News & Impact

What can a family portrait tell us about the story of the Jewish people? For the JFCS Holocaust Center in San Francisco and ANU—Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, the answer is: quite a lot. The two institutions are joining forces in an official affiliation to advance Holocaust education, Jewish identity, and peoplehood on an international scale—connecting communities to the broader Jewish story and inspiring future generations with a deeper sense of pride and belonging. That vision comes to life through the Manovill family portraits. Three portraits survived the Holocaust—one in Israel, two in San Francisco. At ANU,… Read More

Some families are dreamed into being long before they take shape. From the earliest days of their relationship, Stephane and Marie shared a clear and heartfelt commitment to building their family through adoption. At JFCS’ Adoption Connection, we are grateful to have supported them as they welcomed their second child through adoption. In her own words, Marie shares how adoption has shaped the heart of their family:  “From the beginning, adoption was part of our story. From our second date to the day we said our vows, welcoming souls was already our shared mission. We dreamed of a home with… Read More

JFCS’ Legal Services is providing immigration services to local families with relatives in Ukraine or recent arrivals from Ukraine. Read below for answers to our most frequently asked questions regarding legal options and immigration status. Based on present information made available on 03/21/2023 by the Department of Homeland Security, subject to change. What is Temporary Protected Status? Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian grant of temporary lawful status available to foreign nationals or habitual residents of listed countries, including Ukraine, where ongoing armed conflict or other emergency conditions make return unsafe. TPS protects against deportation from the United States… Read More

What speaks more to the heart of a Jewish organization than being there for your grandmother, mother, child, and community through every stage of life? For my family, that’s exactly what Jewish Family and Children’s Services has done, always with compassion, expertise, and care. When my husband, Alec, emigrated from Ukraine as a teenager with his parents, JFCS welcomed them and helped the family build a new life here. As adults, it was very meaningful for us to be able to give back by volunteering with and contributing to JFCS. While raising our daughter, Nona, I worried that she would… Read More

JFCS is proud to announce that Jacqueline Neuwirth has been elected President of its Board of Directors. A longtime supporter and dedicated leader within the organization, Jacqueline brings both passion and vision to this new role. Service as a Family Value Jacqueline’s commitment to service is deeply rooted in her Jewish values and personal conviction that supporting the community is a sacred responsibility. Her relationship with JFCS spans decades. Together with her family, she has poured her time, energy, and resources into strengthening the agency and uplifting the lives of those it serves. She and her husband, Stephen Swire, have… Read More

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