Home Featured FEBRUARY 2025 Unity, Hope, Resilience

Unity, Hope, Resilience

Nathan Chertog, left, who received an Israel teen grant from the Federation, described it as “as the greatest trip I ever had.” He received a certificate from Dan Rozett, Federation Director of Community Relations and Israel Engagement.

Federation starts year celebrating gains

The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey kicked off the new year in the spirit of unity, hope and resilience despite the challenges of Israel’s war and the rising antisemitism the hostilities triggered locally and nationally.
    At its annual meeting Dec. 11 at Congregation B’nai Tikvah in North Brunswick, community members installed new officers and celebrated gains, including new initiatives to strengthen security and fight antisemitism in schools.
    In his remarks as outgoing president, Murray Katz said despite the trauma of the war, hostage situations and myriad other issues that kept the federation busy, it continued its mission to engage and strengthen the community.
     Newly elected president Marcia Schwartz spoke of her own federation journey serving on various committees, including the overseas allocation committee, and initiatives that led to her taking the board’s helm. 
    “Ten years ago I was in the last year of teaching Spanish at J.P. Stevens High School,” she said, and was looking forward to retirement until “I found Federation in the Heart of New Jersey and federation found me.”
    The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Middlesex and Monmouth County prosecutor’s offices, including Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, who led the gathering in the Pledge of Allegiance.
    Federation Executive Director Susan Antman outlined the many initiatives that federation has stood behind: standing up for Israel’s right to defend itself and supporting its people in rebuilding their lives; combating local antisemitism; investing in youth; maintaining readiness to respond quickly and effectively to crises.
    She spoke of the commemoration of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack held in coordination with 21 synagogues and five Jewish communal organizations and attended by more than 600, including elected and civic leaders.

Avery Eisenberg, left, was honored for speaking out against antisemitism in Marlboro schools. Presenting her certificate is CARMA Director Stacy Gallin

    It was one of many programs that brought community members, government leaders and officials together.
    “As much as the barbarism and hatred of these terrorists continues to shock us, the antisemitic backlash to Israel’s self-defense here at home is unprecedented,” said Antman, who also noted, “I think it’s safe to say none of us have ever lived through a time like this, a time when public expressions of antisemitism are so visible and widespread, so unapologetic, so divisive.”
    She said the federation met the challenge by organizing community-wide counter-arguments to anti-Israel protests, including attending town meetings to successfully beat back all ceasefire resolutions.           
    Antman noted the federation’s Combat Antisemitism and Reinforce Multicultural Acceptance (CARMA) to tackle antisemitism in public schools, conducting training with boards of education, superintendents, administrators, teachers and school counselors as well as establishing a helpline. This year, CARMA will develop a student-led peer-to-peer program to provide support to fellow students.
    Antman said the federation’s constantly developing security initiatives and working to build relationships with law enforcement helps Jewish institutions plan security for events and assists synagogues, schools and Jewish organizations to navigate grant applications, bringing in $14.7 million in state, local and federal grants for security. It also secured a $100,000 grant from the Tepper Foundation to provide security guards for children up to age 5 at 11 Jewish camps, schools and daycares.

Federation Executive Director Susan Antman, left, congratulates new board president Marcia Schwartz.

    Among the federation’s other initiatives is PJ Library, which supplies 2,400 children with free Jewish-themed books and music and through its PJ ambassadors develops hubs to hold events connecting families. The federation also partnered with the Hebrew Academy in Marlboro on a Prizmah grant for PJ Library programming, drawing new community members to the day school.
    The federation has additionally provided travel and camp grants to grade and high schoolers; its Israel Emergency Allocations Committee is supporting mental health, educational, social and trauma response programs at Kibbutz G’var Am near the Gaza envelope, where 65% of the population in under age 18, and is assisting those who fled war in Ukraine to Israel.
    Other board members elected at the meeting are Elise Feldman; Sheryl Grutman; Carol Kominsky; Joel Krinsky; Cheryl Markbreiter; Ken Philmus; and Jeff Schwartz.
    A recognition ceremony honoring community members was led by CARMA Director Stacy Gallin for those addressing antisemitism in schools; Federation Director of Community Relations and Israel Engagement Dan Rozett, for standing with Israel; Federation Director of Security and Initiatives Amy Keller, for enhancing security awareness, preparedness and resilience and Federation Director of Community Impact Laura Safran, for engaging youth for a strong future.
    Honorees were Avery Eisenberg, a student upstander; Chad Hyett, a member of the Marlboro Board of Education; Nathan Chertog, recipient of an Israel teen grant; Ira Stein, an Israel advocate; Det. Daniel Chernavsky, Monmouth Counterterrorism coordinator; Sgt. Andrew Winter, Middlesex County Counterterrorism coordinator; Amanda Kaplan, Ruth Kroll Scholarship recipient; and Ronit Bivas, director of education and engagement, Congregation B’nai Tikvah.            

Debra Rubin has had a long career in journalism writing for secular weekly & daily newspapers and Jewish publications. She most recently served as Middlesex/Monmouth bureau chief for the New Jersey Jewish News. She also worked with the media at several nonprofits, including serving as assistant public relations director of HIAS and assistant director of media relations at Yeshiva University.

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