News & Impact

At this moment we bear the weight of history. Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the members of his Governor’s Council for Holocaust and Genocide Education, which includes top experts, legislators, and leaders of our State. The Council is co-chaired by JFCS’ Executive Director, Dr. Anita Friedman, and is designed to expand education about antisemitism and bigotry to every school and every student in California. Read the full press release below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 31, 2022 Governor’s Press Office: (916) 445-4571 Governor Newsom Taps Leading Experts and Advocates for Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education SACRAMENTO—In the wake… Read More

On May 12, two Holocaust survivors—Sonia Apfelbaum, 81, and David Diamond, 92—stood on the bimah at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo in front of family and friends. Their dreams of becoming a Bat and Bar Mitzvah had been lifelong in the making, and three years in the making for JFCS and a small army of local Israeli volunteers. “Today is the happiest day in my life,” David said from the bimah. David and Sonia met through JFCS’ Café By the Bay program on the Peninsula, which brings survivors together weekly on Zoom to socialize, connect, and support one… Read More

When asked about the secret to her long life, Hilda Richards once said, “I am definitely an optimist, and I think that has helped me very much.” Hilda, a true gem of our community, passed away this April at the age of 104. A resident of San Francisco for more than 84 years, Hilda was a survivor of the Holocaust. She arrived in San Francisco from Germany in 1938 with just $10, joining her sister, who had emigrated two years prior. The sisters remained close throughout their lives. Known for her joie de vivre, Hilda was part of the fabric… Read More

The California Assembly and Senate have released their joint budget agreement, a critical step in the State’s annual budget approval process. It includes two of our Jewish community’s most important priorities—Holocaust and genocide education and caring for vulnerable survivors. Anita Friedman, JFCS’ Executive Director, says, “The voice of California’s Jewish Community has been heard. Now our survivors can continue to age with dignity and every child in our State will learn about antisemitism, about the Holocaust, and about how—and why—to stand up against hate.” These critical funds include: $3 million to renovate and expand the JFCS Holocaust Center. The JFCS… Read More

Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) Holocaust Center has established the California Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education, with support from a $1.9 Million grant from the Marin County Office of Education and the State of California. The California Collaborative, a first-of-its-kind statewide network, will connect educators, genocide survivors, and community leaders in order to support California teachers to effectively teach Holocaust and genocide education in their classrooms and address the surge of antisemitism and hate in California school communities. Members of the new statewide collaborative network include the University of Southern California’s Shoah Foundation; the Museum of Tolerance; the… Read More

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education—an important step forward in the fight against antisemitism and hate. The council will include state legislators, civic leaders and representatives from minority communities. The JFCS Holocaust Center will play a critical leadership role as the state embarks on a historic expansion of educational programs that will confront the recent rise in antisemitism and other acts of hate in California and worldwide. Each year, the Holocaust Center educates over 25,000 students and teachers from over 350 schools about the causes and consequences of discrimination.… Read More