News & Impact

In 1977, San Francisco’s reputation as a city of peace and love was tested by an unexpected threat: just steps away from a synagogue in the Outer Sunset, a Nazi bookstore had opened its doors.   This brazen, shameless act infuriated Tauba Weiss, a member of the city’s considerable population of Holocaust survivors. She confronted the shop owner on Erev Pesach, demanding that he explain himself—was it not enough that the Nazis had killed so many of her people in Europe just years ago? The man responded cruelly, “No, it was not enough.”   Filled with anger, Tauba picked a rock up… 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

There is no more powerful tool in fighting antisemitism than Holocaust and genocide education. The JFCS Holocaust Center’s Manovill Seminar program is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for high school students to dive deep into the ties between racism, antisemitism, and the patterns of genocide as they learn how to become upstanders in their communities. The program carries on the legacy of Lilly Manovill Endrei z”l, who courageously helped fellow Jews from the Budapest ghetto escape and survive. In this three-month long program, students hear first-hand survivor testimony, engage in stimulating discussions, and explore historical artifacts in the Tauber Archives. It culminates… 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

According to the Pew Research Center’s new “Parenting in America Today” report, the top concern among parents of children under the age of 18 is mental health. Dr. Sarita Patel, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Center for Children and Youth, a division of Jewish Family and Children’s Services, answers timely questions about children’s mental health today and what help is available.   What kinds of issues are you seeing among children these days? At the Center for Children and Youth, the most prevalent concerns among children and teens are depression and anxiety. Rates of depression and anxiety were rising… Read More