NCJW Upcoming Events and Information
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September is here and with it the High Holidays and the New Year. This is a wonderful time to reflect on the past year - our challenges and triumphs - and renew our spirits for the struggles that lay ahead.
We at NCJW Chicago North Shore hope you have a sweet, happy and healthy new year; m
ay your home light up the year with joy; and may
the sound of the shofar call you to action and renew your spirit.
Melissa Prober
Executive Director, NCJW Chicago North Shore
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Updates and Information
This week in 1893, NCJW was born. In 2018, we celebrate 125 years of making change happen. The not-so-secret ingredient to our success has always been our outspoken, daring, savvy, and strong activists across the country –– people just like you.
To celebrate 125 years of progressive achievement are collecting 125 stories (at least) about the people in our NCJW family who have inspired and connected us.
As you may know, this month NCJW
begins a new chapter as we move our national headquarters to Washington, DC –– the epicenter of national policy and where we belong (our local contact information remains the same).
Our new National address:
2055 L St, NW, Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
202 296 2588
Combining our whole National staff in DC will enhance our power to make change happen on the most urgent social and economic challenges facing women, children, and families. From our new home, NCJW’s winning team of advocates, working together with our sections and thousands of NCJW members across the country, will be uniquely positioned to advance progressive social change.
But our ability to make that change depends on you and you are AMAZING! Thousands of you take action when asked –– you call your senators, participate in rallies, and organize in your own communities. All of this makes NCJW strong, and your membership is an important part of our continuing success. This is a new year, a new beginning, and a new chance for you to
join NCJW
. If you are already a member, invite a friend to join you — and to join us.
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We have some great programs to add to your calendars. Please save-the-date(s) for the programs listed below and scroll down for further details.
September 9: Erev Rosh Hashanah
September 10: Rosh Hashanah
September 13: Women's Salon
September 16:
Advocacy and the Arts:
Monger
September 18: Kol Nidre
September 19: Yom Kippur
September 30: Be Bold: End Hyde
October 3: NCJW Board Meeting
October 4: Girl Drama Lunch and Learn - Chicago
October 4: Intersection Between Immigration, Domestic Violence & Sex Trafficking
October 11: Women's Salon
October 14: North Suburban Jewish Community Candidate Forum
October 16: Raising Healthy Boys Lunch and Learn - Chicago
October 21:
Luggage for Freedom Pack and Delivery Day
October 21:
Advocacy and the Arts:
Indecent
October 24: Beth Emet Soup Kitchen
October 28: Chicago Jews for Refugees Assembly
If you have a specific passion that you'd like to share with us or are interested in helping plan a program, email
melissa@ncjwcns.org. We would love to hear from you!
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Advocacy and the Arts:
Monger
Sunday, September 16, 2:00 pm
The Greenhouse Theater Center
2257 N Lincoln Avenue
Written by Her Story Theater Founder and Producing Artistic Director Mary Bonnett, and directed by John Mossman, Co-Founder of The Artistic Home, MONGERS follows a Chicago criminal defense attorney with a secret sex life who deals with his sensitive 16-year-old son’s legal crisis on the day he takes a deposition from the mother of a murdered teenage sex trafficked victim. Bonnett’s play uncovers the nationwide, anonymous brotherhood of men who use the Internet to find and compare notes on the women and underage girls they pay for sex and explores the toxicity of many of the prevailing notions of masculinity and how they contribute to an environment that allows these abuses to exist.
Join NCJW, JCAST and Hadassah for this important show. Your ticket includes a pre-show reception with the playwright as well as a post-show Q&A with a panel of experts including Congresswoman Jan Schahowsky.
Be Bold: End Hyde
Sunday, September 30, 3:00 pm
Locations: Northbrook & Naperville
THE HYDE AMENDMENT is language in the yearly Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (often shortened to Labor-H or LHHS) appropriations legislation that bars programs in these agencies from covering abortion. This restriction primarily withholds abortion coverage from those qualified and enrolled in the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income people, except in the limited cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment.
This year marks the 42nd year of the Hyde Amendment. Join us for a film screening, informative discussion and action items designed to build more power, demand more accountability and ignite more change.
Intersection Between Immigration, Domestic Violence & Sex Trafficking
Thursday, October 4, 6:30 pm
Deerfield Presbyterian Church
824 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield
As the political climate continues to heat up. What is going on in our community and what can we do to help? The Jewish Coalition Against Sex Trafficking (JCAST) Chicago is excited to partner with the Highland Park/Highwood Legal Clinic, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), and the Links, Inc. to educate and build awareness. Representatives from area service providers will also be available.
North Suburban Jewish Community Candidate Forum
Sunday, October 14, 2:00 pm
B'Nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim
1201 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield
The 2018 elections are just around the corner, so now is the time to learn what they mean for you. As we prepare to go to the polls on November 6, NCJW Chicago North Shore is once again partnering with over 25 synagogues, Jewish communal groups, and day schools to host a candidate forum at Congregation BJBE.
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Luggage for Freedom
Pack and Delivery Day
Sunday, October 21
West Ridge Center
636 Ridge Road, Highland Park
Luggage for Freedom will hold their next “Pack & Delivery Day” on Sunday, October 21. Volunteers are needed to sort items and pack suitcases and backpacks and then deliver donations to local domestic violence shelters. We will NOT accept donations at this event. Ages 4 and up are welcome.
Advocacy and the Arts:
Indecent
Sunday, October 21, 3:00 pm
Victory Gardens Biograph Theater
2433 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
Join NCJW and enjoy Indecent at a special discounted group rate.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive) tells the deeply moving story of the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Jewish playwright Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance, a play about a forbidden lesbian romance that enchanted and outraged audiences. Inspired by true events, Indecent, is performed by an ensemble of seven actors and three musicians portraying more than 40 roles to chart an explosive moment in theatrical history and the artists who risked their careers and lives to perform it. Award-winner Gary Griffin (Hand To God, Fun Home) returns to Victory Gardens to direct this 2017 Tony-nominated play.
Soup Kitchen at Beth Emet
Wednesday, October 24, 4:00pm
Beth Emet Synagogue
1224 Dempster, Evanston.
Volunteers and Groceries Needed! Help shop, prepare and serve dinner and bag lunches. The evening is part of an ongoing collaboration between NCJW and Project Hamotzi to provide free meals to the area’s homeless and working poor. NCJW members and a limited number of children, ages six & older, may volunteer.
Chicago Jews for Refugees Assembly
Sunday, October 28, 2:00 pm
Anshe Emet Synagogue
3751 North Broadway, Chicago
After eighteen months of attacks on the U.S. refugee and asylum program, the number of refugees entering the country has dramatically slowed and asylum seeking families have been torn apart at our southern border. At a time of unprecedented global need, the U.S. is failing to meet a basic obligation to victims of war, terror, torture, and persecution. In this period of crisis, it is essential for the Jewish community to demonstrate our support for the safety and dignity of refugees and asylum seekers. The Jews for Refugees Assembly will take place after the announcement of the refugee admissions ceiling for federal fiscal year 2019, but before the 2018 midterm elections. It is the perfect moment to raise our collective voices in a call to action.
This event is free and open to the public but reservations are required.
Please click here
to reserve your spot.
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NCJW Chicago North Shore Board Meeting
Join the NCJW CNS Section Board at one of our bi-monthly board meetings. Get involved and learn more about our section. Each board meeting will focus on a different topic. Help shape NCJW for the future. Board meetings are open to all NCJW Chicago North Shore members and guests. For location information, email
info@ncjwcns.org
.
Board Meeting Schedule:
Board meetings are
generally
held on the first Wednesday of the month at 10:00 am. This year, we are holding two board meetings in the evening so if you've wanted to get involved but daytime meetings don't work for you, this is your chance to become a part of the oldest, progressive, Jewish women's organization in the US!
October 3, 10am
- Northbrook
November 7, evening meeting
- Chicago
December 5, 10am
- Location TBD
January 9, 10am
- Highland Park
February 6, 10am
- Chicago
March 6, 10am
- Location TBD
April 10, evening meeting
- Northbrook
May 1, 10am
- Highland Park
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NCJW “Evening Salon Series”, 2018-‘19
NCJW’s Salon Series is a monthly, evening discussion group (7:30-9:00 pm), meeting at Salon members’ homes or private rooms in restaurants (northern suburbs and Old Orchard) and facilitated by Salon members. Every month features a new current events topic with educational source material links emailed directly to participants. Topics include a wide variety of progressive, feminist and social justice issues. There is no fee to attend your first two sessions. Join NCJW at your third session and you become a member of the Salon! Our upcoming Salon dates are September 13 (Feminism) and October 11 (Reproductive Rights) and November 8 (Mid-term Election Results).
Click here
for the complete 2018 – 2019 Salon Series calendar and an NCJW membership link.
For more Salon information contact either Donna Fishman or Robbie Schreiber at
salon@ncjwcns.org
.
NCJW Salon calendar:
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2018
September 13
October 11
November 8
December 13
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2019
January 10
February 14
March 14
April 11
May 9
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Get Involved - New Community Service Project
Volunteer Tutors
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NCJW Chicago North Shore is organizing a cadre of committed volunteers who like working with children and want to help them with academics with emphasis on reading and math. The
Nuestro Center in Highwood is looking for volunteers to tutor school age children 1st thru 5th grade.
Understanding that volunteers may travel we are looking for volunteers who can commit to at least one late afternoon time per week 3:30- 5:00 p.m. for a minimum of a 4 months or a school semester. We would love to find volunteers who could commit for a 9-month school year. It is not necessary to speak Spanish to participate in this worthwhile program.
Benefits: what you will get… Smiles and thanks from children who need your support. A good feeling that you are helping those who may be new to our country.
What you will give: Academic help…understanding…smiles…caring
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NCJW Member News and Tributes
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We Need Your News!
Whether you are celebrating a simcha or sharing your sorrow, your NCJW friends want to know!
Keep NCJW informed of your life events: weddings, babys, graduations, b'nai mitzvahs as well as illnesses and grief. We are here to share with you.
New and Returning Members
*
Evelyn Hoffman
* Debbie Haback
*
Jan Schwartz
*
Geri Anderson
For A Blessing
We mourn the loss of section member Marion Stone
* We send our condolences to board member Debbie Vietinghoff on the loss of her mother Judith M. Friedman
* We send our condolences to section member Barb Harris on the loss of her father Bernard Donenberg
* We send our condolences to section member Anne Flanders on the loss of her husband Staunton Flanders
May their memories be for a blessing.
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Tributes
An NCJW Chicago North Shore Tribute is a thoughtful way to acknowledge a life event while supporting NCJW’s many valuable projects. You may purchase an individual tribute or packages of tribute cards.
To purchase Tributes visit
To: Donna Gutman and Family
From: Anita Weinstein
Congratulations on the arrival of your grandson. Wishing you and your family all the best.
To Debbie Vietinghoff
From the NCJW Board
Our condolences on the loss of your mother Judith Friedman. May her memory be a blessing.
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Silent Witness Stories
The Silent Witness Exhibit of Illinois honors those who have died from acts of intimate partner violence. The Exhibit consists of life-size female figures, each bearing a shield telling the true story of an Illinois woman killed as a result of domestic violence. The figures provide a powerful visual impact to raise awareness of the tragedy and loss we all suffer when lives are taken senselessly through domestic violence. Groups may use the Exhibit for outreach, education and fundraising programs.
The Silent Witness Exhibit has been viewed in Illinois by thousands of people in dozens of venues since it was launched in 1997 by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) Chicago North Shore Section. The Silent Witness Exhibit of Illinois is part of the National Silent Witness Initiative, start
ed in 1990 in Minneapolis.
Click here
for more information about hosting the Silent Witness Exhibit.
Each Month in the NCJW E-News, we will highlight a Silent Witness Story, so that the victims of domestic violence will never be forgotten.
Alma Chavez
Age 19
Pilsen
January 7, 2000
Alma was a quiet nursing student who lived with her parents. She dated Raul Tolentino for about a year before she broke off the relationship. He surprised her one morning at home and brutally stabbed her to death. Although he was charged, he fled Chicago after his family put up $20,000 bond. Alma’s father Bonifacio tracked him to his hometown in Mexico where he was employed at a pizza parlor. Bonifacio worked to have Raul arrested but died in 2006. The U.S. Justice Department issued an arrest warrant hoping to partner with Mexican authorities, to no avail. In 2011, Chicago Tribune reporters traveled to Mexico to highlight the critical problem of Chicago fugitives crossing the border to escape prosecution. They located Tolentino, but he was not arrested for another 17 months. He was finally extradited to Chicago in November 2013. Senator Dick Durbin became involved in the case, calling on the Mexican ambassador to urge law enforcement to apprehend and extradite U.S. fugitives.
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Reauthorize the
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
On July 26, NCJW joined Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and our partners in the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, at a press conference in the US Capitol to introduce a measure to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). From an increased investment in sexual violence prevention programs to provisions to hold offenders accountable on tribal lands to efforts to make our criminal justice system more responsive to survivors to updated definitions to protections for incarcerated survivors, the legislation includes the realistic enhancements survivors need and advocates have asked for. VAWA is set to expire on September 30. NCJW helped draft VAWA and its subsequent reauthorizations.
Take Action! Call your representative (Capitol Switchboard #202-224-3121) to urge them to cosponsor this critical legislation
. Let them know we need VAWA reauthorized now before it expires — survivors can’t wait for lifesaving responses to sexual violence and communities can’t wait for prevention programs.
To learn more about VAWA and to learn about its critical protections, the key enhancements in H.R. 6545, and how you can help ensure that VAWA is reauthorized, attend a free webinar sponsored by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence ("NTF"). Click here to register.
Weekly Wrap Up
Did you know that our National office puts out a weekly wrap up each Friday afternoon?
Click here to subscribe and stay informed with advocacy at the national level!
Protect refugees.
Two weeks ago, our CEO Nancy K. Kaufman visited the Mexican border as part of the Jewish Leadership Border Mission, led by HIAS and the Anti-Defamation League. She met the people behind the immigration headlines and heard their stories firsthand. Now you can witness what she experienced.
Watch HIAS's powerful video detailing this border mission.
But don't stop there. It's time to take action. Reports indicate that the Trump Administration, led by hard line Senior Policy Advisor Stephen Miller, might admit as few as 15,000 refugees next year. This is unacceptable, downright deadly, and could increase the number of people detained at the southern border.
Women In 2018: Progress Amidst The Setbacks
If Jewish communal organizations are going to effectively close the gender gap, we need to critically analyze our own practices and policies. We are no less vulnerable to workplace abuse and harassment than secular organizations. These inequities have been swept under the carpet for far too long, and it is time that the Jewish community names them, faces them, and remedies them. That process is already unfolding, thanks to initiatives such as the newly formed Safety Respect Equity Coalition. The coalition is a group of more than 50 individuals, organizations and foundations who have come together to support the efforts of Jewish organizations to strengthen policies and practices concerning sexual harassment and gender equity in their own workplaces. NCJW is a proud partner in this effort.
Click here to read the full article.
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Other Events and Items of Interest
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Tell your senators to Stop Kavanaugh
If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh would turn back the clock on health care, especially reproductive health care. He has ruled that employers can legally deny their employees’ access to birth control coverage under the guise of “religious freedom” and that allowing a minor immigrant to access abortion without a sponsor is akin to “abortion on demand.” His extensive record on these and so many issues including immigration, workers rights, and voting rights make it clear he will not protect the rights of all Americans. And this is only from the part of his record that we have access to. Well over ninety percent of Kavanaugh’s record remains hidden from the public, and Kavanaugh has dodged, filibustered, and run away from his record while answering straightforward questions. Brett Kavanaugh is unfit to serve a lifetime appointment on the highest court of the land.
Get out the Vote!
Are you interested in volunteering to register first-time voters? Are you interested in helping our newest American citizens fulfill their first privilege of citizenship immediately after their official Oath Ceremony? Here’s your opportunity to do both!
The “Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Right” (ICIRR) organization needs volunteers to offer one hour of time to help register these newest U.S. citizens at downtown Chicago locations. Shifts are available any of five days a week, either 10:00 am or 1:00 pm. No formal registrar training needed, just an interview with ICIRR’s Volunteer Coordinator downtown. For more information, email
info@ncjwcns.org
.
Did you miss the NCJW Webinar Why Midterms Matter?
Click here
for the recording and
click here
for NCJW's totally revamped and updated
2018 Promote the Vote, Protect the Vote Guide
is now available on the website! Click here to find information and tools for civic engagement, incl
uding voter reminder cards, a guide to candidate forums, and how to volunteer on election day.
For a country that is supposed to be "of the people, by the people, & for the people," so many are denied their essential right to vote.
Voting in this country is under attack. And that's not an exaggeration. Passing voter ID laws, purging voter rolls, closing polling stations, limiting early voting, and disenfranchising people with past criminal convictions are just some of the tactics used to suppress voting. These tactics disproportionately impact voters of color, low-income voters, elderly and young voters, and women.
In the midterm elections this November, 23 states will face additional voting restrictions they did not have before 2010. That's nearly half of the country forced to overcome new barriers in order to vote. And even when we get past all of these obstacles and cast our ballots, partisan and racial gerrymandering dilute the power of our votes. So how do we stop this attack on voting?
First,
get educated
. Then get involved with local efforts across the country to fight back against these restrictions and work to expand voting rights at the local, state, and federal levels. Get started today: learn more about the status of voting rights around the country.
Take Action To Keep Kids Safe
There is action we can take to s
ave lives; we can reform the gun stores selling many of the guns used in crimes every day across Illinois. The
Chicago Gun Trace Report
analyzed data between 2013 -2016 to figure out the origin of guns being used in crimes, and it shows that Chicago’s gun violence problem is fueled in part by gun dealers supplying guns to prohibited people. This is hard government data; it’s not spin or, fake news.
- Since 2013, more than 7,000 crime guns were recovered each year by CPD – a rate far above LA and NYC
- Trace data going back almost a decade demonstrates that roughly two of every five of Chicago's crime guns come into the city from Illinois source dealers.
Their conclusion?
"A joint local and federal effort to oversee Illinois gun dealers can have a demonstrable impact on a
very sizeable portion
of the firearms recovered from
illegal possessors
in Chicago. ... Under the framework proposed in the Gun Dealer Licensing Act, local law enforcement could simply step in and assist
where ATF cannot
due to manpower or other federal restrictions."
By reforming gun dealers we can stop the flow of crime guns to our communities and save lives. In the past Governor Rauner has vetoed bipartisan legislation to reform these bad actor gun dealers, and we are now are experiencing the effects of gun dealers going unchecked across the state. Please honor those lost by taking action:
Click here
to
CALL and EMAIL
Governor Rauner
RIGHT NOW
and ask him to sign SB337 the Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act.
No Shame On U 4th Annual event featuring Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison
Sunday, October 28, 2018, 6:00 PM 9:00 PM, Holiday Inn Skokie, 5300 West Touhy
Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison is the author of An Unquiet Mind and Professor of Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Kay Redfield Jamison is an international authority and researcher
on mood disorders. Named a “Hero of Medicine" by TIME, she has unique insight into the world of mental illness.
Click here
for more information.
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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), but we now also have a lovely, hand-crafted necklace you can purchase for yourself or for a gift. Net proceeds from the sale of each
necklace
supports NCJW's mission.
You can also support NCJW as a Sustaining Advocate.
Complete and print this form
and mail it to our office, 5 Revere Drive, Suite 200, Northbrook, IL 60062 and your scheduled monthly donation will ensure the viability of Chicago North Shore for generations to come. Your support makes it possible for NCJW to create meaningful social change for women, children, and families in the US and Israel. Make a difference for women, children, and families by giving a generous gift to NCJW through a variety of options:
Put your dollars to work immediately by making a fast, secure online donation. Become a Major Donor by making a donation of $360 or more.
Honor a family member, colleague, friend, or loved one by giving a gift to NCJW. A handwritten NCJW tribute card with a message of support, celebration, or sympathy will be sent to the honoree or the family of the person you wish to remember.
Canadian jewelry artist Hilary Druxman has handcrafted a beautifully designed necklace and has partnered with NCJW Chicago North Shore to bring her design to our members and supporters. Overlapping triangles come together to form a star, reflecting our belief in advocacy and action. Each necklace costs $44 ($40 + $4 sales tax) and can be shipped anywhere in the US. Net proceeds from the sale of each handcrafted sterling silver necklace support our mission.
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.
Create a Legacy!
Want to ensure NCJW's legacy for years to come? Are you a life member and want to extend your support in perpetuity? Have you thought out a bequest to NCJW?
Already have a bequest to NCJW? Please let us know that you put us in your will so we can acknowledge you!! Email
melissa@ncjwcns.org
.
Support NCJW with your Purchases
Save Gas. Save Time. Raise Money!
Through iGive, Amazon smile and others, you can raise money for NCJW while you shop online. Use the links below and select NCJW Chicago North Shore as your charity of choice.
Every time you shop at any of the 1,000+ online stores in the iGive network, a portion of the money you spend benefits NCJW Chicago North Shore Section. It's a free service, and you'll never pay more when you reach a store through iGive. In fact, smart shoppers will enjoy iGive's repository of coupons, free shipping deals, and sales. To get started, just create your free iGive account at igive.com.
You shop. Amazon gives. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support NCJW every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at
smile.amazon.com
and select National Council of Jewish Women Wilmette, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to directly to NCJW.
You shop; you save; they give
Here is a simple way to make a difference -- each time you search the web (Goodsearch) or shop online (Goodshop), Goodsearch will make a donation to your favorite cause. Just visit Goodshop and select NCJW Chicago North Shore as your charity of choice.
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