News & Impact

For Lydia Shorenstein, helping those in need is a way to honor the lessons of the past. Though she originally came to JFCS because of our Holocaust education programs, she is now helping lead the agency’s efforts to assist those in crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lydia’s father, Simon Preisler, was an Auschwitz survivor who resettled with his wife Etelka in Germany after the war. Lydia, who was born and raised in Frankfurt, learned the importance of giving back from her father. Undeterred by the atrocities in his past, Simon became a well-known philanthropist and a leader of the… Read More

Read the original article on jweekly.com > Anita Friedman thought she’d seen it all: wildfires, earthquakes, 9/11 and the brutal 2008 economic recession. But the longtime executive director of the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services had not seen it all—not until the onset of the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, which she calls “the deepest and most profound crisis we’ve had to deal with in the last generation. This combines both a health crisis with a mental-health crisis with an economic crisis, and it affects everyone.” Having served the local Jewish community for more than four decades, Friedman is… Read More

Kathy and Garry were introduced to JFCS when they sought prenatal advice at JFCS’ Parents Place before the birth of their first son, starting a decades-long relationship with the organization. They are now dedicated board leaders and wonderful supporters. When the couple met in San Francisco 30 years ago, they instantly connected over shared goals and values. These values guide all their engagements with the causes they support. Coming from families with similar Jewish traditions, both are also long-time supporters of the US-Israel relationship through AIPAC, as well as Tel Aviv University. Through their sons’ and classmates’ struggles at school,… Read More

There has been a recent and dramatic rise in antisemitism; from the shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, to the stabbing on Hanukkah in New York. Attacks on Jews have increased globally, and locally as well. The JFCS Holocaust Center reports a 175% increase in antisemitic acts in schools and community spaces of the past year. As leaders of the Jewish community in the Bay Area, JFCS works diligently to combat hate and antisemitism. We find that education is one of the strongest tools in this ongoing fight. The Holocaust Center continues to play a role in preventing these… Read More

Jon Levinson is a pillar of our community. After attending U.C. Berkeley and serving in the Army, Jon met his future wife, Diane, while working for her cousin. The two were engaged a week after first meeting and have been happily married for 55 years. The couple settled in San Carlos and raised two sons and a daughter. Jon is a devoted member of his synagogue, Beth Jacob, where he has been a member for over 50 years. It is through his synagogue that Jon was initially introduced to JFCS. A friend suggested he get involved with our organization because… Read More

JFCS Board member Oded Hermoni has a very impressive background in the tech industry. However, in addition to his professional expertise as a start-up founder, board member, adviser, and venture capitalist, Oded is uniquely positioned to act as a bridge builder between the American Jewish community and the many thousands of Israelis who live and work in Silicon Valley, as he is now part of both groups. Jerusalem-born Oded began his career as a journalist covering the country’s flourishing technology sector. He soon took an active role in the technology sector himself by founding two start-up companies, one of which… Read More