JHF Staffer Takes the Stage in The Abortion Monologues

Nancy Zionts performs in the production of The Abortion Monologues.

Women's reproductive rights remain front and center in the current election cycle, and on April 4, the National Council of Jewish Women Pittsburgh presented a powerful play centered on one of the most significant health issues facing women today. The Abortion Monologues, a play by Jane Cawthorne, was performed at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) was among the sponsors, and JHF COO and Chief Program Officer Nancy Zionts, MBA, participated in the production.

The Abortion Monologues presents the stories of 18 women who share details of their lives and relationships and their experiences with abortion—a topic that remains taboo in the public sphere. The stories combine humor and heartbreak and leave the audience challenging their own assumptions and opinions. Zionts appeared as the final performer, portraying a woman living in a senior village reminiscing about her life as a nurse and as a woman who had an abortion before they were legal. The character urged young people to enjoy their lives and, ironically, their access to birth control and abortions—which are now under threat.

The event also included a conversation about the ongoing need to preserve and promote safe reproductive health care with emcee Natalie Bencivenga and CEO of NCJW Inc., Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, Inc.