NCJW Atlanta Section Stays True to Its Mission – Turning Progressive Ideals into Action for Georgians
National Council of Jewish Women’s Atlanta Section has been improving the lives of women, children, and families since 1895.
By National Council of Jewish Women | Atlanta Jewish Times
Sherry Frank & Stacey Hader Epstein NCJW/Atlanta Section Co-presidents.
National Council of Jewish Women’s Atlanta Section has been improving the lives of women, children, and families since 1895, yet its tireless advocates (formerly known as “members”) find their efforts are needed now more than ever. According to Co-president Sherry Frank, “The section’s priorities of contributing to the education of young children; preserving women’s rights to reproductive health, justice, and freedom; protecting voting rights; ensuring free and fair elections, and supporting fair and qualified judges—all through a Jewish lens—evoke the very same passion and compassion as they did over a century ago.”
At the turn of the twentieth century, NCJW/Atlanta’s efforts on behalf of area children began with its early association with the Free Kindergarten Association. The section held a Sabbath School for children of newly arrived immigrants, provided free hygiene programs for children, and opened a public circulating library. One hundred years later, the organization’s work on behalf of Atlanta’s children continues. Before the pandemic, NCJW/Atlanta was training and placing dozens of reading tutors in nine Title I elementary schools around the city. The organization—and its beloved tutors—are eager to get back to their students sometime this school year.
These children are also the beneficiaries of scores of backpacks and school supplies provided by many NCJW advocates. In addition, NCJW/Atlanta volunteers are thrilled each spring to set up Mother’s Day Jewelry Shops in some of the schools. “We receive hundreds of donated pieces of costume jewelry during the year,” said Co-president Stacey Hader Epstein. “All of the jewelry is cleaned and displayed for these young children to ‘shop’ for their mothers or caregivers. The children—and their teachers—love this special event.”
NCJW/Atlanta’s community service work extends to newborns and their mothers, too. The organization works with local agencies to provide vital prenatal items for mothers-to-be in need as well as clothing and supplies for their infants.
A woman’s right to vote has been at the forefront of NCJW’s work since its founding. Over the decades, that sacred right and any threat to the sanctity of voting rights and freedoms have motivated Atlanta Section’s advocates to participate in myriad opportunities to protect the vote. From voter registration drives to postcard writing efforts to its recent Promote the Vote/Protect the Vote campaign, NCJW/Atlanta works to ensure that every citizen’s voice and vote is counted. At this fragile point in our democracy’s history, the section looks forward to joining thousands of others in Atlanta and across the country on August 28 to “pray with our feet” at the “March On for Voting Rights.”
Women’s health—both physical and mental—has been a cornerstone issue for NCJW/Atlanta for decades. As domestic violence, child marriage, and rape entered the country’s conversation, NCJW stepped up early to assist local women with needed representation and necessities. And as early as the 1950s, the Atlanta Section was advocating for a woman’s authority over her own health. This support continues to this day as NCJW/Atlanta lobbies for each woman’s freedom of choice and against threatening legislation at the state and federal levels. The section is looking forward to educating its advocates and others this fall about the dire ramifications of reversing Roe v. Wade.
The rich history of NCJW’s Atlanta Section serves as a steppingstone to the vital work its advocates do today and will do tomorrow for its mission is as relevant as ever. The section offers many opportunities for passionate women of all ages who are inspired by Jewish values and who strive for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families, and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. It is who we are. It is how we live.
If you are interested in joining this vibrant group of women who are making a difference in the lives of Atlanta families, visit www.ncjwatlanta.org.
Paid Content by National Council of Jewish Women.
