Contact: Sherry S. Kirschenbaum                                                                               For Immediate Release

(973) 929-3084; skirschenbaum@jfedgmw.org 

Whippany, NJ, February 4, 2013 — Lesley Frost of Morristown and Teddi Dolph of South Orange, co-chairs of Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF), have announced the appointment of Susan R. Friedman of South Orange as the new JWF director (JWF).

A collaborative philanthropy that seeks to empower all women and girls through education, advocacy, and strategic grant making, JWF funds projects that help all women and/or girls overcome the barriers and resolve the issues that prevent them from realizing their full potential. Of particular interest are projects and programs that increase the opportunities for all women and girls to live and grow up in healthy, supportive environments, with equal opportunity for economic, religious, social, and political achievement.

JWF is an advisory council of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, the planned giving and endowment arm of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ.

“We are so excited that Susan is joining us as our new director. She will be a great asset to JWF. We’re looking forward to working alongside her and learning from her years of professional experience in the field of philanthropy,” said Dolph and Frost.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the Jewish Women’s Foundation as its new director. I have always agreed with the adage that ‘one woman can change anything, and many women can change everything.’ I look forward to working with such a committed and philanthropic group of women to move the powerful mission of the Foundation forward,” said Friedman.

Friedman has an extensive background in nonprofit foundation and grant making and allocation work. In addition to her position with JWF, she is a consultant with the Wallerstein Foundation. She previously was managing director of the Jewish Communal Network Commission of UJA-Federation of New York, executive director of the Grotta Foundation, and a consultant with the Silverman Charitable Trust. Widely published, she received a MSS from Bryn Mawr’s College of Social Service and Social Research and received certification from Columbia University Business School’s Executive Institute for Non-Profit Management.

Recipients of JWF’s most recent grants include: Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest NJ’s Mothers Empowerment Program, which educates and encourages immigrant and refugee women to become involved in their children’s education; a Mom2M, a peer support hotline and bi-monthly Newark-based support groups for mothers of children with special needs; Newark Beth Israel Medical Center’s Recovery Fitness Exercise Program (Year 2), for women with cancer who live in inner cities; and the Rachel Coalition, to distribute additional handbooks that educate victims of domestic violence about their rights and legal opportunities.

JWF will be making is next round of grants in June. Potential grantees and women interested in being part of positive change in the community are encouraged to visit www.jwf.org or contact Friedman at (973) 929-3405 or sfriedman@jfedgmw.org.

Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ stands at the center of a network of partner agencies dedicated to providing comprehensive social services and meeting the educational, vocational, recreational, and social needs of Jews locally, in Israel, and in 70 countries around the world. Responding to emergency and disaster situations around the world is another important part of the Federation mission.