News & Impact

When Zoe Schwartz first learned about JFCS she knew she had found the right place to devote her time and energy. Zoe has served as a JFCS Board Member for five years; she is part of JFCS’ Sonoma County Leadership Team, the Palliative Care Taskforce, and the Public Issues Committee. Her passion and enthusiasm for JFCS never waivers and she says, “JFCS is the preeminent human services organization in the Bay Area. I talk about the programs and the people it serves A LOT!” Have you always been involved in the Jewish Community? I’m not affiliated with a synagogue nor… Read More

Jewish Family and Children’s Services has a new mailing address in San Francisco. We have not moved, but if you are mailing anything to our offices in San Francisco, please be sure to use the P.O. Box address that is required by the Post Office. If you send something to our street address, it will not reach us. Mailing Address: Jewish Family & Children’s Services P.O. Box 159004 San Francisco, CA 94115 – Physical Address: The Miriam Schultz Grunfeld Professional Building 2150 Post Street San Francisco, CA… Read More

A trained scientist and a gifted pediatrician, Dr. Jan Maisel has contributed to the development and creation of children’s programs at JFCS for nearly two decades. Jan’s clinical eye was instrumental in the creation of the Center for Special Needs for children, among others. Jan has also participated and chaired numerous committees. She and her husband established a Named Endowment Fund in honor of their son’s graduation from high school and are a part of JFCS’ Carob Tree Society. Jan believes her work with JFCS gives her an opportunity to give back to others saying, “I deeply believe in tikkun… Read More

Eugene and Elinor Friend set an incredible example of philanthropy for their children. Through their involvement with various organizations in the community, they showed their deep connection to their home and their heritage. Their story spans more than a century. As an Eastern European Jewish immigrant in New York City around the end of the19th century, Gene’s father was drawn to the western frontier, a place without barriers or discrimination. Elly moved to California from El Paso, Texas and met Gene while attending UC Berkeley. They married in 1940 and started a family. Though the two shared a passion for… Read More

JFCS board member, Lisa Bardin has been instrumental in supporting our community through giving to JFCS, serving as a wonderful ambassador, and being a co-chair of JFCS’ popular Fammy Awards Gala. Lisa sets the example for her family and our community by being a true JFCS mensch—a person of integrity and honor who does the right thing by helping others. After a long and successful career on Wall Street as a Portfolio Manager, Lisa made aliyah and she and her husband, Noam, moved to Tel Aviv in 2003. Her daughter, Shai, was born there two months later and Mika was… Read More

Bob joined JFCS’ Board in 2014 with great enthusiasm. Since 1999 he has been an active volunteer in the Jewish community—putting his values into practice, and sharing his passion for helping those in need. He says, his favorite sentence is, ‘How can I help?’” Tell us a bit about the community where you grew up. My Father and his parents fled Vienna in 1940. Arriving at Ellis Island they were given the choice of moving to St. Louis or San Francisco. They chose St. Louis because it was closer to the East Coast. I moved to San Francisco in 1977… Read More