The National Council of Jewish Women Peninsula Section honored Donna Bialor, a Woodmere native, and Susan Schwarz, a Lawrence resident, at their 28th annual Awards Luncheon.
The National Council of Jewish Women Peninsula Section was founded on Oct. 7, 1936, by a group of women with a goal to educate, advocate for and help others. It has since grown to nearly 800 members.
It sprang from the National Council of Jewish Women, which was founded at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 by Hannah Solomon and a group of volunteers. The NCJW now has 60 sections nationwide.
Inspired by Jewish values, the sections advocate for women, children and families and raise awareness of issues such as violence prevention, human trafficking, reproductive rights and voter registration by hosting educational events and programs and through community service.
The luncheon was held at Temple Avodah in Oceanside and this year’s theme was “Women Who Make a Difference,” on Sept. 17.
“It really is about who has made an impact within the community, in the section,” said NCJW Peninsula Section Executive Director Bonnie Sperry. “These two really wonderful women have an affinity for what they do.”
The women received a certificate from NCJW and were celebrated by family and friends.
“It’s always nice to honor someone that really takes the time out of their life to do more than what they have to,” Sperry added. “They go above and beyond for the greater good. That’s how I see our volunteers, board and all of our members.”
Bialor is the board president and joined the NCJW 45 years ago. She used to manage the section’s robust advocacy initiatives.
“Advocacy was always near and dear to me,” Bialor said. “I worked on advocacy and I edited the bulletin and was the executive vice president.”
She retired from her career in mortgage banking prior to the pandemic and re-awakened all of her passions.
“It’s just the most remarkable group of women,” she added. “They are so dedicated, so serious about what they do. They are open, warm and really a caring group of people.”
Bialor was “honored” to have been picked as one of the two Peninsula Section honorees and to be alongside longtime board member Susan Schwarz.
“I have to trust their judgment that it was the right time to honor me,” Bialor said. “I have met some of the most serious-minded, fun, smart women that I have ever met in my life. They are so enthusiastic and dedicated to the work we do.”
Schwarz is a retired New York City teacher who has been involved with the Peninsula Section for 20 years. She has restarted the section’s volunteer tutoring program for the Lawrence School District and is a personal shopper for the Peninsula and South Shore Section’s “Back 2 School Store.”
“What really got me involved is when they announced they “Back 2 School Store” and I said to myself I want to be a part of this,” Schwarz said. “So I signed up and got involved and then eventually they asked me to be on the board. It’s just been wonderful.”
She feels as a Jewish person, that those who are “more fortunate” have a responsibility and obligation to help those who are “less fortunate and more needy.”
“That perfectly fits the bill for what we do in general at National Council,” she added. ‘To help families and children, not just here but in Israel and our “Back 2 School Store” is non-denominational.”
