Michelle Bobrow has had a varied career as both a professional and volunteer.  She was a Vice President of Voter Service for the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, and has been an officer of the Maplewood League of Women Voters since the 1970’s. She was chair of the National Council of Jewish Women, NJ State Public Affairs Committee for eight years, overseeing NCJW’s legislative and advocacy agenda and speaking for the 7000 members and their families in New Jersey, on issues affecting women, children and families. For almost 30 years she has served as an advocate for abused and neglected children for Essex County Court-Appointed Special Advocate. Her community service was recognized with the Hannah G. Solomon Award by NCJW and Maplewood’s Civic Association Maple Leaf Award.  

 

She is also a parliamentarian, serving on local and state association boards and teaching courses on parliamentary procedure and running effective meetings.  She became an advocate for eminent domain abuse reform in New Jersey, with a special interest as a threatened homeowner.  

 

She is interested in open government and citizen participation in government, and attends local governing body meetings.   She served on numerous boards, including the Maplewood Local Assistance Board.  As an accomplished knitter, she shares the work of her hands with charitable organizations, providing warm hats, scarves and sweaters for less fortunate clients as well as teaching knitting at the South Orange-Maplewood Adult School.  

 

She served as Board member and President of the Miriam Sisterhood of Oheb Shalom Congregation in South Orange, and is an enthusiastic supporter of women’s organizations and women’s education.  In her work on the Essex County Election Board, she oversees the polling sites in Maplewood as serving as the Super Poll worker. 

 

She and her late husband Harold founded the Bobrow Family Oheb Shalom Kosher Food Pantry over 35 years ago, to meet the needs of the recently arriving Former Soviet Union refugees.  The Pantry is thriving today and serves the needy local population.

She was married for 55 years to Harold, and is the proud mother of Lauren, mother-in-law of Scott and grandmother of Raelyn.