August 2021

Anti-Human Trafficking: Calls to Action to Do Today!

Now’s the time to commit to making real change from home. Below please find Calls to Action, as well as a list of notable resources. You’ve lit your candle, set a fire – now continue the fight to abolish human trafficking. Forward to friends and family!

CALLS TO ACTION

1. Ask Your State Senator to Sponsor Two High Priority Bills and Press For a Hearing
Find your State Senator here.
In our area:Senator Richard Cody (Caldwell, Florham Park, Hanover, Livingston, Millburn,Maplewood, Roseland, S&W Orange): Email here or call (973) 535-5017 Senator Nia Gill (Clifton, E& Orange, Montclair): Email here or call (973) 509-0388

Public Awareness of Trafficking (S280) develops notices for victims of human trafficking, that contain the National Human Trafficking Number, to be posted in critical places such as transit spots, bars and massage parlors — giving victims a way to reach out for help.

A New Start for Survivors (S1750) expands clean slate/vacatur laws for trafficking survivors. This bill provides a process to vacate and expunge arrests and charges committed by a person while they were a victim of human trafficking, thus allowing them a new start in life.

2. Put the National Human Trafficking Hotline Phone Number and Text in Your Phone
Call 888-3737-888 OR Text BEFREE (2337333)

3. Vote for the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Your daily vote could help the Coalition win a rebranding, which would help spread awareness of modern day slavery across the state. Vote here.

Here’s What You Can Do Right Now to Protect Reproductive Rights

Now’t the time to make a commitment to protect reproductive rights. Below please find the Calls to Action, as well as a list of notable resources. You’ve lit your candle, set a fire – now let’s protect abortion access. Share with friends and family!

Calls to Action

1.Thank Governor Murphy For Protecting Access

Call, email and tweet Governor Murphy609-292-6000, @GovMuphy, contact here
Call Script: I am a member of the National Council of Jewish Women (or your organization or omit if calling as an individual). I am calling today to thank Governor Murphy and his administration for Executive Order No 109, which ensures that individuals can still access family planning and abortion care services.  
Abortion care is essential and time-sensitive and must remain so during this public health crisis. I want to thank Governor Murphy for protecting and expanding health care access during these challenging times. Thank you. 

2. Thank Abortion Providers, Thank the Women’s Center here. Thank Planned Parenthood here.

3. Join the Effort to Make the Birth Control Pill Available Without a Prescription. “Like” here.

4. Sign Petitions to Lift FDA Restrictions on Medication Abortion. Click herehere and here!

Welcome to the 2020-2021 NCJW/Essex Officers and Board

2020-2021 Officers


President: Penina Barr​

VP Administration: Marjorie Zucker​

 VP Advocacy: Jennie Goldsmith Rothman​

 VP Center for Women: Andrea Mintz​

 VP Communications: Debra Goldsmith​

 VP Fund Development: Anita S. Cohen​

 VP Membership: Susie Botwinick​

 VP Programming: Elisa Madorsky​

 VP Volunteer Outreach: Laurie Schuftan​

 Treasurer: Rita Isaacs​

 Assistant Treasurer: Paula Green​

 Financial Secretary: Cindy Charney​

 Corresponding Secretary: Debra Caplan​

 Recording Secretary: Laurie Kahn​

 Nominations Chair: Jill Sorkin Johnson​

 Nominations Vice Chair: Jaimee Baumgarten

2020-2021 Section Board

Heather Adelman ​

Ellen Barocas ​

Penina Barr ​

Jaimee Baumgarten ​

Janet Berger ​

Linda Berman ​

Lila Bernstein ​

Jordyn Blackburn ​

Michelle Bobrow ​

Susie Botwinick ​

Beth Randall Branigan ​

Debra Caplan ​

Cindy Charney ​

Anita S. Cohen​

Carol Cohen ​

Teddi Dolph ​

Hélène Dreskin​

Nancy Eskow​

Lauren Tabak Fass​

Ruthann Fish ​

Lori Gelman ​

Sara Goetz ​

Debra Goldsmith ​

Ellen Gottlieb ​

Paula Green ​

Lesley Greenstein ​

Shari Harrison ​

Barbara Hauser ​

Rita Isaacs ​

Linda Jacobs ​

Jill Sorkin Johnson ​

Laurie Kahn ​

 Ellen M. Klein ​

 Robin Kollin ​

 Stacey Laken ​

 Leslie Lavinthal ​

 Dale Lazarovitch ​

Elisa Madorsky​

 Isabel Margolin ​

 Susan Miller ​

 Andrea Mintz ​

 Patti Nathan ​

 Phoebe Pollinger ​

 Jennie Goldsmith Rothman​

 Lisa Santola ​

 Deborah Legow Schatz​

Lauren Scher ​

 Laurie Schuftan ​

 Deborah Schultz ​

 Robin Singer ​

 Sharon Spindel ​

Joy Stone ​

 Judy Wais Tabak ​

 Sheri Trugman ​

 Beverly Trust ​

 Myrna Wertheimer ​

 Marjorie Zucker ​

New Officers and Section Board for 2020-2021 were installed on June 4, 2020.

How to Host Your Own “Time of the Month” Collection for the Period.Project

Launched in November 2018, the extremely successful “Time of the Month” initiative (TOTM) has brought in new volunteers as well as increased awareness of the issue of menstrual equity with our membership, the public and the agencies we collect for. Since its inception, through the generosity of our volunteers, friends, family and colleagues we have collected and distributed over 2,200 packages of product (over 90,000 units).

To date, we have collected product for agencies such as Holy Trinity Food Pantry in West Orange, Morristown Community Soup Kitchen, Family Promise-Morris County Chapter, IFPO, Interfaith Hospitality Network, the Department of Child Protection and Permanency in Newark, Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey, North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NCJRI) and Rent Party Pantry in Maplewood.

A “Time of the Month” volunteer serves as a representative of NCJW/ESSEX and an ambassador of the project. Your role is to identify an agency, reach out to friends, colleagues, neighbors, family and collect product for an entire month to be donated to the agency you have selected.

It’s easy, fun, and life-changing to do a Time of the Month collection!

1) Choose an agency/organization/temple/church that is important to you for your collection. If you would like, we can supply you with an NCJW/Essex agency. If you do have an agency in mind, please let us know which one as we would like the opportunity to vet them first.

2) After you have selected an agency, contact them and let them know that you are a representative from NCJW/ESSEX Period.Project. Give them a little history about the TOTM (see above) and ask them if they would like to be the recipients of a month long collection of menstrual product. If you feel comfortable, you can ask what type of product they prefer (pads, tampons). You can also ask how many women/girls they serve each month.
3) After you have spoken with your agency, reach out to your contacts. Below are some examples of letters you can send or post on social media. Feel free to modify them, but please be sure to include that you are doing this collection for NCJW/Essex Period.Project.

Sample email:

Hello friends!

As part of an NCJW/Essex Period.Project initiative called Time of the Month, I will be collecting menstrual products for the (agency name) in (town) through the end of _(month)__.

Each month, there are women and girls in our neighborhood and all throughout the county and state that cannot afford, or do not have access menstrual product. Women are often forced to make difficult financial decisions and often times miss work. Girls frequently miss school…

I hope you will join me in this cause by donating new, unopened menstrual products to name of agency. I will be accepting pads of all sizes, tampons, mini pads and feminine wipes.

Please check out our website for more information https://ncjwessex.org/period-project and be sure to scroll down and watch our two minute video,
Please drop donations at my house (front door please) __address_____.

Thank you very much!! We so appreciate your generosity!!

PS- Pick- ups or other arrangements can be made as well
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Hi Facebook friends —

Did you know that there are women and girls who cannot afford or do not have access to menstrual products? This month I am collecting menstrual products for _(agency name)_ in __(town)__ on behalf of the NCJW/Essex Period.Project. You can help raise awareness about this important issue and directly help women and girls living only a few miles away from us by donating products that will go directly to (name of agency).

I hope you will join me! Please PM me for more details (drop off location/day/time). To learn more about the Period.Project, visit www.ncjwessex.org/period-project. Thank you for your support!

4) Some people have chosen to purchase product on Amazon and have it sent to your house, rather than purchase product at a local store. This is an excellent idea and you can certainly mention it to your contacts. If they do chose do donate this way, please have them include a gift card so you will know who the recipient is.

5) As your collections start rolling in, please keep a tally of how many boxes or packages of pads, tampons, liners, etc., you receive as well as the total individual units broken out by type of product. Some people donate boxes of 96 or 120 (!!) and you don’t get a real scope of how much product is donated unless you figure the total number of units. As you can see above, we received 90,000 thousand units of product and 2,200 packages.

6) When you are finished with your collection, contact the agency and let them know that you would like to drop off the product. Please be sure to take lots of photos when you do! And finally, please send us your photos along with your completed tally. THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for your passion and dedication to this cause and for working towards menstrual equity for all women. Our goal is to erase period stigma, bring awareness to this issue that affects us all and make menstrual product available to all women.

If you are interested in collecting for a TOTM or have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us:

Adrienne Lewin adriennelewin@yahoo.com 
Jeanne Gordon jsimon9500@hotmail.com