News & Impact

“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

When asked about the secret to her long life, Hilda Richards once said, “I am definitely an optimist, and I think that has helped me very much.” Hilda, a true gem of our community, passed away this April at the age of 104. A resident of San Francisco for more than 84 years, Hilda was a survivor of the Holocaust. She arrived in San Francisco from Germany in 1938 with just $10, joining her sister, who had emigrated two years prior. The sisters remained close throughout their lives. Known for her joie de vivre, Hilda was part of the fabric… Read More

Two out of three Americans do not have crucial estate planning documents in place. Without a will or trust that states your wishes, you leave important decisions up to a local court and state laws. Whether you are just starting to think about estate planning or have a plan in place, these tips from JFCS Board member and Endowment Committee Chair Natacha Kolb, an estate planning attorney, and Rebecca Paul, Director of JFCS’ Fiduciary Services and a licensed attorney, will help you stay on top of your planning. Prepare these four priority documents to record your wishes around health care,… Read More

Mr. Schneider z’l sat for this interview in 2022. May his memory be for a blessing. Yvonne z’l and Ernest Schneider wed in Homewood Terrace’s synagogue in 1951, surrounded by friends they made in the children’s home. Ernest Schneider 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… Read More

See our Ukraine response resources > Ukrainian Refugees in the Bay Area Receive Housing and Life-Saving Medical Care through JFCS Olesia and her family were living in Kyiv when the war started. That very day, she and her husband, Volodymyr, packed their two children, ages 15 and 22 months, and a few belongings in the car and left. The roads were nearly impassable due to traffic from people fleeing the war, and the family had to stop frequently to shelter from incoming bombs, which was especially difficult as their oldest daughter, Yaroslava, relies on a wheelchair. Olesia and her family… Read More