09/03/2026
Gloria Steinem has left us, leaving an incredible legacy of leadership and activism. May her memory be a blessing.
This morning, NCJW deeply mourns the loss of Gloria Steinem, a trailblazing feminist, journalist, and activist whose work transformed the fight for gender equality in America and around the world.
Gloria was arguably the most iconic Jewish feminist of all time. For more than half a century, Gloria helped move feminism into the mainstream and build a movement for women to have power over our bodies, our lives, and our futures. Her leadership tore down barriers, opened doors, and inspired generations to keep pushing forward.
Gloria’s connection to NCJW was deeply personal. Her grandmother, Pauline Perlmutter Steinem — a suffragist and pioneering Jewish communal leader — served as president of NCJW’s Toledo Section. Decades later, Gloria carried that legacy forward, championing issues NCJW cares deeply about, including reproductive freedom and women’s equality.
Gloria Steinem’s legacy cannot be undersold, even as we recognize that the movement she helped build was imperfect and too often failed to fully include all women. She carried on her shoulders a movement that generations since have challenged, expanded, and strengthened. This is the movement we are proud to continue building today.
May her memory be for a blessing, and a revolution.
