“UnityMontclair is dedicated to bringing real change to the Township Council with responsive and open government.  We have brought together community leaders with different perspectives who will work to reach consensus on a new course of action for the Township. The slate encompasses all parts of the Town and its different points of view,” Fried stated. “I am running for Mayor because I want to help revive the community activism that makes Montclair exceptional. At the same time we need responsive, bold leadership to make the economic decisions that are essential to renewing Montclair, preserving our economic and racial diversity, and strengthening the fabric of our community. As a lifelong communications and marketing professional, I intend to use Montclair’s great ‘brand’ to help build our local economy.”

 

A 19 year resident of Montclair, Jerry Fried has always been active in the Montclair community, schools and athletics. He is the founder

and former President of Bike Montclair, which works to make Montclair a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists and has been instrumental in procuring hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for the town. For 5 years he has organized the annual Tour de Montclair, an enormously successful recreational bike ride which draws hundreds of residents, from 6 to 86.  Fried also founded TrueJustice, an interfaith oureach group, in the days after 9/11. The group organized visits, discussion forums, workshops and dinners to bring together members of Muslim and non-Muslim congregations and groups. Active in the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, which has a long history of social justice and philanthropic actions in Montclair and beyond, he has delivered lay sermons on topics such as "Building Community Through Cycling" and "A Communion of Gifts", has taught Religious Education, and has chaired several committees.

 

Professionally, he has worked in the advertising industry for 25 years and has helped create many award winning commercials for dozens of major advertisers. He has also volunteered his time to teach film to troubled youth, act as a youth group advisor, and mentor teenagers. He is the father of 3 children, two graduates of the Montclair pubic schools and one currently enrolled at Glenfield School. His wife, Karen-Nielsen Fried, is a prominent Montclair artist.