News & Impact

J Weekly by Dan Pine Contemplating the severe budget cuts fraying California’s social safety net, Anita Friedman thinks the Golden State is starting to resemble Greece. And not because both have great beaches. “[California] has had multiple years of deficits,” said the executive director of S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services, “and that means we’re now down to making major structural cuts, eliminating critical services.” Read More from J Weekly  … Read More

San Francisco Chronicle by Erin Allday Gloria Lyon sat in a quiet office, preparing herself for a speech she was about to give to 50 high school sophomores, when someone asked if she wanted a chair to sit in during her presentation. Lyon, 82, didn’t spare her answer a thought. “It’s better if I stand,” she said crisply. “I want to stand as long as I can. I’ll sit for their questions if I need to.” She didn’t need to. Read More from the San Francisco Chronicle… Read More

Gabrielle had so much going for her: a strong mind, a caring heart, and a warm demeanor. But no amount of intelligence or sweetness could save her from the abuse that she suffered from the time she was a child. Sexually assaulted by her father and emotionally and physically maltreated by both of her parents, she ran away at 16 to pursue an education. But as she sought to improve her life, she met men who promised her love and security, but instead beat her brutally and sapped her of her spirit. At 17, Gabrielle became pregnant by one of… Read More

Danny Gabriner knows that growing a business is a lot like baking the perfect loaf of bread. You need to be willing to roll up your sleeves, get dirty, and keep a watchful eye as your product takes shape. When Danny, a former computer geek, decided several years ago that he wanted to shift gears and start Sour Flour, a bread business, he rolled up his sleeves and then turned to JFCS’ Small Business Loan Program for assistance. “I was always interested in food and San Francisco’s culture,” says Danny “and I wanted to create the best naturally fermented,… Read More

San Francisco, Calif. – San Francisco’s observance of Yom HaShoah—Holocaust Day of Remembrance—will take place on Sunday, April 27, 1:30 – 6:00 pm, at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street. The afternoon program, entitled Remember and Retell: Our Sacred Responsibility, is free and open to the public. Highlights of the program include: • Workshops with Holocaust survivors, who will share personal experiences before and during World War II (1:30 pm) • The panel discussion “The Place of Holocaust in Jewish Memory, Identity, and Education: New Perspectives from Israel, North America, and the Next Generation” (3:00 pm)… Read More

For George Maisels and his wife, Lois, caring about others began at home in the Bay Area. George ran a liquor store in the Mission District of San Francisco for many years with his brother, Larry. Twenty years ago, he and Lois decided they wanted to leave a legacy for the Jewish community. They chose Jewish Family and Children’s Services to receive a substantial part of their estate, forming the George and Lois Maisels Perpetual Endowment Fund to help victims of domestic violence, children, seniors, emigres, and those in need of emergency assistance. George was very religious, says his sister-in-law,… Read More