News & Impact

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. Iryna S. with her mother and daughter.Masha’s empathy and calm reassurance gave me the courage to keep moving forward. My… Read More

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

Lisa was caught in a storm of family mental health issues. Her father, David, had suffered from depression his entire life. After receiving an early-stage dementia diagnosis a year ago, he was struggling to cope with the cognitive changes and was lashing out. At the same time, Lisa’s 10-year-old daughter, Abigail, started to display some concerning behaviors—she wasn’t sleeping or eating, and she started isolating herself from her friends. Lisa was overwhelmed by worry as she tried to help her father and daughter. “Honestly, I was feeling totally hopeless,” she recalls. A friend suggested that Lisa reach out to JFCS… Read More

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

We recently welcomed Holocaust survivors from JFCS’ Cafe by the Bay program to an event called “Our Own Shetl,” designed to immerse them in the world of the once-thriving Jewish communities of Eastern Europe known as shtetls. Through lovingly crafted visuals, live music, and traditional food, we recreated the rich cultural atmosphere of these historic villages. The result was an engaging, interactive experience that brought history to life for those who lived it. A team of dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly in a private art studio to construct our very own shtetl. They repurposed large cardboard boxes into building blocks for… Read More

The United States is facing a significant demographic shift as its population gets older, including members of our LGBTQ+ communities. According to the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, Movement Advancement Project (MAP, it is estimated that, by 2030, there will be nearly 7 million LGBTQ+ people in the United States over the age of 50. This growing demographic highlights the urgent need to address the unique challenges faced by members of this community in their later years. While aging can create challenges for all older adults, LGBTQ+ people often encounter distinct obstacles as they get older. A 2022 study from AARP… Read More