News & Impact

From June 23 – 26, 2024, dedicated teachers from across California gathered in Los Angeles for the second annual Summer Institute of the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education. This groundbreaking event, organized by the JFCS Holocaust Center in partnership with The USC Shoah Foundation, brought together educators from 51 California school districts. Through expert-led workshops, moving testimonies, and rich primary sources, the institute equipped teachers with effective tools to build critical thinking skills and address antisemitism and hate in their own classrooms and communities. In a post-institute survey, 98% of teachers reported the curriculum and instructional strategies… Read More

On October 29, 2023, local synagogue members and men’s clubs teed off at Crystal Springs Golf Course for the 2023 Peninsula Jewish Community Golf Classic (PCJGC), raising over $23,000 to support JFCS’ Food Bank and nutrition programs on the Peninsula. The Peninsula Jewish Community Golf Classic has been held for the past 13 years. In 2021, the PJCGC Committee saw a chance to leverage the tournament’s success into a fundraising opportunity. Since then, the committee and its collaborators have generously supported Jewish Family and Children’s Services programs.  When asked why the tournament selected JFCS as its beneficiary, committee cofounder David… Read More

By Dr. Anita Friedman, JFCS Executive Director and co-chair of the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education As we all can see, hate is surging at unprecedented levels throughout our society. Antisemitism is at an all-time high in California, and every week the JFCS Holocaust Center receives calls from local schools seeking guidance on how to handle hateful incidents. Now more than ever, education is critically and urgently needed to combat this frightening trend. The Case for Fighting Antisemitism and Hate Through Education Holocaust education was legally required in the California state education code as of 1985. Only now,… Read More

“Evil can only prevail if good people sit idly by.” —Governor Gavin Newsom A new week has begun, but the horrors continue to unfold. Hamas’ genocidal actions have reminded us what true evil looks like. Approximately 1,400 Israelis have been murdered and almost 200 Israelis were kidnapped and are being held in captivity, as loved ones beg for their return. We are sadly witnessing mass suffering and loss of innocent lives throughout the region. We will not sit idly by. Join Us in Action JFCS is working closely with our sister agencies in Israel to provide direct humanitarian assistance including… Read More

As we watch this nightmare unfold in Israel—many of us heartbroken, or worrying about friends and loved ones—it is easy to feel helpless. But now is a time of action, and JFCS is working closely with our partner agencies in Israel to provide direct assistance including emergency food, shelter, and psychological first aid. More aid is urgently needed, and there are several ways that you can help: Donate to JFCS’s Israel Emergency Fund Double your gift through company-matching donations. Share our posts on social media Create a Facebook Fundraiser for JFCS If you or someone you care about could… Read More

We are all heartbroken by the unprovoked and vicious attacks that Hamas—the Iranian-backed terror group controlling Gaza—have made on Israel and its families. Hundreds of Israeli children, families, and elderly have been murdered or kidnapped to be used as human shields. We are horrified by these ongoing attacks. Jewish Family and Children’s Services supports America’s closest ally, Israel, and the right of Israel to defend herself, as any country would. As always, JFCS immediately offers urgent assistance when needed, and we are here for you. Help Israeli Families in Need If you are looking for a way to help, please… Read More