[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 68 (Friday, May 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO HENNA WHITE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Henna White in recognition 
of her work to heal divisions and solve problems within her community 
and among families in Brooklyn.
  Henna attained national recognition for her work in inter-group 
relations, which began in the wake of the Crown Heights disturbances in 
1991. She is a South African who grew up during the turbulent years of 
apartheid and was instrumental in forming ``Mothers to Mothers,'' a 
dialogue group composed of Jewish and African-American women who meet 
regularly to learn about and from each other. She has received a number 
of awards for her inter-group activities and she continues to work with 
communities and groups to help foster harmony.
  Henna has also been at the forefront of issues dealing with domestic 
violence. She is a well-known speaker on the topics of domestic 
violence and women's issues and has organized conferences, forums and 
educators' workshops. She created Brairot, a batterer's intervention 
and counseling group for Orthodox Jewish males as well as a sex 
offenders program designed to meet the specific religious and cultural 
needs of sexual offenders. She has been the guiding force in helping 
communities break through the denial and realize the tragic effect of 
domestic violence on families.
  After reading about the tragedies of newborn babies being left in 
dumpsters, Henna created a program called Baby Safe Haven. Baby Safe 
Haven gives new mothers the opportunity to anonymously leave a newborn 
at a safe place such as a hospital or a firehouse, keeping the baby 
safe and giving the mother immunity from prosecution.
  Approximately 7 years ago in the aftermath of Yitzhak Rabin's 
assassination and in response to the rhetoric that divided the Jewish 
people, Henna founded the Jewish Women's Dialogue under the auspices of 
the American Jewish Committee. The Dialogue is a group of approximately 
30 women from all walks of life with differing and opposing religious 
views who have learned to listen and talk to each other. The women have 
created a foundation of trust based on shared beliefs about their 
differences while maintaining a level of understanding and respect for 
each other. This organization is now being replicated throughout the 
New York Jewish community as well as in Boston and Washington.
  In her professional life, Henna works for the Brooklyn District 
Attorney's Office as Community Liaison for District Attorney Hynes. She 
serves as the Chairman of the Board of Kingsbrook Hospital. She is the 
first woman to chair the Board of Directors and has been spearheading 
many programs that educate women when it comes to health related 
issues.
  Her work with youth and families is recognized throughout New York, 
especially in the areas of teens at-risk and drug addiction. Henna is 
also the President of the Jewish Community Council of Canarsie and a 
board member of the American Jewish Committee. Henna is a Chassidic 
Lubavitch woman born in South Africa who now resides in Canarsie, 
Brooklyn with her husband, Asher, and their four children.
  Mr. Speaker, Henna White has helped solve some of the most difficult 
and private issues facing families across Brooklyn. As such, she is 
more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I urge my 
colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.




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