Adults & Families

No one knew she needed food. Vivienne, 87, a widow, worked all her life as a Macy’s clerk and never asked anyone for help. In fact, she was one of those people who always helped others—in her synagogue, at the local hospital, or a neighbor in need. But with no children, no local family, and [&he...

With compassion and generosity, our community came together over the last year to provide the highest quality care to more people than ever in Jewish Family and Children’s Services’ 171-year history.   Today, conditions are still uncertain. Recovery will be long—especially for the most vulne...

When Ashley Ashkinos was 12 years old, she longed to attend a Jewish entrepreneurial camp. Unfortunately, the tuition was not in her family’s budget, so Ashley decided to raise funds on her own. She sold lemonade, created a crowdfunding campaign, and quickly raised $2,500 within a few weeks. Reali...

Zhenya Friedman believes that the line between giving and receiving is very thin. For over a decade, Zhenya has dedicated her time to volunteering and helping others, and in that time she has touched countless lives with her warm presence and kind spirit. Yet Zhenya believes that she definitely gets...

Nora, a single mother, has worked hard to build a small but highly regarded local business while raising her only son. In late 2019, Nora was overjoyed to purchase her first home. Almost immediately, the coronavirus pandemic hit and Nora feared having to shut her business down altogether. She spent ...

When Claire was told—after three months of furlough due to the pandemic—that she would not have her job at a Jewish organization to go back to, she panicked. After suffering 10 years of violence and emotional abuse, Claire had just separated from her husband and started rebuilding a life for her...

Mark Bely says that what he knows about JFCS is that it is a go to organization. When you need help, have questions, or want to give back to the community, you go to JFCS. Mark was nine years old when his family left Russia for a new life in San Francisco. His parents, Boris […]...

Just last year, Sarah escaped from a decade-long, abusive relationship with the father of her two young children. She was finally making ends meet on her own when she lost her retail job due to the pandemic. Sarah called JFCS in tears, worried that her sons—who had already experienced so much pain...

Anna P, Recipient of JFCS Educational Loans and Grants, Found Herself on the Front Lines of the COVID-19 Outbreak When Anna P received the JFCS educational loans and grants that allowed her to attend the University of Massachusetts, she never would have believed that she would enter the nursing fiel...

When COVID-19 hit the Bay Area, Israeli-American Jessica Hare knew she wanted to do something to help keep older adults safe. She immediately started looking for ways to volunteer and reached out to her friends at the Israeli American Council for ideas. They pointed her to JFCS, and after her firs...