Introduction

The West Morris Section of the National Council of Jewish Women is proud of our annual “WHAT PREJUDICE MEANS TO ME” contest, which is open to all sixth grade students attending schools in Morris County, New Jersey.

The purpose of the contest is to complement the sixth grade curriculum and encourage students and teachers to have discussions about the many forms that prejudice takes in our society. It is our hope that by recognizing differences and exploring their personal experiences, students will begin to understand that compassion and tolerance are essential in our society today.

How to Enter the Contest

Most students enter the “WHAT PREJUDICE MEANS TO ME” contest through their schools. In the fall of each year, all public, private, and parochial schools in Morris county are contacted to invite teachers to participate. Entry forms, rules and the closing date of the contest are sent in early December to participating teachers.

Individual students may also enter the contest. Contact us via phone, fax, or e-mail to obtain an entry form.

Phone: (888) 895-3059
Fax: (973) 267-7917
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

‘Inspiration to Action: The Building of a Village’

Rachel Olstein, director of volunteer services for Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) in Rwanda, will be the special guest speaker at the Awards Ceremony for our sixth-grade diversity contest, “What Prejudice Means to Me.” The event will take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 3, at Morris Knolls High School in Denville. Volunteers are requested to arrive at the school by 6 p.m.

            Rachel’s talk, called “Inspiration to Action: The Building of a Village,” will focus on educating the audience about the genocide in Rwanda; explaining the goals and mission of ASYV; and encouraging the students to take a step beyond thinking about prejudice, and to use ASYV as a model and example of how one person can act and make a powerful difference. She will also discuss some ways they can get involved with the ASYV project. ASYV, a project of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, is designed to help educate orphans, and aims to create a safe and structured residential community for orphaned children in Rwanda. The village is a place of hope, where traumatized youth can “dry their tears” (Agahozo) and “live in peace” (Shalom).

            Ellen Nesson, our co–vice president of fund-raising, visited ASYV this past summer and spoke about it at Morristown Jewish Center–Beit Yisrael, so Prism readers will be familiar with this important project. Ellen will introduce Rachel at the Awards Ceremony.

            Rachel’s interest in social justice began in 1999 when she volunteered for a year with AmeriCorps. After graduating from Vassar College, she taught second grade at an inner city school for two years, and then taught and led outdoor education programs for several years at the Teva Learning Center. She also served as a wilderness guide for service trips in Ladakh, India, and the Azore Islands. The speaker received a master’s degree in community leadership and nonprofit management at Hebrew University, where her studies focused on international development and volunteer organization. In pursuit of her master’s, she spent two months working on a banking project in rural Ghana.

            To sign up as an Awards Ceremony volunteer, please contact Lesley Frost (973–898–0555; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Homeless Solutions: Volunteers Needed

for Children’s Project

Our section is looking for volunteers to help at Homeless Solutions in Morris Township. Each month children who live in the program’s transitional housing gather for a one-hour reading program (7–8 p.m., usually on a Tuesday night). They read an age-appropriate book and then do an arts-and-crafts project based on the story. The children love spending time with the program volunteers and are excited that the reading program will continue through 2010–2011. That is where you come in . . .

            We need teenagers and adults to help the children with their arts and crafts, lending a lap to sit on and a smile. The children range in age from 3 to 14. The program runs once a month and we’re hoping that enough volunteers come forward so that volunteers have some flexibility in the months they choose. Please share some of your time with these children. The experience is wonderful!

            For more information or to sign up, contact Kim Kramer Ganz at 973-267-4119 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Food for Hunger Programs

Morristown Community Soup Kitchen - Twice yearly, members of our section volunteer to cook and serve lunch to community guests at The Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, NJ. For many, it is the only warm meal they eat that day. The section regularily collects non-perishable groceries for delivery to the Interfaith and Kosher Food Pantries in the community, providing families who need emergency supplies to enable them to prepare home-cooked meals during lean periods.

Bone Marrow Donor Drives

Drives are conducted to help find genetically compatible, living marrow donors for those suffering from life threatening blood diseases.

Home Repair Mitzvah Project

Through our Home Repair Mitzvah Project, we help low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners, who are unable—either physically or financially—to maintain their homes. We have assisted these people by bringing in contractors to repair faulty electrical wiring and plumbing, as well as doing spackling and flooring work.

Feelie Hearts for Grieving Children

Through intergenerational sewing circles, and at home, we make small, soft, stuffed fleece hearts, called “Feelie Hearts,” for grieving children both in the United States and in Israel. More than 2,000 of these hearts have been sent out since 9/11, and they bring comfort to little ones who carry them to school and keep them under the pillow at night. This project has also inspired other organizations, both within the NCJW family and further afield, to sew these hearts and give them away with heartfelt good wishes. The latest batches have gone to the littlest victims of Hurrican Katrina.

Community Beautification Projects

The section has worked with several not-for-profits including the Morris Land Conservancy working to restore local and national parks, historic landmarks and other properties in Morris County. Our volunteers have spent countless hours painting and repairing fences, clearing brush, planting, weeding and working on other beautification projects.

Homeless Solutions

A group of homeless families working toward self sufficiency are treated to a dinner cooked by NCJW West Morris Volunteers. The food is donated by the Columbian Club.

Knitters’ Alert:

Knit Scarves & Hats for Israeli Soldiers (Non-Knitters, too!) With winter fast approaching, Israeli soldiers are on the lookout for all-black scarves and hats (black’s the best camouflage at night). If you’d like to knit a black scarf or hat for an Israeli soldier—certainly a great mitzvah—contact Belle Schwartz (4 Laverty Court, Succasunna; 973–927–1137; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), who arranges to send them to Israel on a regular basis. You can also drop them off at the main reception desk at the JCC in Whippany, with Belle’s name on the bag, since she works there. For those among us who are knitting-challenged, there’s another way you can help: Pick up black fleece (which doesn’t ravel when it’s cut), and cut it into a long rectangular (scarf) shape, then cut some fringes at the ends. A snap! Thank you for your concern