News & Impact

Until a few years ago, when Louis, a concentration camp survivor in his late 80s, came to JFCS for assistance, he had never received the Holocaust reparations due to him. That changed quickly as Louis’ JFCS case worker helped him successfully apply for restitution claims. “The funds I receive each month make a big difference,” says Louis, who lives below the poverty line. “Otherwise, my income would not cover expenses.” In addition to benefiting from JFCS’ Holocaust Reparations Program, Louis now receives daily kosher meals through JFCS’ Food Programs. “If it weren’t for these meals, I don’t know… Read More

Our travel portion of the journey has concluded, but our experiences and memories will always be with us. Below are reflections from the final days of the Legacy Tour. July 10, 2012 Yesterday we traveled southwest in the direction of Tel Aviv. One the way we visited a unique farming program that educates groups on agriculture in Israel. I learned that Israel farms in the sand which is amazing and that the state has patented a few agricultural techniques. We were treated to fresh carrots that we plucked from the earth and tomatoes off the vine… all were delicious.  A… Read More

July 8, 2012 Today, we went to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. It was absolutely magnificent and well thought out. The museum focused on the remembrance of the unnamed victims of the Holocaust. We had the opportunity to explore on our own and fill our heads with so much information. The countless photos of people before the Holocaust had a particular impact on me, because you could see the souls of the people. Their personality and humanity was crystal clear through those photos.After spending about four hours there, we had a discussion with Gil Hoffman, a political journalist with the Jerusalem… Read More

After our first few days in Jerusalem I can honestly say it feels like we have been here forever…. like coming home again. Enjoy our photos and reflections… tomorrow we venture south to the Negev and then on to Tel Aviv.  You will notice the introduction of some beautiful photography taken by Alex, Legacy Tour college fellow. Quite impressive!  July 7, 2012 Israel- the final leg of our journey. When we landed in Tel Aviv, we recited the Shehekianu, a prayer for new beginnings. Being here is certainly a new experience for all of us! In Poland and Germany we… Read More

July 6, 2012 Warsaw is 1000 times different than both Berlin and Krakow on the outside, and that was the first thing I noticed. It has much larger buildings, bigger lights and it is more like a classic city. But as we got more familiar with the synagogues and Jewish community I realized that it was more similar to Krakow than anymore believed it to be. In short, there was once a thriving Jewish population… then the war. Following the war there was racism with communism. And now it has a small Jewish community…similar to Krakow. However, this was put… Read More

Greetings from Jerusalem! We arrived just before sunrise, and the group is loving the rest and relaxation. We’ll post pictures and reflections tomorrow. Shabbat shalom!… Read More