As a hobbyist woodworker for decades, Bob Small of Morristown designed and built several pieces of furniture and built-ins for his renovated house. With scraps from some of these imaginative projects, the retired "IT guy" created a few cutting boards, which garnered...
Membership
Special NCJW, West Morris Mother’s Day Brunch: ‘Before She Was My Mother’
Have you ever wondered what your mother was like before she became your mother? Many of us may ponder that question but never have a chance to ask our mom about her life as a young woman. For Karen Gooen, a life member of NCJW, West Morris Section, that question took on a certain urgency as she and her daughter Elizabeth were cleaning out her mother’s house following her passing in 2023. Karen’s mother, Ellen Levy, was also an NCJW, West Morris life member.
As a special Mother’s Day treat, Karen Gooen will lead a fascinating program called “Before She Was My Mother.” This event, which is free of charge for all West Morris Section members, will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 4 (a week before Mother’s Day), at a private home in Morris County.
Paid-up Membership Brunch Nov. 10: ‘Decluttering Our Lives and Reducing Stress’
Who among us couldn’t benefit from less clutter and less stress? Internationally renowned speaker, author, and caregiver advocate Deborah Greenhut will offer tips and insights on “Decluttering Our Lives and Reducing Stress” for our Paid-up Membership Brunch on Sunday morning, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m., at a private home in Mendham.
Mazel Tov
. . . to Shirley Bauer, our historian and Prism distribution co-chair (with Marcia Saltz), who was honored, together with her husband Stu, on Novenber 13, by the Roxbury Library Foundation at the library’s “Enchanted Library Gala” at the Meadow Wood in Randolph. Both...
Book Lovers, Join Us!
Many of our members participate in the Our Jewish World Clergy Series programs, coordinated by Ilene Dorf Manahan and Melanie Levitan, as well as our Back 2 School Store, chaired by Kim Ganz, Kay Salzman, Karen Secular and Melanie Levitan. And we’re delighted that so...
NCJW, West Morris Section Paid-Up Membership Brunch Nov. 12: THE UNEASY BALANCE: ASSIMILATION VS. MAINTAINING JEWISH TRADITION
Historical novelist Michelle Cameron of Chatham is intrigued by the question of whether, throughout history, Jewish people have chosen to assimilate or to hold fast to the customs and traditions of their forebears. And her latest novel, “Babylon,” centers around this very question. Cameron will be the special guest speaker for the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), West Morris Paid-Up Membership Brunch on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 10 a.m. at a private home in Mendham.
Paid-up Membership: Nov. 14 – ‘Stories of Survival: A Conversation about the Holocaust, Heroes, and Hope’
Becca Gallick-Mitchell, a third-generation Holocaust educator, recipe developer/blogger, and the founder of the InstaGrandma’s Kitchen website, will be the special guest speaker for our Paid-Up Membership meeting via Zoom. Her presentation, “Stories of Survival: A Conversation about the Holocaust, Heroes, and Hope,” will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14 and is open to all paid-up members at no charge. Annual membership is $40; a three-year membership is $108.
Cyber Dangers
Recently, well-known celebrities and politicians have made headlines for their scandalous cyber activities. US Congressman Anthony Weiner used Twitter to send sexually suggestive pictures of himself to adult women and underage girls, Jerry Harris, star of the Netflix docuseries Cheer solicited child pornography from underage boys through Snapchat, and Congresswoman Katie Hill stepped down after serving only five months when nude photos of her were distributed both online and by a tabloid without her knowledge or consent.
Author Michelle Cameron to Keynote Our Paid-Up Membership Meeting
NCJW, West Morris member Michelle Cameron, a novelist and poet, is the award-winning author of a new novel—her third one—titled Beyond the Ghetto Gates (She Writes Press). Beyond the Ghetto Gates recently won the Silver Medal for Historical Fiction at the Independent Book Publishers Awards. Michelle will be our special guest speaker at the Paid-Up Membership Meeting on Thursday evening, November 12, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Please note this revised date for our Paid-Up Membership Meeting. We will be joining with members of the Morristown Jewish Center Sisterhood for this online gathering.
Susan Neigher Receives Highest Honor in NCJW
Susan Neigher, longtime co-president of National Council of Jewish Women, West Morris Section, has received the prestigious Hannah G. Solomon Award, the highest honor in NCJW. The award is named for the organization’s founding mother, whose leadership motivated others to fight for needed social change over the past 125 years.







