Passaic Vicinage to Celebrate National Adoption Day

The Passaic Vicinage will celebrate National Adoption Day on Friday, Nov. 21 by finalizing 10 adoptions beginning at 9 a.m. in the Passaic County Administration Building, 401 Grand St., Paterson.

Family Division Judges Daniel J. Yablonsky and Michelle Marose will preside over the adoptions. Passaic Vicinage Assignment Judge Rudolph A. Filko will give opening remarks prior to the adoption proceedings. Passaic County Surrogate Zoila Cassanova, Passaic County Commissioner Sandi Lazzara, and an adoptive parent also will speak. Light refreshments will be served throughout the morning.

Staff from the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) will assist with the festivities. Each child in attendance will receive a gift provided by DCP&P, the Surrogate's Office, the Passaic County Clerk's Office, the Passaic County Bar Association, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Passaic County, and local attorneys. Passaic County families who finalized adoptions in 2025 are invited to attend a reception at Dave & Buster's in Wayne following the Adoption Day ceremony.

National Adoption Day is an annual event in which courts and communities in all 50 states come together to finalize thousands of adoptions and to celebrate families who choose to adopt. The vicinage established its adoption celebration in 2007.

Adoption proceedings are closed to the public, reporters and photographers interested in attending must contact Assistant Family Division Manager Bonnie Belin at 973-653-2910, ext. 24588.