She survived cancer three times.  She outlived her daughter, who died at 21.  Despite these hardships and others, Jean Wildberg had an unflagging spirit.  Descended from an old German-Jewish Bay Area family—her grandfather founded Kahn’s Department Store in Oakland in 1879—Jean expressed, in both words and deeds, an abiding concern for others.  “She didn’t hesitate to get involved in changing society if she saw an injustice,” said one of her sons, David Morgenstein. “She wanted to help those who did not have a voice.” A Stanford University alumna who later became a psychologist, Jean counseled workers in employee assistance programs.  … Read More

John Galen has been part of the JFCS community since the 1960s.  He served on its Board of Directors back when JFCS was called the Jewish Family Service Agency, and he was active in 1977, when the agency merged with Homewood Terrace, putting the “children” in Jewish Family and Children’s Services. Through his close association, he understands JFCS’ ability to innovate and best serve those in need. John had always intended to provide for JFCS after his lifetime and to leave a bequest in his will or trust. However, after discussing his plans with JFCS’ Endowment staff, he discovered that… Read More

“She only wanted to get out of the house.”  That simple declarative has become a mantra to JFCS donor and volunteer Nancy Epstein—and it clearly and succinctly explains why she has committed her time, energy, and resources to JFCS’ Palliative Care Program. Some years back Nancy regularly shuttled between the Bay Area and Los Angeles to care for her mother, Elaine Epstein, an advanced Alzheimer’s patient.  As Nancy was leaving her mother’s house one day to run an errand, her mother begged to go along for the ride. “I told her, ‘No, no, there’s no need for you to come.  … Read More

When 8-year-old Tad Taube left Poland in 1939 en route to New York via Ellis Island, the Krakow-born child didn’t know that he and his parents would narrowly escape the Nazi invasion. He also did not know that he would never return to the culturally rich and prosperous Polish Jewish community that he knew in his youth, or that this community would be destroyed during World War II. As the war raged on, Tad and his parents would soon learn that Tad’s beloved grandfather had been murdered by the Nazis, along with many others in their family. More fortunate family… Read More