A JFCS Youthfirst Intern’s Interview with a Holocaust Survivor 
- Stories & Testimonials
- YouthFirst

For the past fourteen summers, the JFCS YouthFirst Summer Internship Program (now known as the Shmunis Internship Program) has connected hundreds of high school students with Bay Area businesses, offering them meaningful opportunities to explore career paths aligned with their interests.
This summer, one of those students joined the JFCS Marketing and Development team with a passion for storytelling. Her project: to interview a Holocaust survivor and transform their testimony into both a written blog and a short video—an unforgettable experience in honoring memory through narrative.
We’re deeply grateful for the dedication Poppy brought to her time with JFCS. A… Read More
Posted by Admin on August 19, 2025
Worth the Wait: Bureaucracy, Banter, and the Power of Being There for Someone 
- Stories & Testimonials
- Volunteers

Simon Miller, volunteer with JFCS’ Legal Services Program:
When I first started volunteering with JFCS, I was looking for a way to feel more rooted in my community. I began with grocery deliveries—a simple way to offer help that fit easily into my week. I didn’t expect that a one-off request to accompany a client to the Social Security office would become one of the most meaningful days I’ve spent as a volunteer.
The client, Katya, is 77 years old. She recently became a U.S. citizen with support from JFCS and needed to update her records with the Social Security… Read More
Posted by Admin on August 19, 2025
Allen Calvin—How JFCS Changed My Life: Stories from Our Community 
- How JFCS Changed My Life
- Stories & Testimonials
- Seniors

Dear Friends,
When my wife, Dorothy, and I moved into JFCS’ Rhoda Goldman Plaza ten months ago, we marveled that we had become beneficiaries of an organization we have known and admired for so long.
Our connection to Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) spans decades, beginning during my long tenure as President of Palo Alto University. Influenced by distinguished leaders like Tad Taube, Marcia Goldman, Rabbi Stephen Pearce, and Gary Shapiro, our university proudly partnered with JFCS on mental health initiatives and professional training.
The collaboration between the university and JFCS became even more meaningful when Anita Friedman, one… Read More
Posted by Admin on July 22, 2025
“JFCS Will Forever Be Part of Our Story”: A Ukrainian Family’s Journey from War to Healing 
- Ukraine Response
- Legal Services
- How JFCS Changed My Life
- Emergency Assistance
- Seniors

My name is Iryna, and I’m from Odesa, Ukraine.
I came to the United States in 2022 with my 9-year-old daughter, fleeing the war with nothing but hope—hope to find safety and the strength to rebuild our lives from scratch.
The first months were frightening and deeply isolating. I didn’t speak English, and every day felt like a mountain I didn’t know how to climb. That’s when I met Masha Kohn, our case manager at JFCS, and that changed everything.
Masha’s empathy and calm reassurance gave me the courage to keep moving forward. My daughter, who was heartbroken over everything… Read More
Posted by Admin on July 10, 2025
175 Years of Welcoming the Stranger: A Legacy of Helping Refugees Build New Lives in San Francisco 
- Legal Services
- News and Impact

JFCS has stood as a sanctuary for those fleeing violence, persecution, and disaster, from the pogroms of the 19th century to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Our commitment to the Jewish value of “welcoming the stranger” runs deep in our history—and continues with unwavering purpose even now.
A History Rooted in Compassion
In the late 1800s, waves of Eastern European Jews fled persecution and poverty, seeking safety in the United States. Many found their way to San Francisco. The Eureka Benevolent Society (the first iteration of JFCS) offered food, housing, medical care, and guidance for thousands of newly arrived families—setting… Read More
Posted by Admin on June 20, 2025
I Volunteered to Visit a 104-Year-Old Stranger. Now I Can’t Imagine My Week Without Her 
- How JFCS Changed My Life
- Stories & Testimonials
- Seniors
- Volunteers

Laura Filshtein, Volunteer with JFCS’ Friendly Visitors Program:
When I first learned about JFCS’ Friendly Visitors program, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to give back in a meaningful way. I was matched with Lydia, a resident of the assisted living community at Rhoda Goldman Plaza, and it didn’t take long for our time together to become one of the highlights of my week.
Lydia is 104 years old. She stays mostly in her room, so our weekly visits are a chance for her to have some company—and for us to share a few laughs over cards. She loves… Read More
Posted by Admin on June 13, 2025