JF&CS Blog   

Courage is something I think about everyday. It takes courage to help a friend in need even though they don’t want it.

I believe JF&CS is poised to make great strides in 2012. We are ready to build on the strong foundation created by former CEO Sy Friedland.

Our new Financial Literacy program seeks to overcome barriers to financial stability with an innovative combination of one-on-one counseling, training, and seminars

It’s impossible to overstate the power of a talk by Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, co-pastor, Bethel AME, who was the keynote speaker for “Bringing it Home: A Public Health Conference.”

The holidays are fast approaching, and we have begun our annual toy drive. Our goal is to provide gift cards of at least $25 to 400 children.

Thank you to all who support Journey to Safety. Because of your generous donations we raised more than $60,000.

Last month I succeeded Sy Friedland as CEO of JF&CS. Although the name on the door is changing, our passion for helping vulnerable people live with dignity will stay the same.

I remember reading the groundbreaking book, “The Secular City,” by Harvey Cox, for a religious studies class in college, not long after it was published in 1965.

We often hear well-meaning people observe that abuse survivors need to forgive themselves as part of their healing process.

Exciting things are happening on the North Shore. Since our merger with JFS of the North Shore, we have worked to centralize program resources and plan for the future. 

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to learn about a new initiative from Journey to Safety called “Make it (Y)our Business.”

Thanks to many of our Family Table volunteers, we distributed groceries to approximately 270 very appreciative families.

Time has flown since our last Family Table distribution and before the memory of Passover fades, I want to thank everyone who helped make the holiday especially meaningful for our many recipients.

Passover, one of the most celebrated Jewish festivals, has always been my favorite. I am sure this is because the seder—the ritual meal—takes place in the home.

This month, in celebration of National Nutrition Month and Registered Dietitian Day, JF&CS registered dietitians share their stories about why they chose the nutrition profession. 

I was in Haifa, Israel last week working on developing a new project. There is a great deal of interest in Israel for finding and helping children at risk.

I am continually impressed with how often people look out for a friend or neighbor in need and contact JF&CS on that person’s behalf.

Thursday, March 3 is White Ribbon Day here in Massachusetts. As I’ve done in years past, I will renew my White Ribbon Day pledge.

Each year, almost 1,600 volunteers reach into their hearts to give something of themselves to those in need.

Albert, an elderly Russian immigrant, was scared and alone in an unfamiliar city. Could JF&CS help?

When Betty Ann Greenbaum Miller was a teenager, she survived Stage III Hodgkins, a lymphatic system cancer.

Demand for our services continues to grow. With your support, JF&CS will be there to help. 

As the first registered dietitian hired at JF&CS, I did not know what to expect. I think some of my new colleagues were even worried that I was watching what they were eating for lunch, but many more were intrigued by the notion of what having a nutrition program at JF&CS could mean for our clients.

Last month, Journey to Safety marked the program’s tenth anniversary with an inspiring evening at Congregation Shaarei Tefillah in Newton.

With Hanukkah beginning this week, we are in the middle of our annual Toy Drive. We hope to provide gift cards of $25 or more to 300 children and we need your help to make sure that every child is sponsored by a donor.

As November approaches, we traditionally begin to think about preparing for our own meaningful family Thanksgiving celebrations, which include a table full of food, laughter, and warmth.

When thinking about the ritual of mikveh, immersion in a Jewish ritual bath, there are many images that may come to mind.

Ruth, a religiously observant and educated woman, walked away from her comfortable home to protect her young children from her husband's physical abuse.

Not a day goes by when I don’t get a call from a person requesting English as a Second Language (ESL) or naturalization classes. Unfortunately, we have been able to offer very little assistance in this area because of lack of funding.

At sunset on September 8, the ten-day High Holy Day journey from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur begins. These ten Days of Awe are a time of reflection and introspection to help us spiritually prepare for the year to come.

I don’t know if you had a chance to read Thomas Friedman’s piece in the New York Times on August 7th. The column entitled “Steal this Movie” was about a new Israeli documentary, “Precious Life,” by the Gaza reporter for Israel’s TV Channel 10 news, Shlomi Eldar.