitter, Rollie Rabin, Ina Davis, Michelle Erenberg, Nora Udell and Jennette Ginsberg

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Washington Institute (continued from page 3)

“he is not three fifths of a President.” The closing dinner hon-ored Roberta Kaplan and Edith Windsor, the attorney and plaintiff who won the battle for legalized same-sex marriage at the U.S. Supreme Court. In a deeply moving conclusion to the celebration of love and equality, NCJW Minnesota leaders and partners Cindy Amberger and Lynn Hvittsen shared their own story and emphasized the tremendous human impact of this case and the movement for equal rights for LGBTQ Americans. On Tuesday, March 15, we woke up extremely early and boarded buses to Capitol Hill. There, we participated in a col-lective action to draw attention to the importance of one of NCJW’s key issues: Promoting the importance of the fed-eral judiciary and the timely confirmation of judicial nominees who are faithful to core constitutional values. Twenty-four hours before President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, 400 progres-sive Jewish women marched in a single-file line, each carrying a copy of the U.S. Constitution and a letter urging the Sen-ate to do its job and provide prompt hearings and an up-or-down vote to address this critical vacancy. NCJW National President Debbie Hoffman and CEO Nancy Kaufman proudly delivered boxes of constitutions to Senator Charles Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Later that day, in our final delegation meeting, Ina Davis asked Senator David Vitter to put aside partisan politics and do his job. Unfortunately, he disagreed with our interpretation of Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution.

The 400 members of NCJW visited over 125 mem-bers of Congress to address three additional issues as well: 1. Voting Rights Advancement Act: For de-cades, NCJW advocates have fought for the expansion of voting rights, advocating for women’s suffrage and the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965. 2. Runaway and Homeless Youth and Traf-ficking Prevention Act: NCJW endorses and re-solves to work for laws, policies, programs and services that protect every child from abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying, and violence as well as the recognition, preven-tion, and elimination of all forms of human trafficking. 3. Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) ACT: NCJW believes every woman, regardless of her income, insur-ance, or other factors, should have comprehensive in-surance coverage for the full range of her reproductive health care needs, including abortion, so she can make personal decisions about her body, health, and future per her own religious belief and circumstances.

In addition to the surprise visit with Senator Vitter, him-self, our delegation also met with Congressman Cedric Richmond and staff from the offices of Senator Bill Cas-sidy, Congressman Ralph Abraham, Congressman Charles Boustany, and Majority Whip Steve Scalise (who we later met in person on our flight back to New Orleans). Each of the women in our delegation had the opportunity to play a role in at least one meeting, whether it was presenting an issue, taking notes for reporting back, or following up with a thank-you note. Everyone spoke beautifully, articulately, and from the heart. While most of our congressmen are on the opposite sides of nearly every issue we presented, every meeting was conducted cordially and professionally on all sides. We enjoyed connecting with the legislative staffers over the PJ’s coffee and Zapps potato chips in their offices, and in some cases shared personal stories related to the Congressmens’ own family members back in Louisiana. The theme of Washington Institute was Elections 2016: What’s at Stake for Women, and the alarming divisiveness of the current political climate ran through the weekend as an undercurrent. However, by the conclusion of our long day on the Hill, I felt more hopeful that a return to civil-ity is possible. In 2016, simply sitting across the table from those with whom we disagree seemed quite monumental. I am grateful for the opportunity to have experienced such an inspiring conference in the company of so many strong, vibrant NCJW New Orleans leaders. We return home in-spired and empowered to continue to advocate for our values of social justice and equality for all.

“I know that many progressive activists might simply give up when faced with an ultraconservative, discon-nected, privileged, white male senator. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s important to target your message because when it falls on deaf ears one too many times, activists burn out. But as I am on Capi-tol Hill but once every few years, I was glad to have the full attention of an outgoing state senator. I was glad to tell him that the Runaway Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act was important to me because I’m a lesbian, and 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBT. Many in that 40% become homeless because their families disown them for ‘coming out.’ ”

–Maddie Fireman

NCJW | Page 5Don’t miss a great program! Send your email address to [email protected] today!

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR NCJW 2016HANNAH G. SOLOMON AWARD

We are pleased to announce that the 2016 Hannah G. Solomon Award will be presented on Monday Septem-ber 26 at the Westin Canal Place Ho-tel. This award is given annually to a vol-unteer community leader who exem-plifies the qualities of Hannah G. Solo-mon, founder of the National Council of Jewish Women. Recipients are individuals who:n have brought about important pro-grams and services through their lead-ership in a volunteer capacityn have been a catalyst for social changen are known for their interest, activity and person stand on issues in line with NCJW’s mission Nominations are due in writing

NCJW Greater New Orleans Section is looking for our next group of dynamic women who are ready to join our progressive network of leaders and learn how to make a difference in our community through NCJW.

Qualifications for participants:• Current or new member of NCJW,

Greater New Orleans Section• Interest in working to achieve the

mission of NCJW• Ability to work well with others• Commitment to stay in New Orleans

area

Expectations for participants:• Attend local NCJW crash course

(six seminars)• Attend a general meeting• Interview with a Veteran Volunteer

• Participate in a service project organized by the NCJW WAY group

• Attend NCJW’s 47th National Convention in Miami, Florida March 23-25, 2017

• Commit to a 2-year term of board service following participation in NCJW WAY

Interested women are welcome to apply directly for the program and we will also accept nominations from the membership. The application will be emailed to all NCJW members in early April. The deadline for consideration is Friday, June 24. Participants will be notified of their application status in July. Please contact NCJW Way Program Chair, Jenny Nathan, at [email protected], for more information, or call the office at 504 861 7788

NCJW Way 2016-17 Class:Call for Nominations

Girls on the RunFinal Shoe Drive Count

By Jody Portnoff BraunigGirls on the Run, Executive Director

What an incredible experience our shoe drive has been! We have been completely blown away by the community’s response and everyone’s donations. We finally finished packing and counting the shoes and are thrilled to announce that we collected 7400 pairs! We could not have done this without the help of so many local organizations, businesses and many, many generous individuals. We have loved reinforcing a sense of community in New Orleans over the past few months as we’ve all come together to achieve this ambitious goal. Thank you to NCJW Greater New Orleans Section for their partnership on this project and to all of our schools, girls, parents, coaches and everyone who donated shoes.

with a Curriculum Vitae by Monday, April 18 to: Loel Weil Samuel, 2100 St. Charles Ave. Unit 3G, NOLA 70130 or emailed to: [email protected] Previous Hannah G. Solomon Award recipients include: Rena Wilson, Mar-gery Stich, Myra Soboloff, Thomas Godchaux, Olga Jackson, Edith Ros-enwald Stern, Helen Mervis, Sarah Davis, Edith Schulhofer, Jane K. Buchs-baum, Millie McClendon Charles, Sara Stone, Flo Schornstein, Rosalie Cohen, Roy Schwarz, Barbara Lemann, Rosa F. Keller, Mike Brenner, Norma Freiberg, Sunny Norman, The Honorable Joan B. Armstrong, Elizabeth Rack, The Hon-orable Miriam Waltzer, Diana Lewis, Grace Hudson, Donald Mintz, Sybil Morial, Julanne Isaacson, Pres Kabacoff,

Shirley and Dr. Robert Haspel, Harry Blumenthal, Jr., Eddy Rosen, Hugo Kahn, Marjorie and Roger Bissinger, Barbara Herman, Madalyn Schenk, Babs Isaacson, Melba and Moise Steeg, Jr., Betty Wisdom, Inge Elsas, Carol Good, Phyllis M. Taylor, Carol B.Wise, Nancy Marsiglia, Joan Berenson, Mary Keller Zervigon, Ruth Kullman, Marjorie and Scott Cowen, Julie Schwam Harris.

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Officers, Elected Board Membersand

Nominating Committee

Report from 2016 Nominating Committee

POSITION TERM President Susan Kierr 2015-17 VP Membership Jenny Nathan 2015-17 VP Administration Katie Single 2015-17 VP Advocacy Michelle Erenberg 2016-18 VP Development Barbara Greenberg 2016-18 VP Community Services Sue Jernigan 2016-18 VP Public Relations Barbara Kaplinsky 2016-18

Corresponding Secretary Rachelle Stein 2016-18 Financial Secretary Nicole Trosclair 2015-17 Treasurer Kathy Shepard 2015-17 Assistant Treasurer Tricia Kirschman 2015-17 Co-Recording Secretaries: Patty Barnett 2016-18 Sarah Covert 2016-18

ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS

Brenda Brasher 2015-17 Robin Giarrusso 2015-17 Robin Goldblum 2015-17 Sharon Kirkpatrick 2015-17 Rollie Rabin 2015-17 Hallie Timm 2015-17 Eileen Wallen 2015-17 Jody Portnoff Braunig 2016-18 Jennette Ginsburg 2016-18 Simone Levine 2016-18 Millie Kohn 2016-18 Emilie Tenenbaum 2016-18

2016-17 NOMINATING COMMITTEE Chair Barbara Greenberg Ex-officio Chair Cathy Glaser Ex-officio Past President June Leopold From the Board: Joan Berenson, Simone Levine, Rollie Rabin, Sheryl Title From the Membership: Arlene Barron, Vivian Cahn, Sarah Hess, Sue Singer

NCJW Closing Luncheon & Board InstallationSunday May 15, 2016 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm

Magnolia Mansion, 2127 Prytania St.

Jonathan Ferrara, owner of Jonathan Ferrara Gallery,will speak about ‘Art as Social Justice’.

Event Co-Chairs: Vivian Cahn & Brenda BrasherHospitality Chair: Robin Goldblum

$25 per personRSVP by May 3rd with a check to NCJW

6221 S. Claiborne Ave., Suite 208or pay online at www.ncjwneworleans.org

SAVE DATEthe

NCJW to Participate inGiveNOLA Day on May 3

NCJW is pleased to once again be participating in the community-wide GiveNOLA Day on Tuesday, May 3. Hosted by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Give-NOLA Day is the community’s third annual, 24-hour online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations that are making our region stronger, creating a vibrant community for all. It’s our day to come together as one! Visit www.GiveNOLA.org and search for NCJW from midnight to midnight on Tuesday, May 3. Or go directly to our https://givenola.org/npo/national-council-of-jewish-women-greater-new-orleans-section Every gift will receive a little lagniappe thanks to the generous GiveNOLA Day sponsors and the Greater New Orleans Foundation. (Minimum gift is $10). For more information about GiveNOLA Day or for help making your donation on May 3, please call our office at 504 861 7788. Thanks for your continued support of NCJW and our community.


Passover: A Time for Focusing on Food Justice and Hunger

The women of the NCJW Way program have organized several Pass-over projects focusing on food justice and hunger. These projects include a pamphlet to encourage discussion of food justice during the Passover meal, a three-week food drive, and a food justice-themed panel discussion. The project, which is chaired by NCJW Member Jennette Ginsburg, has been funded by the Jewish Federation and The Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. Second Harvest Food Bank is also a special contributor to the project.

Food JusticeSeder Supplement

The brochure was designed by NCJW Way Member Shayna Blum who teach-es graphic design at Xavier University, along with some of her students. It is the hope of Ginsburg and the NCJW Way group that this brochure will ex-pand understanding of food justice and hunger issues in the New Orleans area. Food justice is about communi-ties exercising their right to grow, sell, and eat healthy food. Healthy food is a term used to mean food that is fresh, nutritious, affordable, culturally-ap-propriate, and grown locally with care for the well-being of the land, work-ers, and animals. Food justice leads to a strong local food system, self-reliant communities, and a healthy environ-ment. “Passover is an opportunity to discuss freedom in all her forms, in-

cluding religious, political, and financial freedom. The food we have access to and eat is a critical aspect of our pur-suit for health and happiness,” Gins-burg reflects.

NCJW and Second HarvestPartner to Raise Foodfor the Needy

With the goal of collecting 500 pounds of food, NCJW GNO is partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank on a community-wide food drive. It will run through April 16. This is a great op-portunity for removing chametz from the pantry and cabinets! Items that come out of your pantry can be do-nated. The Drive will accept nutritious nonperishable items such as canned meats (fish, chicken, stews and soups), food high in protein (dry beans and lentils), peanut butter, cereal, pasta, and canned fruits and vegetables. Sec-ond Harvest is not able to accept the following types of food donations: rusty or unlabeled cans, items that have been opened or partially used including cans, bottles and dry goods, products not in their original packag-ing, products with no ingredient infor-mation labels, homemade or home-canned foods, products that have become contaminated, alcoholic bev-erages, nor can they accept mixes or energy drinks of any kind. Products in glass containers can not be collected or donated for safety reasons.

Food Drive donors can drop off items at: Temple Sinai, Shir Chadash, Beth Israel, the Metairie JCC, Uptown JCC, and Refresh Project/ Whole Foods Lobby at 300 N. Broad St.

Moving The Ball Forward

Moving the Ball Forward was designed as a panel discussion series that brings together people interested in specific topics, to network, learn, connect and engage. On March 22, Moving the Ball Forward addressed nutrition, health and equity in Louisiana. The event was held at Liberty’s Kitchen, a restaurant dedicated to providing employment and life skills training to disconnected youth. They provide freshly prepared, nutritious meals to school children through their school nutrition pro-gram. At the event, the all-female pan-el of speakers included Janet Davas, founder of Liberty’s Kitchen; Kerrie Partridge, Program Director at Ed-ible School Yard; Brooke Boudreaux, Operating Manager at Circle Foods; Susan Todd, Executive Director of 504HealthNet; and Kimberly Krupa, Director of Programs and Services at Second Harvest. The event was moderated by Jenny Nathan, NCJW - GNO Vice President. The discussion focused on the important work the participants do to promote nutrition, access healthy food, and encourage sustainable food production.

FUNDSDedicated

A Culture of Giving through Established Funds

Birthday Dollars...

uSusan AdleruMary Lynn AlltmontuBonnie AronsonuRachel BergmanuShellye FarberuJane Gerson, in honor of Sue Singer’s birthdayuAmy Gainsburgh-HaspeluSusan Good

uJarrett Johnson, in memory of Aida JohnsonuCharel Katz, in honor of Margot GaronuJoAnn KatzuBetty KohnuJune LeopolduSue Singer, in honor of hers & Jane Gerson’s birthdaysuRita Warren

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On March 1, at a downtown Federal office building, Ina Davis and Susan Ki-err addressed the National Labor Re-lations Board, (NLRB), Region 15. The pair had been requested to meet with the NLRB in observance of Wom-en’s History Month. After showing the NCJW 120th Anniversary video, which you can see at https://www.you-tube.com/watch?v=D1P_0hEWEZ4 Ina spoke about local NCJW history details as well as the NCJW’s national framework. From early work on be-half of immigrants to current work addressing human trafficking, all 120 years of our history were spotlighted. Susan discussed the heartfelt dedica-tion to public service that was clearly

National Labor Relations Board Hears about NCJW

close to the hearts of the attorneys and staff attending the presentation. “I feel humble and proud to hear about your history,” one woman said. “I am inspired,” added another. Sever-al agreed with a third comment: “This reminds me of how much needs to be done.”

From Left-Mary Hogan, Clay Latimer, Deborah Langhoff, Julie SchwamHarris, Ina Davis, Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, Michelle Erenberg

NCJW GNO, in partnership with the Legislative Agenda for Women (LAW), hosted a Meet and Greet with Representative Stephanie Hilferty (LA-94) on March 10th. Representative Hilferty gave a wonderful and informative recap of the special session and the state of the budget. She got to hear from her constituents about other important issues such as sexual health education, juvenile justice reform and equal pay for women.


NCJW GNO is proud to announce that it has joined the Louisiana Youth Justice Coalition. The Coalition, led by the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights and the Southern Poverty Law Center, is a network of organizations and individuals who support a legisla-tive and policy agenda for common-sense juvenile justice reform that will curb crime, use taxpayer resources responsibly, and generate better out-comes for children. The Campaign believes that Loui-siana should adopt common-sense juvenile justice reforms to prepare vulnerable young people to be pro-

ductive and successful adults, instead of pushing them out of school and into the criminal justice system. Loui-siana’s juvenile justice system should be:

Safe. Our juvenile justice system should curb crime and keep our neighborhoods safe. Smart. Our state can’t be prosper-ous unless we ensure that our most vulnerable young people are educated and ready for the workforce.Cost-effective. Louisiana must use taxpayer funds responsibly. We should use the right tools that will help young

NCJW GNO Joins the Louisiana Youth Justice Coalition

people behave in positive ways – and we shouldn’t waste money on inter-ventions that just don’t work.Fair. We want a juvenile justice sys-tem that is fair to every young person – a system that holds kids accountable while embodying our deepest values about how all people should be treated.

Find out more atwww.laccr.org/youth-justice or

contact NCJW’s Representative to the Coalition, Molly [email protected]

STAR COUPLEJulanne and Irwin Isaacson

Julanne, past NCJW GNO presi-dent, will be honored next month by Jewish Family Service. Irwin is an NCJW GNO member who has given time and energy to NCJW GNO’s Krewe of Dewey, reading in public libraries.

National Council of Jewish Women

Greater New Orleans Section

invites you to join us for

An Evening on the LakeLa Maison du Lac • 7412 Lakeshore Dr • New Orleans

Saturday, April 16, 2016Patron Party 6pm Dinner and Entertainment 7pm

Entertainment byEddie Veatch and the Inner Circle

Gala Co-Chairs:

Ina Davis and Rollie RabinCocktail Attire

Complimentary Valet Parking

There is still time to support NCJW, Greater New Orleans Section’sPersonal Giving campaign. Did you know that your dues are

not sufficient to support our programs? All donations toPersonal Giving go to support NCJW programs.

You can send your donation - in any amount - check or credit card to:

Phyllis Nitzkin4939 Chestnut St.

New Orleans, LA 70115

v

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NCJW Calls on US Supreme Court to Protect Accessto Contraception and Religious Liberty

March 23, 2016, Washington, DC – NCJW called on the US Supreme Court to uphold both religious free-dom and women’s right to access birth control under the Affordable Care Act in Zubik v. Burwell. The court is considering whether faith-based non-profit employers who hold religious objections to birth control can refuse to certify their objection in order to opt-out of providing birth control coverage, otherwise required in most employer- and school-based insurance plans under the law. NCJW CEO Nancy K. Kaufman released the following statement: “No woman working for a faith-based employer, or any other employ-er, should be burdened by her boss’s objection to the guarantee of the Af-fordable Care Act (ACA) — that ev-

ery woman is entitled to access birth control coverage without copay or other out-of-pocket costs regardless of her employer’s religious belief. “As clarified in the amicus brief NCJW joined, we believe that the faith-based nonprofit employers bringing the lawsuit in Zubik v. Bur-well are wrong to claim the federal government is substantially infringing on their religious freedom by requir-ing the completion of a short form if they hold religious objections to providing birth control coverage. This accommodation means these organi-zations can refuse to provide cover-age. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the federal government ensures women can obtain contraception elsewhere, without the employer or school’s participation — safeguarding

a woman’s ability to make her own faith-informed decisions about her health. The administrative step of sub-mitting a form does not ‘trigger’ ac-cess as foes of the law claim — rather that access is already guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act. “This case directly impacts workers’ and students’ individual religious lib-erty, health, and economic security. It is yet another stark reminder of how much the federal courts – and the judges who sit on the bench – affect all aspects of our lives. Eight of nine federal courts of appeals have deter-mined that the accommodation is not a substantial burden on the rights of religious non-profits. The US Supreme Court should affirm this majority, and in so doing, guarantee workers’ health and religious freedom.”

NCJW condemns the bullying, threats, and censorship perpetrated by a mob of protesters who broke into a reception and commandeered the stage at the National LGBTQ Task Force’s annual conference where rep-resentatives of the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance had been invited to speak. NCJW CEO Nancy K. Kaufman released the fol-lowing statement: “As Americans, as Jews, and as un-equivocal supporters of inclusion and full equality for LGBTQ individuals in Israel and the United States, the Na-tional Council of Jewish Women is outraged by the harassment and cen-sorship inflicted on the Israelis who were invited to speak at the National LGBTQ Task Force’s 2016 annual con-ference in Chicago. “We are especially offended by the context of this violence. First, because

we accepted this week’s apology by National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey after scheduling, cancelling, and then rescheduling the talk by Sara Kala-Meir and Tom Can-ning of Jerusalem Open House. Carey stated, ‘We want to make it quite clear that the Creating Change Conference will always be a safe space for inclu-sion and dialogue for people with often widely different views.’ “Secondly, we have a personal con-nection with Ms. Kala-Meir and Mr. Canning as NCJW has funded Jeru-salem Open House for the last two years. We were one of the sponsors of the Jerusalem Pride Parade last summer and we provided immediate support to pay for counseling for the young people affected by the tragic violence that marred the parade. That Sara and Tom should be traumatized again by bullying and threats from the

From the National NCJW website: NCJW Condemns Harassment and Silencing of Israelis Invited to Speak

LGBTQ community in the US is intol-erable. “NCJW believes strongly in open dialogue to achieve human rights, women’s rights, and gender equal-ity—even when that dialogue is chal-lenging. Boycotts, denying free speech, and marginalizing and oppressing indi-viduals because of their nationality is offensive. It is particularly disturbing to find an LGBTQ organization—sup-posedly committed to liberty from societal oppression and respect for diversity—allowing such behavior at their national conference.” NCJW presented the NCJW Social Action Award to plaintiff Edith Wind-sor and attorney Roberta Kaplan for their success in the historic case US v. Windsor that ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and paved the way for same sex marriage in the US.


Moving the Ball Forward:Addressing Nutrition, Health and Equity in New Orleans

On Tuesday, March 22nd, 35 NCJW members and support-ers gathered at Liberty’s Kitchen on N. Broad Street for a fas-cinating event focusing on food justice issues in New Orleans. This event was the most recent installment of “Moving the Ball Forward,” NCJW New Orleans’ panel discussion series that brings together the women working in the trenches around a specific issue that NCJW addresses in the community. For a $5 suggested contribution, guests enjoyed red and white wine and crudites provided by Liberty’s Kitchen. VP Jen-ny Nathan moderated the event, which began with Janet Da-vas, Founder of Liberty’s Kitchen, providing an introduction to the organization and space that provided the context for the panel discussion to follow. Davas spoke of the initial struggle to establish Liberty’s Kitchen as a “healthy eating option” at the corner of Tulane and Broad, as well as the ongoing chal-lenges of making healthy school lunches that are appealing to young children. After Janet’s inspiring remarks, Jenny introduced the four panelists and asked them each to say a few words about who they are and how they became involved in their current posi-tions: • Brooke Boudreaux, Operating Manager, Circle Food Store: Brooke’s family has operated Circle Food Store since 1938. It took 8 years for the store to reopen after Katrina, but they have come back strong and are the only full-service grocery store serving the 7th ward, Treme, St. Roch and other adjacent neighborhoods. • Kimberly Krupa, Director of Programs and Servic-es, Second Harvest: With a background in development and nonprofit grant writing, Kim was excited to join the team at Second Harvest because it is an organization that focuses not only on providing direct services, but also on addressing the systemic structural issues that combine to make hunger such a prevalent problem. • Kerrie Partridge, Program Director, The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans: Kerrie has a degree in Public Health from Tulane and worked at various positions related to the health of infants and children, as well as teaching for 3 years in the Mobile public schools. The Edible Schoolyard exposes very young children to the joys and benefits of growing and eating fresh vegetables, and this enthusiasm carries through their en-tire school careers. • Susan Todd, Executive Director, 504HealthNet: While Susan initially said she seemed like the “odd woman out” on a panel about food and nutrition, the reality is that nutri-tion issues play a direct role in health care in New Orleans. 504HealthNet is an association of 23 nonprofit and govern-ment organizations working together to increase access to primary care and behavioral health services to all people in Greater New Orleans, regardless of ability to pay. She and her

associates deal with the direct results of poor nutrition and lack of access to healthy foods on a daily basis. Over the course of an hour-long discussion, the panelists and audience discussed a variety of subjects related to the topic. All of the panelists agreed that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) is one of the most critical and most universally misunderstood government programs. The Louisiana legislature has drastically cut SNAP benefits in the past few years and this has direct, detrimental effects on the most vulnerable members of our community. With the increasing cost of living in and around New Orleans, it is more important now than ever before to try to educate the public about the importance of SNAP. Both Second Harvest and 504HealthNet are active state-level ad-vocates for the program. Brooke Boudreaux announced that Circle Food Store recently received a federal grant through the US Department of Agriculture to incentivize people with SNAP benefits to buy fresh produce. This is a really exciting pilot program that we can help publicize throughout the com-munity and a definite bright spot in the current climate of government austerity in Louisiana. At the conclusion of the event, Board Member Jennette Ginsburg introduced our Passover food justice initiatives: a food drive in partnership with Second Harvest, as well as a seder insert that educates participants on how to address food justice issues. Jennette beautifully interwove the Pass-over tradition that “all who are hungry should come and eat” with a call to action to address food justice issues in our local community. Board Member Simone Levine closed the event by sharing a few words about the Moving the Ball Forward series and encouraging all participants to join NCJW Greater New Orleans section. We look forward to continuing the conversa-tion at a future event!

Learn More About the Organizations Mentioned:

Liberty’s Kitchen: http://www.libertyskitchen.orgCircle Food Store: http://www.circlefoodsnola.com

Second Harvest: http://www.no-hunger.orgEdible School Yard: http://www.esynola.org

504HealthNet: http://www.504healthnet.org

By Jenny Nathan

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Calendar ofEVENTS!Tuesday, Sept. 4Executive Committee Mtg.Uptown JCC, 12:30 pm

!Monday, Sept. 10NCJW & others sponsorGubernatorial Issues Forum Temple Sinai, 7:00 - 8:30 pm

!Thursday, Sept. 13Rosh Hashanah

!Monday, Sept. 17KnitWits will meet! Learn how to knit and crochet at JoelMyers home. Questions? Call 282-2233or 972-754-6604

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!Wednesday, Sept. 19BookPartners

!Saturday, Sept. 22Yom Kippur

!Sunday, Sept. 23Opening Tea & Installations Windsor Court Hotel, 1:30 pm

!Tuesday, Oct. 2Board Meeting,7-9pm, Metairie JCC

!Wednesday, Oct. 17Gubernatorial Debate6:00-7:00 FOX 8 - WVUE TVNCJW & LWV sponsors

!Saturday, Oct. 20VOTE - Primary ElectionState office andCouncilperson at large-(N.O.)

!Tuesday, Oct. 30Executive CommitteeMeeting12:30 pm at home of EstherHendler

!Monday, Nov. 5Board MeetingMetairie JCC, 7 - 9 pm

!Tuesday, Nov. 6VOTE - Election DayGeneral Election and Runoff


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On March 3 Michelle Erenberg, Susan Kierr and Sefira Fialkoff joined more than a hundred people gathered together outside the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to show support for abortion access.

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Documents

National Council of Jewish Women - NCJW New Orleans bulletin March2016.pdf · 2016-07-30 · issue, taking notes for reporting back, or following up with a thank-you note. Everyone