RIVER VALE, N.J.—The National Council of Jewish Women Bergen County Section (NCJWBCS) presented Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal with the organization’s Hannah G. Solomon award at their Annual Spring Luncheon June 4.
Woman of the Section Award was presented to Gladys Laden, who has been a NCJWBCS member for 65 years.
The Solomon award, named for the pioneering and visionary woman who founded NCJW in 1893, honors recipients known for their work on vital issues important to NCJW and for helping catalyze needed social change.
“I am so incredibly honored to join the National Council of Jewish Women this afternoon, not only to receive the Hannah G. Solomon Award but also to stand with an organization that does so much to safeguard our freedoms and liberties, so much to advocate for social justice and so much to improve lives,” Grewal said in part.
Laden was recognized for being a woman who exemplifies the spirit of NCJW, “who by deed and action has indicated her commitment to and support and love for this organization, and who has performed outstanding service in one or more of the many facets of the Section.”
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of 90,000 volunteers and advocates. Founded in 1893, the organization says it has turned progressive ideals into action in 500 communities across the United States.
NCJW works for social justice, improving the quality of life for families, children and women based upon principles of Judaism.
This year’s spring luncheon, “We Never Stop Running,” was held at The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale. It brought together 142 members and guests, including State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, and Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.
Proceeds of the event will benefit the work of NCJW Bergen County Section, an organization of 1,000 members who are committed to turning progressive ideals into action and improving the quality of life for thousands of men, women, children, and families.
As guests arrived, they were able to purchase raffle tickets and sign up for silent auction prizes.
After enjoying cocktails on the terrace, guests returned indoors and were seated in the ballroom, where event co-chair Mary Sue Ehrenberg gave a warm welcome to members and distinguished guests. She announced that Ramapo College bestowed Weinberg with an honorary doctorate at its Graduate Program Commencement Ceremony, at which she was keynote speaker.
On each table was a centerpiece consisting of beautiful one- of-a-kind decorative shoes fashioned by clients of Marta Levy, director of Children’s Programs at the Center for Hope and Safety.
Invocation was by Paul Seitelman. The hamotzi blessing over the loaf of challah was by Dr. Caroline Halverstam.
Officers installed
A focus of the annual luncheon was the installation of officers, which was presided over by Ann Levenstein.
- New Co-President Bari-Lynne Schwartz joined presidents Elizabeth Halverstam and Ruth Seitelman.
- Vice-presidents are Phyllis Betancourt, Nan Matlick, Joan Cooper, Virginia Wasserman, Ilene Wechter, Marilynn Friedman, Joan Schnuer, Elaine Meyerson, Joan Ornstein and Karen Kurland.
- Norma Goldsmith remains in her role as recording secretary.
- Elizabeth Roditi continues as treasurer.
Bari-Lynne Schwartz, speaking on behalf of all three presidents, thanked the other officers for their commitment to the organization. She extolled the outstanding efforts of Weinberg and Huttle for the organization: “sponsoring key legislation, moderating many of our advocacy forums, and most recently joining approximately 400 legislators from 46 who signed a letter denouncing efforts to ban abortion at the state level.”
She added, “Of note, you are the two of only three legislators to sign the letter.”
Schwartz summarized NCJW lobbying efforts in Washington D.C. on abortion access, gun violence prevention, and voter registration, among other priorities.
Awards Chair Fran Butensky then presented Grewal with the Hannah G. Solomon Award.
In January 2016, Gov. Chris Christie approved a State Senate and Assembly Resolution designating January 14 of each year as Hannah G. Solomon Day and calling on citizens to observe it with appropriate programs and activities.
Grewal calls for ‘all of us to push back’
In accepting the award, Grewal thanked NCJW for its vital efforts “and for recognizing the work we are doing at the AG’s office.”
He said he was humbled to receive the honor on behalf of the men and women of his office “who work tirelessly to protect all of our residents, including our most vulnerable communities, and who work diligently to uphold the rule of law against daily challenges.”
Grewal said, “We are living in a unique historical moment, and I believe it is up to all of us—but especially to state AGs like me—to push back to stand up and protect all of our residents, to act as a check on the administration and to ensure that the President adheres to those legal norms and to those standards that underpin our constitutional democracy.”
He added, “That’s precisely what we have been doing at the AG’s office over the last 17 months.”
Grewal said, “That’s why when it comes to our immigrant brothers and sisters, we’ve challenged the President’s Muslim bans. We’ve fought plans to separate families and put children in cages. We’re challenging efforts that make it harder for people to seek asylum in this country. We are leading the fight to save DACA.”
He also spoke to protecting the rights of women, saying “We’ve pushed back successfully against the administration’s many attacks by winning a nationwide injunction blocking the enforcement of rules that would deny women no-cost contraception and another blocking a rule that would restrict access to health care and family planning.”
Grewal also said, “Time and time again we’ve pushed back against the administration’s attacks against the LGBTQ community, against labor, against consumers, and against the environment.”
He advised, “It cannot be about pushing back alone. We must push forward as well. I believe that we must also use our tools to establish an affirmative agenda in New Jersey, one that not only serves our residents but one that can also serve as a model for the rest of country, and we are doing that as well at the AG’s office.”
Woman of the section award
Following the awards presentations Weinberg and Huttle presented Grewal and Laden with New Jersey State Resolutions. The luncheon concluded with the raffle and silent auction drawings and closing remarks by Linda Horowitz.
