COMMITTEES AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Due to the pandemic, we are not consistently holding our usual monthly committee meetings. If you are interested in learning more about any of the committees below, please contact the chair to be added to the email distribution list.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Acts of Kindness: Perform kind-hearted activities for women, children and families whose lives we touch.
Contact: Susan Ringel, susanringel@att.net and Janice Hirshon, jchirshon@gmail.com
Dig-Knitty: From blankets and pillows to warm clothing and comfort toys, NCJW/CLE volunteers knit warmth, love and security into teddy bears, scarves, hats and mittens, which they donate to hospital patients, veterans, assisted living residents and others. The volunteers knit together weekly as they share friendship and creativity.
Contact: Anita Pupa, apupa18@gmail.com.
Entertainmobile and High Notes: Two performing groups travel the community to bring Broadway-style music and magical joy to those in nursing homes, senior housing and independent living facilities.
Contact: Linda Barnett at linbar0617@gmail.com or Lynn Kleinman at lekchoral@aol.com
Hello Israel: Through a newly-updated and highly-engaging presentation, NCJW/CLE goes into schools and gives students a glimpse of present day Israel. In addition, a newly packaged online format makes this program accessible to a wider audience. Read about this here.
Contact: Cheryl Gordon, cherplus@gmail.com
Partners in Literacy: NCJW/CLE instills a love of reading in children around the Cleveland area Programs include a monthly Book Club for fifth graders; Readers’ Theater (three-week program for fourth graders that combines reading and performing); Building Bridges with Books (NCJW reinvigorates local school libraries); and Reading Buddies (volunteers work one-on-one with first graders once a month to help them learn how to read.)
Contact: Debbie Joseph at josdeb@aol.com and Heather Schlang at hschlang@sbcglobal.net
Get a Happiness Fix at JDN (Jewish Day Nursery/Early Childhood Center): This is a volunteer opportunity that is customizable and connects you with preschool children. Volunteers meet with a classroom teacher and agree on a day and time. Since JDN is open year-round, volunteers aren’t restricted to a traditional school year calendar. Teachers appreciate the time that you give and the preschoolers benefit from the additional attention.
Contact: Cindy Brodsky, cmbrodsky@gmail.com
Judaic Outreach: Volunteers meet six Fridays a year and bring holiday cheer to clients with special needs at the Jewish Family Service Association. Volunteers plan programs with Jewish themes and “serve” fellowship, friendship and full holiday meals.
Contact: Shelley Friedman
Operation Warm-Up: Coats! Hats! Scarves! Boots! Gloves! Socks! Underwear! Operation Warm Up is an annual collection of winter clothing items for those in need.
Contact: Joan Shall, joanie.shall@gmail.com and Eva Hurst, johnevahurst@gmail.com
Share What Your Wear: SWYW collects, then distributes, clothing and supplies to children in need or in crisis through school and agency social workers. At our in-house store, volunteers fulfill orders by personally shopping our inventory of donated new and gently-used clothing to create gender and size specific clothing bags. New toiletries and school supplies, also provided through donations, are included upon request.
Contact: Heather Schlang at hschlang@sbcglobal.net
Traditions in the Kitchen: Volunteers bring Jewish cooking traditions, cultural sharing and education to community centers, nursing homes, and senior resident facilities.
Contact: Annette Paley, mannanetty@aol.com
Caring Friends: Livespecial.com has created a free, virtual support program for children, teens and young adults with special needs. Through Zoom or FaceTime, volunteers will read books and complete fun activities with their friend. Children will be paired with the same adult each week.
Contact: Wendy Spitz, Wendy@livespecial.com
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Family and Sexual Violence Committee: Created by NCJW/CLE in January 2020, this committee works to combat oppression, discrimination and bias related to gender (as identified or perceived) and/or familial relationships. The committee reflects NCJW/CLE’s belief that all people are entitled to safety and dignity and recognizes these values as integral to the foundations of our families and communities.
Contact: Tracy Grinstead Everly, tgrinsteadeverly@gmail.com
Focus on Foster Care: NCJW/CLE volunteers are committed to enriching the lives of those whose who have been impacted by foster care. NCJW provides programming to support youth and young adults, offers mentoring to aged-out youth through Community of Hope a county-wide model, offers added support where needed, and advocates for the rights of youth in care.
Contact: Debbie Joseph, josdeb3@gmail.com; Cheryl Miller, cherylmiller15@outlook.com; or Kate Brown, kebrown28@gmail.com
Stop Human Trafficking: NCJW/Cleveland provides educational and supportive services to help prevent human trafficking in the county and advocates on behalf of trafficking survivors. NCJW elevates its involvement in fighting this crime to a high-priority initiative, both locally and nationally. The intent is to educate the community on the issue, to advocate for laws that protect victims and hold offenders accountable.
Contact: Hazel Brown, hazelhbrown@att.net and Erinn Stark, stark.erinn@gmail.com
TLC Project: Victims of sexual assault who come to the emergency room for medical care find that all their clothing is taken by specially trained nurses for evidence. This program provides bags filled with brand new clothing including underwear, socks, shirts, pants, flip-flops and toiletries for victims of sexual assault. The bags and its contents are sized so that the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) only has to take the correct, color-coded sized bag and give it to the victim rather than trying to assemble clothing from a hodge-podge of donations for these women to wear home from the hospital.
Contact: Cyndy Fellenbaum, cfellenbaum@gmail.com and Wendie Forman, forman4wendie@gmail.com
Promote the Vote Protect the Vote: Work to increase voter turnout, educate voters on issues, advocate for fair elections, fight gerrymandering and fight voter suppression and more.
Contact: Jodi Jackson, jodijackson87@me.com and Barbara Friedman Yaksic, bfyaksic@sbcglobal.net
Reproductive Rights and Health: NCJW’s focus extends from infant mortality and sex education to sexual violence and abortion rights/access. Among other issues, the committee advocates for legislation that promotes women and children’s health, and provides care packages to sexual assault survivors at local hospitals.
Contact: Linda Schlein, saschlein@wowway.com and Stephanie Quaranta, squaranta22@gmail.com
Understanding the Issues: A series and forum for members to listen to and interact with local experts on timely news topics.
Contact: Roberta Herman, robertaherman92@gmail.com and Jean Heflich, jeanheflich@gmail.com
PROGRAM AND EDUCATION
Art Series: Members tour the Cleveland Museum of Art with trained facilitators and listen to local experts talk about featured artists.
Contact: Dana Darvin, danadarvin@yahoo.com and Susan Shapiro, shapiro70@aol.com
Book Club: Monthly discussions facilitated by a rotation of group participants. The group reads mostly works of fiction exploring a wide variety of subject matter and styles.
Contact: Marilyn Goldfein, marilyn.goldfein@gmail.com and Margie Hirschfeld, buster28a@yahoo.com.
Somethings Newish About Being Jewish: Cheryl Gordon, MAT-MSJS, an enthusiastic Jewish educator, returns to facilitate a great series of interesting and compelling topics, over Zoom.
Contact: Cheryl Gordon, cherplus@gmail.com