Even frigid, wintry weather did not deter the over 150 attendees of the 20TH Annual Women’s Interfaith Forum at Temple B’nai Abraham, sponsored by TBA’s Social Action Committee and Sisterhood. Since 1994, the Temple B’nai Abraham Women’s Interfaith Forum, celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gathers women from greater Essex County to share a vegetarian meal, prepared by the women of TBA’s Sisterhood, and discussion about issues that are of interest to women of all backgrounds. Many guests are repeat participants and have attended this event over the years. Acquaintances have turned into friendships through the years as many returning invitees look forward to this yearly event. This year’s vital and compelling topic of “Human Trafficking: Why Should I Care? It’s a Local Problem , not Just a Global Issue!,” presented by a panel of experts, which included Melanie Roth Gorelick, Director of the Community Relations Committee of Greater MetroWest NJ; James J. King, Director of Social Concerns for the NJ Catholic Conference; Keyla M. Munoz, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Division Victim Specialist and Ingrid Johnson, RN, MSN & Member of the NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking and mother of a human trafficking survivor, provided a forum for the evening’s stimulating and thought-provoking discussion. Lisa Reisboard is Social Action Committee Chair and Elena Meinhardt and Deborah Myers are Sisterhood Co-Chairs.
Pictured from left to right:(back row) Melanie Roth Gorelick, Director of the Community Relations Committee of Greater MetroWest NJ; James J. King, Director of Social Concerns for the NJ Catholic Conference; Lisa Reisboard, Temple B’nai Abraham Social Action Committee Chair and (front row) Keyla M. Munoz, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Division Victim Specialist; Ruth Ross, representing B’nai Abraham Sisterhood; Ingrid Johnson, RN, MSN & Member of the NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking and mother of a human trafficking survivor; Merle Kalishman, Women’s Interfaith Moderator & and TBA member and Rabbi Faith Joy Dantowitz.
