The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive 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.

Keeping Up with the Atlanta Section

The Eleventh Annual Roz P. Cohen

INTERFAITH LUNCHEON

When: Tuesday, March 23, 2010

11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: The Temple

1589 Peachtree Street, Atlanta

Topic: "EVIL - What is it? What do we do about it?" The panel discussion will focus on how our different faith traditions teach us about good, bad and human choice.

Our guest panelists include: Professor Walleed El-Ansary, Department of Religious Studies, University of South Carolina, Rabbi Joshua Lesser, Congregation Bet Haverim and President of the Board of Directors of the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta (FAMA) and Reverend Dr. Benjamin Johnson, who is Professor Emeritus of Spirituality at Columbia Theological Seminary. Judy Marx, Director of the American Jewish Committee, will moderate the discussion. Dr. Laurie Patton, Chair of Religion, Emory University, will be our wrap-up speaker.

Our sponsorship levels are as follows: $1,200 - Table of ten (10): Women of Peace

$600 - 1/2 Table of Five (5): Women of Vision

$250 - Two (2) Tickets: Women of Learning

Individual tickets (Women of Faith) are available at $60 per person.

Please call 404-843-9600 with questions or to charge by phone.

 

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A Letter from Nancy Ratzen, NCJW National President

Dear NCJW Member, 

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you what we ― you, me, and 90,000 of our colleagues across the U.S. have accomplished in the past few months. Please join me in celebrating our successes with the confidence that as a loyal NCJW member your voice is being heard; that you are making a difference.  

Our voices ― that of progressive Jewish women committed to social change through NCJW ― are valued and heard at the White House. After eight years of closed doors, we have been invited to the White House on numerous occasions, both for celebrations and meaningful forward-thinking conversations. Each time I step through that grand doorway, I am reminded that I do not enter alone. With me I bring the work, the dreams, and the hopes of each of you, and of all the women who have strived with NCJW to create lasting, tangible, meaningful change. It is with great pride that I represent all of you. It is only because of the strength and credibility of NCJW’s powerful grassroots community that I am able to speak up and speak out about the issues we stand for, the issues that improve the quality of life for women, children, and families, and that safeguard individual rights and freedoms. 

Since January 20, NCJW’s grassroots power has proven pivotal in advancing of NCJW’s vision to achieve an equitable, just and progressive policy agenda in the United States. In just a few months, NCJW has been at the forefront of the successful movements to:  

• Ensure the passage and signing into law of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
• Repeal the detrimental global gag rule
• Expand S-CHIP, the state children’s health insurance program
• Restore access to affordable contraception
• Begin the process to overturn the HHS conscience rule
• Release restrictions on embryonic stem cell research ― thereby returning rationality and science to policy decisions
• Create the new White House Council on Women and Girls
• Develop a Presidential Commission of Women through congressional action
• Legalize same sex marriage in Iowa, Vermont, and Maine
• Help ensure confirmation of federal judges committed to constitutional values through NCJW’s reinvigorated Benchmark campaign

Recently, I was appointed to serve on the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This 25-person Council will be making recommendations to the President about very specific policy areas, including teen pregnancy and abortion. This is an extraordinary opportunity for NCJW engage in influencing national policy around issues that we are uniquely qualified and deeply committed to addressing.

Though these achievements are great, there is no time for pause. There are many challenges to be faced and a lot of work to be done. In the days ahead, we will be presented with new obstacles as we strive to advance the public policy agenda as outlined in NCJW's Vision for America. Your involvement will be more important than ever as we work to create economic justice, reform health care, provide comprehensive sex education to youth, and devise strategies to face many other critical issues by delivering the unique, powerful and valued voice and action of NCJW. Through the engagement in NCJW at the local and national level, your voice will continue to be heard loudly and clearly.

From this collective voice, we derive strength and so we must be ready to speak out together. To ensure that we are noticed, we must build our numbers in the NCJW Action Center. Please help us turn up the volume by signing up today at www.ncjw.org, if you have not already joined, so we are poised for more victories tomorrow.  

At the local and national level, we celebrate NCJW’s stories, triumphs, and challenges. I am filled with pride about what we are doing and confidence about our future. I know that with your energy, dedication, and commitment we WILL make this world a better place. I look forward to continuing to work with you to improve and to help bring much needed change to our communities, in America, and beyond.  

Warmly, 

Nancy Ratzan 
NCJW President