IN THE KITCHEN WITH LITSA BINDER

“Peace is not a season, it is a way of life,” reads the anonymous plaque in Litsa Binder’s entrance hall in her Lake Mohawk home. Litsa who has always been a peace advocate, started the Northwest New Jersey Peace Fellowship (NWNJPF) in September of 2002. The group defines itself as “a grassroots organization of concerned citizens, primarily residents of Sussex County, NJ, committed to a culture of peace, justice and nonviolence.” “I always think there are better ways than war. I was a member of NJ Peace Action of Montclair for over 25 years and always wanted to start something here,” explains Litsa. “I was concerned that this country was going to war with Iraq; I approached good friends in Sparta to see if they would like to start a group. About ten of us came together and shared ideas, and by the end of that week we had our first peace vigil in Newton,” she adds. By the second vigil the following Friday, more than 100 people attended. For the past five years, NWNJPF has held a special ceremony on Memorial Day on the lawn of the Sparta Public Library where all of the names of the deceased soldiers to date from the Iraq war are read. “We start at about 9 a.m. and finish at about 4:30 p.m. Volunteers read 4,081 names this year. We do this to raise awareness about the human cost of war and how young these people are,” said Litsa. In conjunction with the name reading, Litsa has been instrumental in bringing a traveling exhibition to Sparta called “Eyes Wide Open New Jersey” where all of the boots of the New Jersey soldiers who have died are displayed. “This exhibit was developed by the American Friends Service Committee where the empty boots and id tags of the fallen soldiers are displayed. Last year we had 57 boots and this year it was 70,” said Litsa. Born in Tripoli, Greece in 1942, Litsa came to this country when she was 17, and believes that her Greek roots have influenced who she is today. “I remember the atrocities of war. The aftermath of World War II, plus I lived through a civil war in Greece. It has caused me to think at a deeper level of my relationship with fellow human beings. I want to judge people on who they are not their backgrounds,” said Litsa. Litsa graduated with a degree in international relations from Farleigh Dickerson University and a Masters Degree in Education from Montclair State. She became a lobbyist in 1982 in New York City working for the Chamber of Commerce as Vice President of Government Affairs for over 18 years. Litsa labels herself as a community organizer who works on peace and social justice issues. “I believe as a citizen of any community, you have to be involved. There is always a need to promote peace. To work for non-violence in society and teach children to solve their problems in a peaceful way,” said Litsa. Litsa and her husband Sig have been married for 45 years and have three children and seven grandchildren, all of whom live in Sparta. NWJNPF visits congressmen, holds workshops and sponsors a variety of field trips. To learn more, go to www.nwnjpeace.org. Briam (Zucchini, eggplant, and potatoes) 1 lb. zucchini 1 lb. eggplant 1 lb. potatoes 1 cup parsley 8 oz canned tomato sauce or fresh tomatoes ½ cup water 4 cloves garlic 1 cup olive oil Salt and pepper Slice the zucchini, eggplant and potatoes lengthwise Chop finely the parsley and garlic Add salt and pepper to the vegetables and arrange them in layers in baking dish Mix the olive oil, tomato sauce, water, garlic and parsley in a bowl and add the mixture after each layer of vegetables. Bake in 350 degrees oven for about 1 and ½ hours. Add small amounts of hot water, if needed during the baking, if all liquid is absorbed.