News & Impact

Over the last fourteen summers, the JFCS YouthFirst Summer Internship Program has placed hundreds of high school teens with Bay Area businesses, giving the interns an opportunity to explore careers of interest to them. This year, one of the teens joined the JFCS marketing team, wanting to learn more about storytelling—especially in the form of video. She was tasked with documenting her six-week experience in a short film and blog, both of which are shared below. We’re immensely grateful for the hard work Binnie put in during her time at JFCS and would like to give a big thanks to… Read More

At a young age, Ilysa Goldblatt learned the importance of community. She has dedicated her life to helping others navigate life’s challenges and creating a thriving community inspired by Jewish values and traditions. That commitment motivates Ilysa’s service on JFCS’ Board of Directors. “Not everyone has a strong support system. JFCS helps to fill that essential role,” she says. Growing up in central New Jersey, Ilysa was part of a large, active Jewish community. “I attended Jewish camp, Hebrew school, visited Israel. Our Jewish identity was very important for our family,” says Ilysa. After graduating from Tulane University, Ilysa moved… Read More

This spring, JFCS’ Financial Aid Center received record numbers of scholarship applications from outstanding local youth eager to pursue their college dreams. Thanks to the generosity of donors to JFCS’ scholarship fund, many young people received the life-changing news of financial help. Among the happy students were the four recipients of the Vivienne S. Camp Scholarship, which was established more than three decades ago through the visionary commitment of Mrs. Camp. This year’s Vivienne S. Camp Scholarship recipients have an array of aspirations—from astrophysics to the arts. What they share is a strong connection to their Jewish identity, a commitment… Read More

Julie was always an exceptional student. Whether she was earning gold stars or straight A’s, she never failed to impress her teachers. That all changed for the worse when a tragedy struck her family, plunging Julie’s educational future into grim uncertainty. Fortunately, with the support of her family and JFCS, she was able to find her footing, get her degree, and set out on her dream career. Towards the end of her 6th grade when she was eagerly looking forward to beginning middle school, Julie lost her adoring father to an undiagnosed heart condition. She and her mother were devastated.… Read More

From June 23 – 26, 2024, dedicated teachers from across California gathered in Los Angeles for the second annual Summer Institute of the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education. This groundbreaking event, organized by the JFCS Holocaust Center in partnership with The USC Shoah Foundation, brought together educators from 51 California school districts. Through expert-led workshops, moving testimonies, and rich primary sources, the institute equipped teachers with effective tools to build critical thinking skills and address antisemitism and hate in their own classrooms and communities. In a post-institute survey, 98% of teachers reported the curriculum and instructional strategies… 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