Meet Jenny Lederer! She is a teacher at Lenape Meadows School in Mahwah. She is an absolute ray of Sunshine!!
Q: What do you do for a living?
I’m a teacher at Lenape Meadows in Mahwah. There was never a time that I didn’t want to be a teacher. Having said that, I became a teacher much later in life than I expected because I lived in many different places, went to many different universities–I actually had many different majors– but I eventually settled on elementary education, and have been teaching 2nd grade for 16 years!
Q: What were you doing before that?
A: I was a laboratory technician in Saginaw MI; I managed a country store and sold native plants in Fort Pierce FL; I worked for a Chiropractor in Stuart, Florida and was training to become a Chiropractic assistant; I was a manager of an outpatient surgical center in Chicago; and I left Chicago as a Manager of a group of doctors who were all Orthopedic surgeons at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital. These doctors thought that I was out of my mind because they wanted me to become a physical therapist and work for them! Instead, I continued to work full time while I attended Loyola University part-time for teaching
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Mahwah and Ramsey, and what do you love there?
A: In Mahwah, I love the Paella Mixta and Tabla Sangria at Sangria; and in Ramsey, I love the Gao Appetizer Platter and see ew shrimp at Gao Thai Kitchen and the La Florentina Omelet at Giovannas’s.
Q:How long have you lived or worked in Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: I’ve lived in Mahwah for 26 years, I love the place!
Q: What brought you to Mahwah?
A: My husband grew up in Fair Lawn, and he and his family would go to the Catskills quite a bit when he was a child in the 1960’s. So, when they would drive from Fair Lawn up “old 17” then, it was stop lights the whole way. Mahwah was nothing but woodland, and he considered it the “boondocks!” His belief was–that if he ever did move back to the New Jersey suburbs–he would want to move to Mahwah. I met him in Chicago and when we decided to move back to this area, this is where he looked first. I didn’t know the area, so I let him choose!
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: I would have to say a couple of the professors at Ramapo College impressed me. I can’t remember all my professors’ names–but I will tell you–having gone to the some of the finest universities in many places in the country—they blew me away. At first, I was not thrilled about finishing my teaching certification at Ramapo College. But these professors are living close to New York City, have many connections with national academia, and they are fabulous! That’s why I welcome young people who hope to become teachers from Ramapo in here (my classroom) all the time! My students and I have welcomed two this year. You know…pay it forward! I also find the dear friends that I have made through the years like Carmella, Glenda, and Lori to be interesting. They are all strong women–with not a lot of family here–so we became one another’s family. I come from a huge extended family in rural Michigan and I moved to Chicago in my twenties. My husband was moved to Chicago by his employer in NYC and that’s how we met. So, these women are priceless to me. I met Carmella and Glenda through the Mahwah Newcomers. Do they still have that? The newcomers included a playdate group for moms and their kids to get together. It’s too bad everything social is only on Facebook now. I think women need to get together in person! I also find my colleagues at Lenape Meadows interesting. We just finished a book here in our book club called Whisper Network and it’s about women working together at a Dallas law firm. All the interesting women I know are really extended and say that they are very busy, but there is something about the dynamics of women being together! Wherever I was, and whatever I was doing in my life, I have always supported women. Supporting women and children is a primary goal. In fact, when I was not working, my little girls–who were toddlers at the time–would join me in delivering things to Shelter Our Sisters. So yeah, many women make the biggest impression on me! I met my friend Lori, because her daughter was one of my first students. She is an artist and a poet who taught some lessons in my classroom. Life just gives you gifts. I am blessed by the interesting people who have been part of my life through Mahwah.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: I’m going to say Florence or Greece, because I love art and water. I haven’t done a lot of travel, and for the first time last summer, I left the continent of North America and went on a cruise from Zurich to outside of Paris through Germany. It was amazing to me. I especially loved the art, and I also love lakes, rivers, the oceans, and swimming!
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: The first movie that I ever saw in a theatre was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. My favorite movies are The Sound of Music, and Mamma Mia!
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: Be KIND in everything you do. Just be kind. Everybody is hurting somehow. Remember that! Choose to say and do the kind thing.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: I want to walk/hike the Camino Trail that goes through Northern Spain, but nobody wants to do it with me! I’d also like to swim across the Hudson River, weird as that sounds, because I used to swim across the lakes in Michigan–the inland lakes–not the Great Lakes! And in general, I want to continue to grow as a teacher, I want my daughters to continue to thrive and grow as the women they are. I’ve been very fortunate to live in many different places and meet many different types of people. You know the older I get, health and being with my family is what matters most!
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: I tend to like people who have different voices. I like Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan and Yusuf Islam (who used to be called Cat Stevens.) I tend toward music that deals with messages about living better in our world. I like the music that is popular now too. It’s hard, because I like all kinds of music. I enjoy classical and piano music. I grew up listening to piano music because my dad played the piano. I like Tracy Chapman. I love Show Tune music! I would like to have more Opera music in my life.
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: When we first moved here, David Dworkin was the mayor and the Library was really cozy– that’s where the Mahwah Museum is now. We had lots of fundraisers to build a new Library because “little Mahwah” was growing and outgrowing the former library space. We weren’t sure if we were going to expand it there, or if we were going to build another freestanding place. To watch the Library grow…it was a critical part of the town! I know Mahwah is pretty calm now–but twenty years ago, the population of children was booming. The population was just growing by leaps and bounds! Betsy Ross and George Washington Schools were packed! I know these are not businesses but watching what happened with the library–and the fire departments–these are things that make me really proud of this town–the way people work together to make things like new libraries and firehouses a reality. One thing that hasn’t really happened is, we haven’t really developed a downtown. And that’s been something that’s been in the works for years! The saddest thing that occurred was when all of the ancient trees were cut in the Apple Ridge Golf Course. I was worried about where the town was going after that! Progress is a little bit of give and a lot of the take. I was also sad when Ramsey closed the bowling alley and the movie theatre! Once thing we always wanted to see back then was a downtown with a little movie theater and a place for kids to hang out. Because there’s not enough things for young people to do. That growing independent age in kids is when you worry the most as parents!
Q: Choosing anyone dead or alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Mahwah and Ramsey would you have lunch?
A: I would probably have lunch with Joyce Kilmer, because I think we’re capitalizing on him, and I don’t even know if he would believe that Mahwah pays him tribute. Everyone likes a local hero. There are a lot of trees in this town that people think are the “Joyce Kilmer” tree. I was told it was one of the large ones on the Ramapo College Campus! I love poetry and writing. I would probably take him to Roxanne’s because, when I moved here, the old restaurant that was where Roxanne’s is now was called Nobody’s Inn. This was named after one of Kilmer’s poems—the House With Nobody In It. So, I would take him to Roxanne’s and tell him about Nobody’s Inn, and he would probably be blown away! And then I would ask him to write a poem named, Lenape Meadows.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: The mountains: Ramapo Reservation; the lakes and the parks. We have the natural resources for people of all ages. Mahwah’s history revolving around its natural resources is amazing. I wrote my graduate thesis on the Ramapo Lenape Nation and I learned the truth about the history of the place. The Historical Museum has a copy of my thesis!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: I’m going to be teaching here. I would like to try to make it to 22-25 years of teaching here. We have recently moved closer to the city to be closer to our daughters, but who knows, we may come back to Mahwah. Many of the people who moved here to raise their children and send them to the best schools have remained here in retirement.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I have played the guitar and sang from the time I was 8 years old. Probably the other thing that they don’t is that I have had many different types of jobs before becoming a teacher and I went to many different colleges. My teachers were always telling me I should be a teacher, and the most pivotal person in my young decision-making about where to start college was my biology teacher, and that’s why I was a biology major at first. I wanted to be a high school biology teacher when I started college and then I worked at a lab; then I moved to Chicago and I switched to being a Shakespearean major who wanted to teach Shakespeare to college students. Then I met my husband and we ended up moving here. While I was subbing (in the Mahwah schools) when my kids were small, I was horrified by how many students in Ramapo Ridge and the High School dismissed themselves as learners. I decided then to teach at the elementary level. So that I can instill a love in learning and believing in yourself from a young age. I think all of the different experiences I’ve had make me a better teacher–no doubt about it! I think if I had stayed in the corn fields of Michigan and just taught biology—well I just think there was much more for me to do!
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Sunlight, family warmth, and the sounds of birds.
Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: Meryl Streep.
Q: What 3 adjectives would your boss or peers use to describe you?
A: Hard-working, Flexible, and Patient.
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?
Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: A house cleaner.
Q: Do you have a book that you love that you think would be a good read for others?
A: I believe that the most important book that was ever written by an American author is, Beloved by Toni Morrison, because it’s all about a dark time in American history—but it’s also about strong women–and I am a champion for women. Morrison is a fabulous author who lets you walk with her characters in all types of settings!
Meet Jenny Lederer! She is a teacher at Lenape Meadows School in Mahwah. She is an absolute ray of Sunshine!!
Q: What do you do for a living?
I’m a teacher at Lenape Meadows in Mahwah. There was never a time that I didn’t want to be a teacher. Having said that, I became a teacher much later in life than I expected because I lived in many different places, went to many different universities–I actually had many different majors– but I eventually settled on elementary education, and have been teaching 2nd grade for 16 years!
Q: What were you doing before that?
A: I was a laboratory technician in Saginaw MI; I managed a country store and sold native plants in Fort Pierce FL; I worked for a Chiropractor in Stuart, Florida and was training to become a Chiropractic assistant; I was a manager of an outpatient surgical center in Chicago; and I left Chicago as a Manager of a group of doctors who were all Orthopedic surgeons at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital. These doctors thought that I was out of my mind because they wanted me to become a physical therapist and work for them! Instead, I continued to work full time while I attended Loyola University part-time for teaching
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Mahwah and Ramsey, and what do you love there?
A: In Mahwah, I love the Paella Mixta and Tabla Sangria at Sangria; and in Ramsey, I love the Gao Appetizer Platter and see ew shrimp at Gao Thai Kitchen and the La Florentina Omelet at Giovannas’s.
Q:How long have you lived or worked in Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: I’ve lived in Mahwah for 26 years, I love the place!
Q: What brought you to Mahwah?
A: My husband grew up in Fair Lawn, and he and his family would go to the Catskills quite a bit when he was a child in the 1960s. So, when they would drive from Fair Lawn up “old 17” then, it was stop lights the whole way. Mahwah was nothing but woodland, and he considered it the “boondocks!” His belief was–that if he ever did move back to the New Jersey suburbs–he would want to move to Mahwah. I met him in Chicago and when we decided to move back to this area, this is where he looked first. I didn’t know the area, so I let him choose!
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: I would have to say a couple of the professors at Ramapo College impressed me. I can’t remember all my professors’ names–but I will tell you–having gone to the some of the finest universities in many places in the country—they blew me away. At first, I was not thrilled about finishing my teaching certification at Ramapo College. But these professors are living close to New York City, have many connections with national academia, and they are fabulous! That’s why I welcome young people who hope to become teachers from Ramapo in here (my classroom) all the time! My students and I have welcomed two this year. You know…pay it forward! I also find the dear friends that I have made through the years like Carmella, Glenda, and Lori to be interesting. They are all strong women–with not a lot of family here–so we became one another’s family. I come from a huge extended family in rural Michigan and I moved to Chicago in my twenties. My husband was moved to Chicago by his employer in NYC and that’s how we met. So, these women are priceless to me. I met Carmella and Glenda through the Mahwah Newcomers. Do they still have that? The newcomers included a playdate group for moms and their kids to get together. It’s too bad everything social is only on Facebook now. I think women need to get together in person! I also find my colleagues at Lenape Meadows interesting. We just finished a book here in our book club called Whisper Network and it’s about women working together at a Dallas law firm. All the interesting women I know are really extended and say that they are very busy, but there is something about the dynamics of women being together! Wherever I was, and whatever I was doing in my life, I have always supported women. Supporting women and children is a primary goal. In fact, when I was not working, my little girls–who were toddlers at the time–would join me in delivering things to Shelter Our Sisters. So yeah, many women make the biggest impression on me! I met my friend Lori, because her daughter was one of my first students. She is an artist and a poet who taught some lessons in my classroom. Life just gives you gifts. I am blessed by the interesting people who have been part of my life through Mahwah.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: I’m going to say Florence or Greece, because I love art and water. I haven’t done a lot of travel, and for the first time last summer, I left the continent of North America and went on a cruise from Zurich to outside of Paris through Germany. It was amazing to me. I especially loved the art, and I also love lakes, rivers, the oceans, and swimming!
Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: The first movie that I ever saw in a theatre was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. My favorite movies are The Sound of Music, and Mamma Mia!
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: Be KIND in everything you do. Just be kind. Everybody is hurting somehow. Remember that! Choose to say and do the kind thing.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: I want to walk/hike the Camino Trail that goes through Northern Spain, but nobody wants to do it with me! I’d also like to swim across the Hudson River, weird as that sounds, because I used to swim across the lakes in Michigan–the inland lakes–not the Great Lakes! And in general, I want to continue to grow as a teacher, I want my daughters to continue to thrive and grow as the women they are. I’ve been very fortunate to live in many different places and meet many different types of people. You know the older I get, health and being with my family is what matters most!
Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: I tend to like people who have different voices. I like Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan and Yusuf Islam (who used to be called Cat Stevens.) I tend toward music that deals with messages about living better in our world. I like the music that is popular now too. It’s hard, because I like all kinds of music. I enjoy classical and piano music. I grew up listening to piano music because my dad played the piano. I like Tracy Chapman. I love Show Tune music! I would like to have more Opera music in my life.
Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: When we first moved here, David Dworkin was the mayor and the Library was really cozy– that’s where the Mahwah Museum is now. We had lots of fundraisers to build a new Library because “little Mahwah” was growing and outgrowing the former library space. We weren’t sure if we were going to expand it there, or if we were going to build another freestanding place. To watch the Library grow…it was a critical part of the town! I know Mahwah is pretty calm now–but twenty years ago, the population of children was booming. The population was just growing by leaps and bounds! Betsy Ross and George Washington Schools were packed! I know these are not businesses but watching what happened with the library–and the fire departments–these are things that make me really proud of this town–the way people work together to make things like new libraries and firehouses a reality. One thing that hasn’t really happened is, we haven’t really developed a downtown. And that’s been something that’s been in the works for years! The saddest thing that occurred was when all of the ancient trees were cut in the Apple Ridge Golf Course. I was worried about where the town was going after that! Progress is a little bit of give and a lot of the take. I was also sad when Ramsey closed the bowling alley and the movie theatre! Once thing we always wanted to see back then was a downtown with a little movie theater and a place for kids to hang out. Because there’s not enough things for young people to do. That growing independent age in kids is when you worry the most as parents!
Q: Choosing anyone dead or alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Mahwah and Ramsey would you have lunch?
A: I would probably have lunch with Joyce Kilmer, because I think we’re capitalizing on him, and I don’t even know if he would believe that Mahwah pays him tribute. Everyone likes a local hero. There are a lot of trees in this town that people think are the “Joyce Kilmer” tree. I was told it was one of the large ones on the Ramapo College Campus! I love poetry and writing. I would probably take him to Roxanne’s because, when I moved here, the old restaurant that was where Roxanne’s is now was called Nobody’s Inn. This was named after one of Kilmer’s poems—the House With Nobody In It. So, I would take him to Roxanne’s and tell him about Nobody’s Inn, and he would probably be blown away! And then I would ask him to write a poem named, Lenape Meadows.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Mahwah and Ramsey?
A: The mountains: Ramapo Reservation; the lakes and the parks. We have the natural resources for people of all ages. Mahwah’s history revolving around its natural resources is amazing. I wrote my graduate thesis on the Ramapo Lunape Nation and I learned the truth about the history of the place. The Historical Museum has a copy of my thesis!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: I’m going to be teaching here. I would like to try to make it to 22-25 years of teaching here. We have recently moved closer to the city to be closer to our daughters, but who knows, we may come back to Mahwah. Many of the people who moved here to raise their children and send them to the best schools have remained here in retirement.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I have played the guitar and sang from the time I was 8 years old. Probably the other thing that they don’t is that I have had many different types of jobs before becoming a teacher and I went to many different colleges. My teachers were always telling me I should be a teacher, and the most pivotal person in my young decision-making about where to start college was my biology teacher, and that’s why I was a biology major at first. I wanted to be a high school biology teacher when I started college and then I worked at a lab; then I moved to Chicago and I switched to being a Shakespearean major who wanted to teach Shakespeare to college students. Then I met my husband and we ended up moving here. While I was subbing (in the Mahwah schools) when my kids were small, I was horrified by how many students in Ramapo Ridge and the High School dismissed themselves as learners. I decided then to teach at the elementary level. So that I can instill a love in learning and believing in yourself from a young age. I think all of the different experiences I’ve had make me a better teacher–no doubt about it! I think if I had stayed in the corn fields of Michigan and just taught biology—well I just think there was much more for me to do!
Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Sunlight, family warmth, and the sounds of birds.
Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: Meryl Streep.
Q: What 3 adjectives would your boss or peers use to describe you?
A: Hard-working, Flexible, and Patient.
Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?
Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: A house cleaner.
Q: Do you have a book that you love that you think would be a good read for others?
A: I believe that the most important book that was ever written by an American author is, Beloved by Toni Morrison, because it’s all about a dark time in American history—but it’s also about strong women–and I am a champion for women. Morrison is a fabulous author who lets you walk with her characters in all types of settings!
