Dr. Kathy Fields and Dr. Garry Rayant—Champions for Children and Youth In 2019, Drs. Kathy Fields and Garry Rayant led the launch of the Center for Children and Youth (CCY), the brainchild of Dr. Anita Friedman, Executive Director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS). Together they developed a new and more comprehensive approach to addressing services ...
Meet Our Leaders: Kira Makagon 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 Ar...
Vera Stein's Family Tradition of Supporting Our Community Giving back to the community is a core family value for Vera Stein, a longtime JFCS volunteer and friend. Beginning with her father’s work as a volunteer with JFCS’ Utility Workshop, a pioneering job-creation program for refugees and immigrants, and continuing with Vera and her daughter, Deborah...
Tania Albukerk Ensures Holocaust Survivors Have Loving Care Inspired by her grandparents’ experience as Holocaust survivors, Tania Albukerk, a longtime JFCS volunteer, and her husband, Larry, became donors to JFCS’ comprehensive, loving services for local Holocaust survivors. “We want to help survivors have the best possible years,” says Tania, who ...
Meet Our Leaders: Jeff Hyman My grandparents and parents were always involved in San Francisco’s Jewish community,” says Jeff Hyman, who was elected to the Board of Directors of Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) in July. “Through their example, I was raised to give back and be of service.̶...
Meet Our Leaders: Andy Hess Building Community through Leadership From a young age, Andrew (Andy) Hess learned the importance of giving back to his community. He had the best teachers: grandparents and parents who embraced the opportunity to be of service. Andy, who was elected to the Board of Directors in July 2021, was intro...
Meet Board Member Scott Haber “Service is an important part of our family values and our Jewish values,” says Scott Haber, who was elected to the JFCS Board of Directors in July 2021. Growing up near Philadelphia, Scott observed his family’s active engagement in keeping their temple strong and supporting their community. �...
Meet Board Member Mitch Waxman “I am always trying to find ways to engage other Jewish young adults who feel some connectivity with Jewish culture and religion and don’t know where to go to find community,” says Mitch Waxman, who was elected to the JFCS Board of Directors in July. A native of Marin County, Mitch has known a...
