News & Impact

Yvonne and Ernest Schneider, center, wed in Homewood Terrace’s synagogue in 1951.

Yvonne and Ernest Schneider z”l wed in Homewood Terrace’s synagogue in 1951, surrounded by friends they had made in the children’s home.

Ernest was six years old when his widowed mother, unable to make ends meet during the Great Depression, brought him to live at Homewood Terrace on San Francisco’s Ocean Avenue. The campus for children in need would become his cherished home, where he would make lifelong friends, deepen his connection with his family’s Jewish heritage, and even meet the love of his life.

Founded in 1872 as the Pacific Hebrew Orphan Asylum and Home Society and renamed in 1921, Homewood Terrace established the first cottage-type child care facility in the United States and was the national model for enlightened child care. In 1977, Homewood Terrace became part of Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS).

Like many parents before and after her, Ernest’s mother relied on the caring staff to educate, feed, and care for her child when she could not. The pain of separation for mother and son was assuaged by weekly Sunday visits, when they would catch up on each other’s lives.

Nine years after his arrival, Ernest’s mother was once again able to offer a stable home for her son. Ernest decided to remain at Homewood Terrace, however, recognizing that the education and skills he was gaining would give him a strong start in life. Showing maturity and foresight, the adolescent appreciated that the structure and community at the residence kept him from finding trouble, something he feared would change if left to his own devices while his mother worked.

In his late teens, Ernest fell in love with Yvonne, who also was growing up at Homewood Terrace. In 1951, the couple would choose to hold their marriage ceremony in the campus synagogue.

Yvonne and Ernest grew up in cottages on the campus of Homewood Terrace in the 1930s and ‘40s. Homewood Terrace became part of JFCS in 1977.

The newlyweds made their first home along San Francisco’s Great Highway, and Ernest worked his way through apprenticeships to become a unionized auto mechanic. Ernest and Yvonne had two sons and delighted in offering them opportunities they had missed, such as yearly trips to Disneyland. The couple also kept the children at Homewood Terrace in their hearts, regularly giving back to provide help.

Having grown up as part of a vibrant Jewish community in the children’s home, Yvonne and Ernest made it a priority to maintain these ties and pass them on to their children. Following their move to the Peninsula, the family joined Peninsula Sinai Congregation, where Ernest served as an officer.

In his later years, Ernest, then widowed, treasured visits with his sons, their partners, four grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Throughout their lives, Yvonne and Ernest remained part of our JFCS family. To perpetuate his and Yvonne’s enduring compassion for children who face hardship and family crisis, Ernest decided to leave a legacy gift to establish a Named Endowment Fund supporting scholarships for Jewish children in need. The Ernest and Yvonne Schneider Endowment Fund reflects the couple’s heartfelt dedication to helping the next generation.

Mr. Schneider z”l generously shared his story in 2002 interview. May his memory be for a blessing.

For information about creating a bequest or a Named Endowment Fund, please click here or contact 415‑449‑3858 or [email protected].