News & Impact

Soon after arriving in San Francisco from Ukraine, Kira, then 13, and her parents attended a large, joyous Passover Seder for families who had emigrated from the former Soviet Union. The families were receiving help from Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) to build new lives in the Bay Area. The holiday gathering was one of the many ways that JFCS created a strong, supportive community for the newcomers. That summer, Kira spent two weeks at Camp Tawonga near Yosemite, thanks to a campership scholarship from caring JFCS donors. The experience was pivotal for the adolescent. Despite the happiness of… Read More

June 6, 2023, San Francisco—The Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) Holocaust Center has announced the public phase of a $45 million capital campaign to build a new, state-of-the-art Holocaust Center, library, and archive. The JFCS Holocaust Center is widely recognized statewide, nationally, and internationally as a leader in Holocaust and genocide education. The organization is currently guiding a major statewide response to combatting antisemitism, including co-chairing the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education and leading the California Teachers Collaborative, a critical initiative that will reach California’s students, teachers, and community members over the next five years. Antisemitic incidents… Read More

June is Pride Month, and we would like to highlight a recent opinion piece in the Bay Area Reporter by community leader Joyce Newstat and state Senator , both of whom are members of the LGBTQ+ community and close friends of JFCS and the JFCS Holocaust Center. They serve on the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education alongside JFCS Executive Director, Dr. Anita Friedman. In their article, Newstat and Wiener shed light on the historical significance of the pink triangle, a symbol of Pride and a stark reminder of LGBTQ+ persecution during the Holocaust. This symbolism aligns strongly… Read More

When several members of the Shupin Social Club were curious about climate change and the floods we were having this past winter, the Shupin Community was inspired to host an event to learn about the weather. A bit of creative Googling yielded a surprising gift: a neurodivergent weatherman in Texas. Meteorologist Jordan Darensbourg is a living example that neurodivergent kids can grow up to be whatever they want to be. Jordan has Asperger’s, which is a rare form of autism, and he uses this diagnosis to inspire others to go after whatever it is they set their mind to. “I’m… Read More

Fighting for justice is a core value behind the work we do at JFCS. Guided by our Jewish values, JFCS’ Center for Children and Youth advocates with government and communities to create a better world for children and families here in California and beyond. Some of the successful initiatives JFCS has supported include establishing suicide prevention offices across the state, strengthening parity in insurance coverage for mental health services, and establishing 9-8-8 as the National Suicide Hotline for anyone in a mental health crisis. Currently, JFCS is supporting SB 287, Senator Nancy Skinner’s crucial bill to hold social media… Read More

Tucked safely in Margie Baer’s bicycle bags are fresh fruit and vegetables, proteins, and staples—essential foods that save vulnerable Marin seniors from hunger. For more than four years, Margie, a retired doctor, has delivered groceries from JFCS’ Food Bank to the doorsteps of local seniors. “It’s meaningful to bring food to elderly members of our community. Many of them don’t have family nearby to help,” says Margie. She smiles when recalling an older gentleman who would greet her each week with a new joke, giving the gift of laughter in appreciation for the food. Next time you see a cyclist… Read More