Press Releases

NCJW/Essex to Become Independent Nonprofit; Name to Change to Tovah

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Roseland, NJ – March 25, 2026 – The National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section (NCJW/Essex) announced today that it will become an independent non-profit organization. When the change is made later this summer, the organization will be called Tovah.  

The name Tovah embodies the pursuit of doing good in support of women, children and families of all backgrounds. Powered by volunteers, Tovah is committed to building on the unmatched 100-plus-year history of NCJW/Essex by expanding hands-on community service projects, passionate advocacy and opportunities to connect across generations for which the organization is known. 

“We have always been a group of strong women who work to make a real and lasting impact on the lives of women, children and families,” said Andrea Rakitta Mintz, president of NCJW/Essex. “We arrived at this moment knowing our financial foundation is strong, our volunteer leadership is committed to success, and together with our professional staff, we are prepared and ready to execute this transition. We are excited about our future as Tovah.” 

As they have for dozens of years, well-known and valued programs will continue to make a difference for families. The Back 2 School Store creates a magical shopping experience each summer to outfit nearly 1,000 children with clothes, coats, sneakers, school supplies, books and more. The Center for Women counsels and guides hundreds of women on their employment journeys.

Working in coalition with partners and advocates, Tovah will add its voice on issues including reproductive justice, voting rights, gun violence prevention, and others, all in pursuit of a just and compassionate world. 

“As we establish Tovah as an independent nonprofit, our focus on the needs of women, children and families and the issues that matter most to them remains as vital and important as ever,” added Caitlin Higgins Joy, Executive Director of NCJW/Essex.  “Tovah intends to offer even more meaningful ways for our members and volunteers to work together to do good both locally and statewide.”

The organization’s Board of Directors made the decision to become an independent nonprofit citing the best, long-term interest of its members and the people it serves. The IRS recently granted the organization its own 501(c)(3) exemption. The name change will be voted on at a meeting of the organization’s membership in June 2026 and final disaffiliation from NCJW, Inc. is expected this summer.

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About NCJW/Essex

The National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section, (NCJW/Essex) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. NCJW/Essex members and volunteers give back to our community, advocate for issues and form forever friendships. The National Council of Jewish Women was founded in 1893, in Chicago, and the Essex County section was established in 1912.  For more information about our mission and our programs, visit www.ncjwessex.org.

 

Contact

Debra Lewis

Communications Director

NCJW/Essex 

973-488-0060

dlewis@ncjwessex.org

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NCJW/Essex Lunch & Learn Featuring Former Governor James McGreevey A Fresh Start – Reinvention After Incarceration

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NCJW/Essex is sponsoring a Lunch and Learn – A Fresh Start: Reinvention After Incarceration – featuring former Governor James McGreevey, Director of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program, on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. Mr. McGreevey has become a leader in helping released prisoners successfully adjust back into society, advocating for skill based educational services to enable former offenders to secure meaningful employment, enabling them to live healthy and productive lives.

Offender reentry, the transition from life in jail or prison to life in the community, has emerged as one of the most challenging issues of our time and can have profound implications for public safety. In particular, the importance of offender reentry is recognized as a critical tool in breaking the cycle of drug use and crime, and improving the public health and public safety of our communities.

Mr. McGreevey has been an outspoken advocate on this issue, garnering bi-partisan accolades for his work. He is committed to making communities safer by assisting those returning from prison and jail in becoming productive, tax-paying citizens. He will be joined by Helena Muhammed, a caseworker at the Jersey City Employment and Training Program, who will share her experiences.

Mr. McGreevey’s important work is aligned with the basic tenet of the Linda and Rudy Slucker NCJW/Essex Center for Women – to give women the tools to empower themselves to make positive changes in their lives, especially after facing challenges at home or in the workplace. Pat Kremen, Career Services Manager at the Center for Women, will join the former governor and Ms. Muhammed to discuss the challenges faced by women today and the services available to help them get back on their feet.

The Lunch and Learn will be held at the Livingston Community Center, 204 Hillside Avenue, Livingston, NJ. Pre-registration is required. NCJW/Essex members: $20; Nonmembers: $25; includes a buffet lunch. To register, please call 973-740-0588 or visit www.ncjwessex.org.

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Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism” is Topic of NCJW/Essex Special Lunch & Learn Commemorating the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

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NCJW/Essex will sponsor a special Lunch and Learn on Thursday, January 21, 2016, in recognition of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade entitled, “Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism.” The program will take place at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, 1025 South Orange Avenue, Short Hills from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm.

Although the Roe v. Wade decision was handed down by the Supreme Court in 1973, ensuring a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion, the fight to overturn it has been relentless ever since. One of the most under-reported aspects of the ongoing attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade is domestic terrorism aimed at reproductive health care facilities and healthcare providers.

“There are forces that want to roll back the clock,” says Phoebe Pollinger, advocate for reproductive justice and co-chair of the event along with Lunch and Learn co-chairs Isabel Margolin and Tema Javerbaum. “These efforts are well-funded and well-organized and are dangerous to women. We have chosen to highlight anti-abortion domestic terrorism because the media does not and therefore people don’t think about it,” she added. “We need to call it what it is – terrorism – and bring it to light.”

The program will feature law professor Davis S. Cohen and attorney Krysten Connon, authors of the book, “Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism,” which exposes the harrowing reality facing abortion providers in the U.S. Join the authors for a panel discussion led by Janice Kovach, Mayor of Clinton, NJ, and former Director of the NJ Division on Women, along with Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters which has highlighted the lack of media coverage on this critical topic and Jennifer Amico, MD, from Physicians for Reproductive Health. The book which has inspired the title of the program will be available for purchase at the event.

The program is open to NCJW/Essex members, co-sponsors and interested community members; registration is required. The fee for the program is $20 and includes a buffet lunch. Pre-registration is required by Friday, January 15, 2016 and space is limited. In case of snow the program will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2016. To register visit www.ncjwessex.org or call the NCJW/Essex Office at (973) 740-0588.

“Living in the Crosshairs” is being co-sponsored by many community organizations supporting a woman’s right to choose including: American Association of University Women (AAUW), Alliance for Justice, American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, BlueWaveNJ, Center for Reproductive Rights, Community Relations Committee of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, League of Women Voters of New Jersey, Family Planning Association of NJ, Garden State Equality, Hadassah of Northern New Jersey, National Organization for Women (NOW), NCJW/Bergen, NCJW/Union, NCJW/West Morris, New Jersey Abortion Access Fund (NJAAF), New Jersey Citizen Action, NJ Public Policy Network, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of NJ, Reproductive Justice Committee of the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, Reproductive Justice/Health Task Team of Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ, Sierra Club and Temple B’nai Abraham.]

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“A Feminist Icon’s Journey” NCJW/Essex Dessert and Dialogue to Feature Letty Cottin Pogrebin – Author, Activist, National Lecturer

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The National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section (NCJW/Essex) will present a special evening event, Dessert and Dialogue, featuring author and activist Letty Cottin Pogrebin, on Tuesday evening, May 3, 2016. The program will be held at Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel, 432 Scotland Road, South Orange, NJ, at 7:00 pm.

In this program, Ms. Pogrebin will discuss her journey as an author, activist and feminist icon. A prolific writer and a leader in many social justice causes, Ms. Pogrebin was a founding editor and writer for Ms. Magazine and has also authored eleven books, including her newest novel, Single Jewish Male Seeking Soulmate. Besides her twenty-year affiliation with Ms. Magazine, Pogregin wrote “The Working Woman” column in The Ladies Home Journal and has published articles and op-eds in numerous publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer and LA Times.

A leader in many social justice causes, Pogrebin has served two terms as President of The Authors Guild, and two terms as Chair of the Board of Americans for Peace Now. She currently serves on the boards of Americans for Peace Now, the Ms. Foundation for Education & Communication, The Free to Be Foundation, the Harvard Divinity School Women Studies in Religion Program, and the Brandeis University Women’s and Gender Studies Program. A graduate of Brandeis University, Pogrebin’s honors include a Yale University Poynter Fellowship in Journalism; an Emmy Award for Free to Be You and Me, inclusion in Who’s Who in America, and dozens of awards and commendations from a variety of NGOs, civic organizations and educational institutions.

“A Feminist Icon’s Journey” is being co-sponsored by Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel. Pre-registration is required. The program fee is $15 for members of NCJW and Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel and $18 for nonmembers, and includes coffee, tea and desserts. To register, please call 973-740-0588 or visit www.ncjwessex.org.

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