Thursday, October 1, 2026
Long Island sections of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) celebrated “90 Years of Making a Difference on Long Island” at Temple Avodah in Oceanside on May 9.
Continuing a tradition, NCJW honored five Women Who Make A Difference. Susan Rieff, a resident of Rockville Centre, was the honoree of NCJW South Shore section. Rieff is currently a member of the presidium and served for 12 years in a leadership role with the South Shore Section’s Services Committee, whose projects included “Hands Are Not For Hitting,” which teaches elementary-school children about conflict resolution, and the school supplies and holiday food drives for needy families.
Rieff is the proprietor of Superior Interiors, a residential interior design business in Rockville Centre. She is the proud mother of Adam, a graduating senior at Tulane University, and Jamie, a sophomore at Syracuse University.
NCJW, Inc.’s CEO, Nancy Kaufman, delivered the keynote address at the luncheon, highlighting NCJW’s advocacy on behalf of fair and just social policies in the U.S. and around the world. She was joined by Shari Eshet, Director of NCJW’s Israel Office, who spoke about the NCJW’s work in Israel, which includes grant-making, promoting women’s empowerment in Israeli society, and NCJW’s role in international coalitions.
A special donation from NCJW-Long Island Sections was presented to Ms. Kaufman and Ms. Eshet, to benefit one of NCJW’s 10 grant programs in Israel, the Israel Gay Youth Organizations, specifically its Gay/Straight Alliance Education Curriculum, which promotes tolerance.
The day also featured displays of NCJW’s history on Long Island and parts of Queens, and noted more than 50 advocacy, education and community service programs, performed by NCJW’s five sections, which benefit women, children, youth, seniors and families, and often are executed in collaboration with other not-for-profit organizations. Also at the luncheon, much-needed supplies were collected and donated to several agencies; the South Shore section collected supplies for the Archer Street School.
Sandra Mintz, chair of NCJW-Long Island sections, paid tribute to those women who have been members for more than 50 years, saying “their long standing membership has added to our effectiveness, financial foundation and strong voice.” The organization took root on Long Island with the founding in 1922 of the South Shore section, serving Rockville Centre, Oceanside, Baldwin, Long Beach and West Hempstead, and its members went on to spearhead projects that filled many community social needs while also addressing policy and justice issues.. As the suburban landscape filled with families, NCJW added sections serving a number of other communities.
