New Jersey Association of the Deaf, Inc.

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Here you will find a tremendous amount of information about our non-profit organization, New Jersey Association of the Deaf (NJAD) was established in June 1967 by the five of six founders were Jeremiah Germany, Thomas Gradnauer, Rev. Croft Pentz, Charles Radvany and Samuel Smalls.  Andrea (Haas) Panella is now resides in Maryland.

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In December 1969 this organization became incorporated under the state of New Jersey as a non-profit organization.

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Our first success: NJ State Legislate was on July 31, 1977 was a wonderful day for the Deaf people of New Jersey! As Governor Byrne signed the bill "NJ Division of the Deaf" after 37 years the profoundly deaf won service by designing law and lobbying for it. All the credits went to Eleanore Murad, NJAD Spokeswoman and Advocate for her passion, hard-working efforts to make this dream came true for the deaf people. The NJ Division of the Deaf's first Director was Elizabeth Broecker. The NJ Division of the Deaf was under NJ Department of Labor and Industries. Today it's renamed NJ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing under NJ Department of Human Services.

New Jersey Association of the Deaf and New Jersey Deaf residents are advocating for their equal rights and to protect and preserve American Sign Language.