Nancy Ratzan Elected NCJW President

March 11, 2008, CHICAGO, IL -- Delegates to the 44th convention of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) elected Nancy Ratzan of Miami, FL, as the organization's president for 2008-2011. Ratzan has a long history of activism both within NCJW and within her home community of Miami, FL.

"NCJW has a distinct, essential role in the pursuit of social justice today," said Ratzan upon her election. "We deliver the voice and action of progressive Jewish women. We address the issues that change lives and empower women: reproductive choice, religious freedom, violence against women, safety nets for children, and contraceptive access.

"I am thrilled to help strengthen NCJW's capacity to effect progressive social change and continue our great legacy of transforming the world to be a place where there is social justice for all."

Ratzan was elected by the 300 delegates to the convention, representing NCJW sections from 29 states. The gathering also set policies and program priorities for the next three years, including launching NCJW's effort to Promote the Vote, Protect the Vote -- an initiative that seeks to ensure that every voter can cast a vote and have that vote counted in November 2008. In addition, the group continues its work on Plan A: NCJW's Campaign for Contraceptive Access.

Ratzan has been an NCJW vice president since 2002. She has also chaired NCJW's judicial nominations campaign, BenchMark: NCJW’s Campaign to Save Roe, since its inception in 2001 and has led the NCJW grassroots capacity building workgroup since 2007. In 2003, she represented NCJW on an interfaith Mission to China to investigate family planning practices.

In her community, Ratzan was the second woman to serve as President of Temple Beth Sholom, an 1100-family reform congregation in Miami Beach, and was founding chair of The Open Tent, an innovative program to expand and strengthen Jewish community life.

After graduating from the University of Florida Law School with high honors, Ratzan clerked for US District Court Judge James L. King. She then practiced as an associate and partner in the Miami law firm of Steel, Hector & Davis, where she specialized in appellate, first amendment, and higher education law.

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families, and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Emily Alfano
202 296 2588 x5; emily@ncjwdc.org