News & Impact

David, age 83, is living on a very modest income in San Francisco—the city he has called home for over 60 years. He spends 70% of his income on rent, leaving little for other essentials like heating and food. “JFCS makes it possible for me to continue living in San Francisco,” David says. With fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as canned items and other foods from JFCS’ Food Bank, David doesn’t have to worry whether he can access the nutrition he needs to stay healthy. “The food I get each week gives me energy and a sense of well-being… Read More

See our Ukraine response resources > Heartfelt Gratitude from a Ukrainian Family The San Jose Mercury News featured the story of a Ukrainian couple, Mariia and Anatolii, that JFCS has been privileged to help—thanks to your generosity. Their daughter, Oksana, shared these words of gratitude for the support our community provided to her parents, who arrived in the Bay Area with serious health issues after a treacherous journey: “When Laura [one of JFCS’ care managers] met with my parents, listened to their story, and learned about their needs, she made every effort to help. She took care of every problem,… Read More

On May 12, two Holocaust survivors—Sonia Apfelbaum, 81, and David Diamond, 92—stood on the bimah at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo in front of family and friends. Their dreams of becoming a Bat and Bar Mitzvah had been lifelong in the making, and three years in the making for JFCS and a small army of local Israeli volunteers. “Today is the happiest day in my life,” David said from the bimah. David and Sonia met through JFCS’ Café By the Bay program on the Peninsula, which brings survivors together weekly on Zoom to socialize, connect, and support one… Read More

“Many Israelis in the Bay Area are newly arrived, working in tech, economically stable, and raising young children. But what happens to those who are aging, facing hardship, or coping with illness? They can be left aside, with no family nearby to help.” —Oded Hermoni, JFCS Board of Directors and chair of the Bayit Ba’valley Israeli Committee JFCS’ Israeli Department Thrives, Thanks to Dedicated Volunteers Over the past ten years, the number of Israeli families moving to the Bay Area, particularly the South Peninsula, has been increasing. Recognizing the gap in culturally competent parenting and family support services in Hebrew,… Read More

See our Ukraine response resources > For 19 weeks, we all have followed the news of the war in Ukraine. Throughout this time of great pain, our community has come together by contributing humanitarian aid, advocating for refugees, and volunteering time, talent, and resources. Thank you for being part of this vital effort! Read on for updates on how JFCS is helping. Longtime JFCS Volunteer Helps to Welcome Ukrainian Refugees to Our Community When Marina Kantorova matches a JFCS volunteer with a Ukrainian refugee, she helps ensure they have the warm welcome and essential assistance that made all the difference… Read More

Thanks to generous donations and dedicated volunteers, JFCS Food Banks are able to serve thousands in our community every year. We are thrilled to welcome Jill Kulick, Marian Sosnick, and Sara Green as our new Peninsula Food Bank chairs! These three dedicated women devote their time to volunteering at the JFCS Food Bank and supporting our community in many ways. For Jill Kulick, the thought of hunger in her backyard was gut-wrenching. She knew she wanted to help however she could. During the pandemic, Jill had been donating to her synagogue’s food drive when her friend introduced her to JFCS’… Read More