Thanks to the generosity of our donors, this Passover holiday was truly a time of renewal for JF&CS clients. We hosted two model seders; one for children and youth in care and another for the students at the Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre (JDD). For the first time in three years, JF&CS was able to provide clients with tickets to a number of community seders at various locations across the GTA. 

Community seders provide clients with a safe place to reconnect to their roots and to celebrate the holidays with fellow community members. Thank you to the Bernard Betel Centre, Chabad Midtown and the Jewish Russian Community Centre (JRCC) for opening their doors to host this special holiday. In addition to seders, clients received Seders in a Box, seder meals and financial assistance to purchase food for the holidays. Volunteers within our community graciously delivered these packages directly to clients. Foster families were also able to celebrate meaningfully with boxes of hand-baked Shmurah Matzah that were delivered directly to their homes. 

Rabbi Mordechai Chemel, Manager of Chaplaincy Services, led the seder for children and youth in care, as well as the seder at the JDD. The seder for children and youth in care was hosted through the JROOTS supplementary school program and was held at the Schwartz Reisman JCC. These seders are participatory in nature, and help attendees to develop a better understanding of the significance of Passover in our Jewish history. 

Thank you to all our community members and donors for coming together to add meaning to the Passover holidays for our clients.

As part of the preparation for his Bar Mitzvah, Liel Mincer took some time to consider his tzedakah project. He knew he wanted to give back to the community and ultimately decided to donate to JF&CS. 

Food insecurity is an increasing challenge for many clients. That is why Liel chose to donate kosher, non-perishable food, ensuring that more individuals and families in the community have access to sufficient nutritious and affordable meals. With his donation, Liel is helping reduce the effects of poverty in the Jewish community.

“We appreciate all the important work you do each and every day,” says Karen, Liel’s mother.

Tzedakah projects like Liel’s give young philanthropists the opportunity to develop empathy, enrich the lives of others, and become community-minded individuals. In addition to contributions from youth like Liel, we are also working to expand our community outreach to provide even more individuals and families with fresh produce, Jewish holiday meals, and food vouchers.

Interested in learning more? Please call our donation line at 416.638.7800 x 6999 or email donations@jfandcs.com.

At the end of March, the York Region Children’s Aid Society, Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiyag Child and Family Services, and Jewish Family and Child Service co-hosted a large community forum event for York Region Social Service Organizations. The event was designed to bring together different organizations to share ideas and find solutions to challenges faced by families and children in need. 

JF&CS’ Director of Child Welfare, Heather Shimkovitz, and Chief Executive Officer, Talyah Breslin, were in attendance. Along with JF&CS staff, 40 other community organizations and more than 140 individuals participated, where they discussed systemic bright-spots, as well as areas areas where there are opportunities for growth. The event was an incredible opportunity for collaboration, sharing unique perspectives, and ensuring families and children remain at the forefront of the conversation. 

There will be similar events in the future to continue the redesign of child and welfare systems, strengthening families from the ground up. 

“They’re York Region’s children, they’re Ontario’s children. The more people involved in wrapping around a family, the better. The more we collaborate, the better the outcomes for children and families,” says CEO Talyah Breslin.

Please click here to read more about JF&CS programs and services designed to help families and children.

On May 17th, JF&CS partnered with UJA on a fundraising parlour event in support of Holocaust survivors living in poverty. Hosted by Lindsay Detsky and Courtney Fireman, attendees of the event heard from keynote speakers – Lisa Kronenberg (JF&CS Manager of Hospice & Holocaust Survivor Services) and Pinchas Gutter (Survivor and Chair of The Committee for Holocaust Survivors in Need). Lisa and Pinchas shared incredible stories, illustrating the dire circumstances faced by so many Holocaust survivors living in the GTA.

Over 70 community members, many of whom are second and third generation survivors, came together for the event to raise funds to support the growing medical and dental needs of Survivors. We were please to have representatives from the UJA Survivor Fund and the Azrieli Foundation join us as well. 

If you are interested in helping JF&CS and UJA say “yes” to Holocaust survivors, please contact Hannah Wasserman at hwasserman@jfandcs.com or click here to donate $100 drugstore gift cards for Survivors.

Mark your calendars because Cringe Worthy is back! JF&CS Emerging Leaders are excited to bring you a night of funny, awkward, and embarrassing stories about growing up.

It’s the JF&CS event that you know and love, live comedy storytelling in support of the critical programs and services offered by JF&CS. This year, Cringe Worthy, presented by SAAND Inc., will take place on Thursday, August 24, at The Opera House - 735 Queen Street East. So dust off that diary, whip out those letters home from camp, and get ready for an incredible live event!

Proceeds from our 2023 show will support JF&CS’ Jewish Camp Subsidies program. Sending a child or teen to camp can be prohibitively expensive, a luxury that most of our clients simply cannot afford. By helping a child attend summer camp, you are helping them develop lifelong friendships, a strong sense of independence, and a deep and meaningful connection to the community.

Tickets go on sale June 1! 

Get your tickets by clicking here.

Want to support the event? Click here

School is coming to an end, and Father’s Day is fast approaching! Show your appreciation for educators and father figures alike by sending them a JF&CS tribute card. All proceeds raised through our tribute cards go towards supporting our 30+ programs and services. 

Let JF&CS send out a beautiful tribute card on your behalf acknowledging your donation. We have eCards available for teachers and cards and eCards for Father’s Day. eCards are a convenient way to send your greetings via email.

Click here to honour your father figures with a tribute card.

Click here order your teacher appreciation cards today!

Click here

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