Lisa Wisotsky is a wife, a mother, a physician, an Orthodox Jew and she is running for the Englewood Council at Large position. There are five council seats. One represents each of Englewood’s four wards, and the fifth seat, the one she is running for, represents the entire city. According to Wisotsky, the success of any city is defined by the public service contributions of its citizens.
“I am a doer, not a talker or complainer,” she said. “I have seen how my efforts as a private citizen have had an impact on our city. I have met and listened to residents from all over Englewood and am excited about how much more I could accomplish if elected as councilwoman-at-large.”
Wisotsky has served on the Englewood Board of Health for nine years. She is currently the vice president and past president of the board. As president, she successfully led the department through a budget crisis. Last year, she championed legislation calling for Englewood parks to be smoke-free and raising the age of sale of tobacco products in her city to 21. Englewood was the first city in New Jersey to do that and now others have followed its lead. As a result of the public health policies and programs initiated by the board and department of health, Englewood was one of two cities recognized as “New Jersey Healthy Towns” this year.
After the John T. Wright Arena, also known as the Mackay Ice Rink, was seriously damaged during Hurricane Sandy, Wisotsky recognized that a citizens group was needed to advocate for the revitalization of the facility. It also needed to be made accessible to all the residents of Englewood. She formed the “Friends of the John T. Wright Arena,” a nonprofit with membership from all four wards of Englewood. They even organized the city’s first holiday party there this past December with over 700 residents attending. “We formed a partnership with the New York Rangers and the city received a $25,000 grant towards equipment, training devices and coach training. Any child that cannot afford hockey equipment will be able to receive loaner equipment for the season. We wanted the arena to be a place in Englewood that would help unify our city and we were successful.”
Wisotsky has been an Englewood homeowner and member of Congregation Ahavath Torah for 20 years; she currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Ahavath Torah. She and her husband moved to Englewood because they were working in New Jersey and wanted to be near their families in New York. They loved the suburban charm and the idea of living near their children’s school and close to synagogue. Wisotsky has five children. Her two elder daughters are in law school; one in her first year at Cardozo and the other graduating from NYU in May. Her two older sons are at SAR Academy and her youngest son is a first grader at the Moriah School. When asked how her children feel about their mother’s political aspirations, she responded, “My daughters are very proud of my achievements and feel I have been a positive role model for them. To quote my daughters, I taught them that women rule the world. My sons are adjusting to having a mom run for political office, but are proud of me for undertaking a new challenge.”
A graduate of Yeshiva of Flatbush and Yale University, Wisotsky went on to receive her MD from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine and later received her MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. She works as a physician with her specialty in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her political role model is Eleanor Roosevelt. According to Wisotsky, “She was a wonderful female role model. At a time when women did not have a high public profile, she was a strong advocate for racial equality and women’s rights. Even today, there are fewer female political activists then men. I believe we cannot underestimate the importance of a woman’s perspective in government.” As for her future political aspirations, Wisotsky feels it was never her ambition to hold public office, but her involvement in her city’s activities have taught her the positive impact one can make with hard work and dedication. “Right now, I am concentrating on winning the June 2 Democratic primary and have no other political aspiration other than to win this seat and work my hardest to advance the future of Englewood.”
For more information please visit www.wisotskyforenglewood.com.
By Banji Ganchrow
