View our Zoom Programs

Lynette Medley:  April 18, 2023

Lynette is a trailblazer in the fight against period poverty. Lynette is an expert in the area of gender justice, racial justice, reproductive justice, and menstrual justice. Lynette is the founder of No More Secrets, which serves women and girls who have no access to menstrual products because of poverty. She has also been fundamental in creating Menstrual Banks on HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) campuses and opened the nation’s first Menstrual Hub in the PA area. Lynette created the only door-to-door feminine hygiene delivery service for persons living in poverty in the nation. The mission of No More Secrets is to decrease stigmas, silence, and secrecy around period poverty by increasing self-esteem, socialization, and self-love. 

Esther Amini:  January 24,2023

Esther Amini grew up in Queens, New York, during the freewheeling 1960s. She also grew up in a Persian-Jewish household, the American-born daughter of parents who had fled Mashhad, Iran. In Concealed, she tells the story of being caught between these two worlds: the dutiful daughter of tradition-bound parents who hungers for more self-determination than tradition allows. 

Dick Polman: September 20,2022
Dick Polman’s full immersion into political writing began in 1988, when, as a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter, he wrote a 13-part series called “The Making of an Image,” about the GOP’s pioneering TV attack ads. Subsequently, he covered Philadelphia politics; New Jersey Senate races; national elections in France, Italy, Denmark, and Sweden while he was a foreign correspondent based in London; the U.S. presidential races of 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008, mostly on the road, while writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer as a reporter and columnist; the 2012 and 2016 presidential races as the national columnist for WHYY, Philadelphia’s leading public media outlet; and the 2000 race as a syndicated columnist based at dickpolman.net. Dick also teaches journalism at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has been the full-time Writer in Residence since 2006.
 
Abortion: Facts and Lies:  April 19,2022
Sherry Blumenthal, an OB/GYN doctor who, among many affiliations, is a founder of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Women’s Section.
In this presentation, Sherry covers gestational stages, fetus viability and the non-existent “partial birth abortion”.  We learned about measures anti-choicers made to thwart choice such as ending abortion funding through Medicaid in the 1980s. 
 
Diane Steinbrink: February 22,2022
“The Life and Poetry of Amanda Gorman” 
At this event, one of our Section and Board members, Diane Steinbrink discussed Amanda Gorman’s role in President Biden’s Inauguration. Amanda Gorman is the youngest poet in our country’s history to have such an honor. We learned about her family background and her relationships, as well as her education. Diane read Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural poem – “The Hill We Climb” along with the poem Amanda Gorman presented at the 2021 Super Bowl
How to Discuss Politics and Other Sensitive Issues Without Alienating People at Your Holiday Events:   November 16,2021
Karin Tamerius,MD is a psychiatrist with an extensive political psychology background. Since the 2016 election, she has worked full-time bringing clinical communication skills to numerous groups to help them learn how to depolarize conflicts and share in ways that others can hear without feeling alienated.
“Out of the Pantry” with Ronni Robinson:  October 19,2021
Ronni Robinson’s passion is helping others who are struggling with eating disorders. She also does public speaking about eating disorders and emotionally abusive relationships. “Out of the Pantry” is Ronni’s debut memoir, chronicling her 30 years of binge eating and compulsive overeating, and her journey to recovery.
The Power of The May 18, 2021 Primary Election
At the primary election on May 18, voters will decide many things including constitutional
amendments on the governor’s emergency powers, which have been a point of conflict between
the Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf during the coronavirus
pandemic.
“Funny You Don’t Look Like a Rabbi”
with author Rabbi Lynnda Targan:   May 10,2019
Rabbi Targan tells the story of her surprising transformation from successful working mom to spiritual seeker and Jewish scholar, and chronicles her quest to reinvent herself in midlife to become a rabbi.
Your Name Is Renée: Ruth Kapp Hartz’s Story as a Hidden Child in Nazi-Occupied France

January 19,2021

Ruth Kapp Hartz will share stories of her life during and after World War II. Her exceptional life
started as a young child growing up under constant threat of arrest in Nazi-occupied France. But
through the good graces and protection of exceptional people she and her parents survived. Ruth
eventually found her way to freedom after the Allied invasion and now commits her life to bear
witness and speak out against persecution, antisemitism, and injustices of all kinds.
AN ARMCHAIR CONVERSATION WITH SARAH HURWITZ:  November 12, 2020
Sarah Hurwitz, author of Here All Along: Finding meaning, Spirituality and a Deeper Connection to Life -in Judaism, was senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and head speechwriter for Michelle Obama. After leaving the White House, she was appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by Barack Obama. Hurwitz will share how she reconnected with her Judaism after leaving the White House.
DR. MELISSA R. KLAPPER:  October 13, 2020 
JEWISH WOMEN AND SUFFRAGE
Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and Director of Women’s and Gender Studies at Rowan University. She is the author of Jewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women’s Activism, 1890-1940, which won the National Jewish Book Award in Women’s Studies. Her most recent book is Ballet Class: An American History (Oxford University Press, 2020).
Dr Ira Spector:   September 22, 2020
Vaccines & Covid
In these trying times, when many pharmaceutical companies are desperately working to develop a Corona virus vaccine, we welcome Dr. Ira Spector, CEO of SFA Therapeutics Inc., a developmentstage bio-pharmaceutical startup company focused on a new advancement in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease. Dr. Spector has over 25 years of experience in drug and medical device development.

SOME OF OUR PAST PROGRAMS

 

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP THE INTRUSION OF GOVERNMENT AND RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE INTO WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE?
NCJW Advocacy Committee presented a screening of BIRTHRIGHT: A WAR STORY.
Every day, many Americans are surprised to learn that the ability to make decisions about our bodies, health, reproduction, sexuality and childbirth is under attack  It’s not just about abortion. Our Greater Philadelphia section watched this documentary designed to inform, inspire, and motivate us to take action.
The film was directed by Civia Tamarkin, President of NCJW-Arizona Section.>

BUILDING BRIDGES

A focus on INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNICATION

WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

(traditionalists, baby boomers, gen-x and millennials)?

JT Kendall, the program manager of Temple University’s Intergenerational Center, spoke to a sizable turnout of our Section members. His insightful and informative presentation helped members gain a perspective of the generational gaps, experiences and differences between each of our four active generations which impact our capacity to connect.  Attendees had an opportunity to share among themselves their own experiences relevant to this important topic.

Taste of Culture:     The Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Our NCJW Section’s Taste of Culture Program at the National Museum of American Jewish History featured the first museum retrospective about the extraordinary life of U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  The very large turnout was not surprising when you consider that the attendees are members of NCJW, an organization known for its advocacy and activism for the rights of women, children, and families for over 125 years.

NCJW GREATER PHILADELPHIA SECTION focuses on engaging voters in our Democracy at its Opening Luncheon
Lynne Jacobs , our Section’s State Policy Advocate is at the podium. Looking on are panelists Laura Richland, Peggy Dator, and Mimi McKensie, leaders of organizations concerned with the impact of voting outcomes on our democracy.

It was a beautiful day as our members enjoyed our Taste of Culture visit to Chanticleer Garden.

WOMEN SOLDIERS AND SPIES OF THE CIVIL WAR

We learned of women who chose to become soldiers and spies during the Civil War. How their ingenuity and society’s perception of them allowed them to perform successfully in both these endeavors. We learned why they selected the path they did and how they were able to function effectively as soldiers and influence history as spies. How their will to survive the war and to create a future for themselves and their families drove them from their traditional roles and into a new world for women. Performed in period costume.

REMEMBERING ANNE FRANK NINETY YEARS LATER

Lecture by Our Devoted Member  

Diane Steinbrink 

Hosting our tour of the Rube Goldberg exhibit are Charlotte Schwartz. on the right, our NCJW Section VP of Community Services with Resa Levinson, retired teacher. Both are docents at the National Museum of  American Jewish History

Our featured speaker Alisa Dupuy, assuming the role of Queen Victoria regaled her audience with stories of her reign as Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India.

Leonard Bernstein at  100 years:     Dr. Moylan Mills, Professor Emeritus of Integrative Arts at Penn State Abington and widely respected for his knowledge of film and the entertainment industry, discussed the life and music of this world acclaimed icon.