Advocacy & Social Welfare in the USA

Felicia Anchor reports on the latest advocacy and social action news from the National Council of Jewish Women-USA.

NCJW-USA is led by President, Beatrice Kahn and CEO, Nancy K. Kaufman. They recently relocated their headquarters to Washington DC, combining their New York and DC offices. They also announced the retirement of their CEO Nancy Kaufman. A CEO search committee has been established to interview prospective candidates to replace Ms. Kaufman. ICJW’s Vice President in the United States is Robin Frank.

NCJW USA has been actively working on Judicial Nominations.  The judges confirmed to lifetime seats on federal courts, including the US Supreme Court, make the decisions that shape our nation. Federal court decisions impact every aspect of our lives: The schools we can attend; our privacy; our ability to start a family when we choose; the safety of the products we buy; our religious freedom; and our voting rights. That’s why ensuring a fair and independent judiciary is essential.

Another issue NCJW USA is working on is the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that expired on September 30, 2018 and has been temporarily extended by Congress  until December 7.  This legislation was first passed in 1994 and reauthorized three times, providing a lifeline for all survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWA has had a significant impact on ending violence: reporting of domestic violence has increased 51%, every state has passed laws making stalking a crime and has strengthened their rape laws, and the number of individuals killed by an intimate partner has decreased by 34% for women and 57% for men.

Other issues on the NCJW social policy agenda include: White Supremacy in America, Civil Rights, Civic Engagement, Federal Courts, Israel, Sex Trafficking, Religious Freedom, Reproductive Health Rights and Justice, and Voting Rights.

While the national organization focuses on these Advocacy Directives, many local Sections develop and implement activities and projects. This important work is intended to meet unmet social needs in both the Jewish and non Jewish community.

Some of the projects include:

  • Back to School Stores which provide clothing and school supplies to families who cannot afford to prepare their children for the school year.
  • Revitalizing School Libraries by updating books and materials in school systems which have had to reduce library services and materials due to budget cuts.
  • Meals on Wheels delivering kosher meals to individuals who are not able to prepare their own food..in conjunction with Jewish Family Services
  • Social Media Programs to educate parents and grandparents about the challenges and danger these formats may create.
  • Voter Registration Drives to ensure that citizens are registered and ready to vote in elections.
  • The Talk Project educating high school teens about sexual violence

These are just a sample of the many projects which are conducted by NCJW-Sections across the United States. To find out  more about NCJW-USA, please visit the website: www.ncjw.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter or You Tube.