May 3, 2018 — South Orange, New Jersey
On April 26, 2018, AJC Metro New Jersey lay leaders and staff gathered for the Metro Annual Meeting and Dinner at Orange Lawn Tennis Club.
We were able to celebrate the tireless work of AJC Metro New Jersey's Board President, Genesia Perlmutter Kamen, and all she has done for our region. Some of her major accomplishments include, but are not limited to: successful encouragement of Senator Menendez to reject BDS, expanding AJC’s New Jersey’s diplomatic outreach, building our Board with new members, and founding our Parlor and Policy meetings.
We are looking forward to working with our incoming President, Ed Israelow. Ed shared his personal testimony about the importance of AJC’s work and the impact it has had on his life. He shared how he was re-inspired to commit himself to AJC’s mission after participating in the AJC-Adenauer Leadership Exchange Program to Germany.
Our keynote speaker, Attorney General Grewal recounted a story of racism he faced where a young child referred to him as Osama Bin Laden while in the grocery store with his daughter. After the incident, he used it as a teaching moment for his daughter. He taught her to accept others who may be different than her and celebrate the things that make her unique. He related this to conversations that many AJC lay leaders have had with their own children. The talk where parents encourage their children to be kind to others, even when others are unkind to them because of their religious beliefs, their looks, or their traditions. He noted the rise in antisemitism in New Jersey, the United States, and around the world in the past several years. He thanked dinner participants for their work in combatting antisemitism and inspired us to recommit ourselves to the cause.
Thank you to our Committee chairs, Amy Reisen Freundlich and Larry Freundlich, and the entire committee for your dedication to AJC Metro New Jersey.
