NCJW BCS National Council of Jewish Women Bergen County Section

06/18/2026

NCJW BCS SWIM IN GROUP CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY; 25 YEARS AT THE JCC!

06/18/2026

NCJW BCS members Mindy Barlow, Joyce Bivone, Sue Kanrich and Patty Siegel serve dinner to clients of the Bergen County Shelter, as part of the Bergen Family Promise Program.

05/11/2026

MEET OUR HANNAH G. SOLOMON 2026 HONOREE: JUDITH DISTLER

With a mother who practiced “See it – Say it” long before it was popularized, Judith Distler saw activism from childhood. After a brief teaching career Judy moved to Teaneck with her husband Walter and their two young children and immediately plunged into volunteer activities: League of Women Voters, PTA, Teaneck Housing Center and the annual Discover Teaneck Day for which she wrote a short film starring Bob McGrath. (“Teaneck New Jersey – a nice place to visit, a great place to live”.) She also ran a Teaneck Folk Festival and was an active member of the Teaneck Bicentennial Committee.

Judy had a 25-year career in the Teaneck school system coordinating special programs for volunteers, community relations, community education. One of her proudest achievements was the creation of the School Vacation Program which provided working parents with a full daycare program during school recesses.

Twenty-one years ago, Judy said to a friend, “Why don’t we run a film festival?” And so, with Judy as a Co-Founder, the Teaneck International Film Festival was born. Judy also coined their theme, Activism: Making Change. With over 4,000 participants, TIFF has gained national and international recognition as “the film festival with a social conscience.” Judy also started WOW (Women of Wisdom), which sponsors a film annually about women’s issues and gives an annual award to a woman or women activists.

Other volunteer activities have included writing a column for the Teaneck Suburbanite - Sunny Side Up; t-shirt, letter writing and public education campaigns during national elections, in addition to many committees at Temple Emeth. Judy was on the list of NJ’s 100 Most Powerful Women and was named a Local Hero by Congressman Josh Gottheimer.

“My most important role - I know people - I talk to people - I've always been both a Teaneck and TIFF cheerleader - and I encourage and foster connections and involvement.”

05/11/2026

MEET OUR WOMAN OF THE SECTION 2026 HONOREE: ELAINE K. MEYERSON
Elaine is an experienced non-profit leader and a caring social worker. She was a member of Mid-Bergen NCJW and became active again with the Bergen County Section in 2016 upon her retirement as Executive Director of the Center for Hope & Safety. She led the agency for more than 29 years and managed its expansion from a small grassroots organization to a well-respected county-wide program offering a continuum of services for victims of domestic violence. Throughout her career Elaine, as an advocate, worked with coalitions and legislators to improve the laws and the opportunities for New Jersey families.

To know Elaine is to understand that she will never “retire.” Elaine has put her full self into our Section, initially working on an annual advocacy forum. She was quickly elected as the Administrative VP in 2017, followed by Fundraising VP for two years. July 2020 Elaine was elected to the position of Co-President for four terms (2020-23; 2024-25), which she successfully led during and beyond Covid with Bari-Lynne, Elizabeth and Ina. Whether working on the temple’s contract, the annual luncheon, the fundraising journal, discussing membership, participating on finance, reviewing policies and procedures, establishing a new strategic plan, interviewing potential staff, packing children’s snack packs or participating on calls with our National office, Elaine can always be counted on. Her professional management style, her listening skills and insight are always appreciated. Elaine expressed, “I love being involved with NCJW where I can pursue my passion for
justice for women, children and families.”

During Elaine’s “retirement” she also continued her work as a non-profit consultant. In 2017-18 she was also appointed as the Interim Director of the NJ Coalition to End Domestic Violence. Today she maintains her community involvement with the Bergen County Board of Social Services, the Hillsdale Board of Health and the NJ court system.

Elaine has a Masters of Social Work and a Bachelors in Psychology and Sociology. She lives in Hillsdale and is married for 50 years to Lawrence N. Meyerson, a noted attorney who practices in Montvale. Her children David (Liz) and Rachel (Stephen) have blessed them with four grandsons.

05/01/2026

Close to 100 people including many of our Community Partners attended the NCJW BCS Advocacy Forum "News, Noise,Facts". It was a stimulating panel discussion on the changes in journalism and the many challenges facing news reporters today.

1st photo on the left: From left to right: Stefanie Murray, Arno Rosenfeld, Allison J. Davis, Briana Vannozzi.

2nd photo-1st row left to right: Lois Katz Brown, Allison J. Davis, Hildy Dillon, Bari-Lynne Schwartz, Paula Star, 2nd row; Arno Rosenfeld, Stefanie Murray, Briana Vannozzi, and Nancy Gibert

04/27/2026

NCJW Bergen County Section was proud to support the YWCA NNJ healingSpace Clothesline project. Over 2,000 t-shirts created by survivors were displayed to raise awareness about violence against all people and to demonstrate to survivors they are not alone. New this year were t-shirts created by survivors who were abused while serving in the military.

04/25/2026

This week, we're honoring Rachel Goldberg-Polin — Jewish educator, mother, and author — whose memoir "When We See You Again" was released this week.

Many of us watched Rachel become one of the most powerful Jewish voices of our time — first as a mother fighting tirelessly and publicly to bring her son Hersh home after he was taken hostage on October 7, and then, after his murder, as a woman who refused to let her grief be the end of her story. In her book, she offers something rare: a view of what grief actually looks like, and the hope that it does not have the final word.

As women, as mothers, as NCJW advocates — our why is never finished. There is always more to fight for, a better world to build, and a brighter future to look towards.

This Shabbat, may we be inspired by Rachel's enduring strength and her reminder that even in the depths of grief, our whys can carry us forward. And ahead of Independent Bookstore Day, Rachel's words are waiting for you at your local bookshop. 📖

Shabbat Shalom!

04/22/2026

We invite you to join us in recognizing the remarkable contributions of our honorees. Click the link to celebrate their achievements and learn more about their inspiring work.

Email from NCJW Bergen County Section Don't miss our grand event! Click HERE to print and mail your form Click HERE to purchase online NCJW Bergen County Section | 75 South Washington Avenue | Bergenf

03/28/2026

This week, we're celebrating Zendaya as an actress, producer, fashion icon, and a powerful voice for women and girls.

Both in her boundary-pushing work on screen and advocacy behind the scenes, Zendaya has used her platform to champion representation, mental health, and the power of young women to own their stories. Through her work and her voice, Zendaya reminds us that feminism is rooted in fairness, inclusion, and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive.

As we welcome Shabbat, may we be inspired by Zendaya's boldness, her commitment to lifting others up, and her belief in the power of women.

Shabbat Shalom!

02/09/2026

11tth Annual NCJW BCS Snack Packing event launches to a great start with Assemblywoman Shama Haider. photos by Hillary Viders