Blog
A Woman of Valor: Rachel Goldberg-Polin
Dear Elluminate Family, Since October 7th, Rachel Goldberg-Polin has exemplified what it means to be a Woman of Valor. Rachel is a nurturer and also a warrior – she fights not only for her personal world and those she loves but also for the world around her. She has...
Making a Difference
By Avra Gordis A few days ago, I had the privilege of representing The Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York at a WePower event entitled 50-50 by 2030 in Tel Aviv. WePower is a non-profit organization in Israel that works to facilitate the engagement of israeli women...
Cartwheels for Civil Rights
By Natasha Mayer Last Tuesday, I had the distinct pleasure of attending (by Zoom, of course!) a live drag show with my very favorite New York Jewish drag queen, Miz Cracker. There was comedy, dance, high-heeled cartwheels, and civil rights. Hosted by JWFNY...
Honoring the Women of Passover
Many of us are observing Passover this week and celebrating the feminist heroes of the Passover story like Miriam who led the Israelites across the Red Sea, the midwives Shifra and Puah who defied Pharaoh and saved Israelite baby boys, and the often-unnamed Pharaoh's...
Remembering JWFNY Founder, Arlene Wittels
The Jewish Women's Foundation of New York mourns the passing of our dear founder and board member, Arlene Wittels, on January 29, 2021.* Arlene Wittels was born in the Bronx and attended the University of Michigan Ann Arbor for her bachelor's degree and received her...
Transgender Day of Rememberance 2020
Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed annually on November 20th to commemorate members of the trans community who have lost their lives to anti-transgender violence. Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a trans rights activist and a transgender woman herself, began Transgender...
It’s Who You Know
By Rachel Siegel Have you ever heard the expression, "It's not what you know, it's who you know"? This is advice often given to job seekers, since many positions are filled using personal contacts instead of advertisements. The relational nature of the world is...
World Day of Social Justice
Thirteen years ago, the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously to adopt February 20th as the World Day of Social Justice. The purpose of the resolution was “the need to consolidate further the efforts of the international community in poverty...
A Very Incomplete List of Notable Black Jews
In honor of Black History Month, JWFNY wants to highlight a few of the many prominent Black Jews. Jews of color, and Black Jews in particular, are historically overlooked in the Jewish community. We want to celebrate their contributions to the worlds of...
Solidarity March
The "No Hate, No Fear" Solidarity March earlier this month, organized by New York's Jewish community in the wake of recent anti-Semitic attacks, drew nearly 25,000 individuals.I was a volunteer with the bullhorn brigade – my job was to make sure people...