Uncle Lou was well-known in the community of Kitchener, Ontario for many reasons, but he was most famous for arriving on Erev Rosh Hashanah to Beth Jacob Synagogue with a trunk load of challahs for anyone who wanted one.

To honour Uncle Lou, his family established a special birthday fund to raise money to purchase and distribute Rosh Hashanah challahs to Holocaust survivors. Many donors contributed to this heart-warming initiative that will provide meaning and warmth to hundreds of vulnerable and isolated Survivors over the High Holidays. Survivors picked up their free challahs directly from Grodzinski Bakery, or from one of three other community pickup locations. Generous JF&CS volunteers delivered challahs directly to those Survivors who could not pick up their own.  

We want to thank everyone who helped make this possible, and wish everyone in our community a peaceful and healthy Shana Tova!

From tickets to sporting events or the ballet to thoughtfully assembled grief kits, our donors connect JF&CS clients to the community in so many unique ways. Recent examples are the wonderful gifts baskets that Carol Lang and Carl Haim put together as table centrepieces at their wedding reception.

Carol and Carl wanted to ensure that students returning to school this September had the essentials needed for a successful year. Carol shares, "Donating to JF&CS is very meaningful to me. As an elementary school teacher for the past 36 years (I just retired!), I have seen firsthand how children can struggle in all aspects of school - socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically, due to a variety of reasons. The school-based support given to these children in need has been diminishing over the years."

The couple believes that it is the responsibility of the community to step up and fill in the gaps. "It really does 'take a village' in caring for children of all ages. My husband and I decided instead of having flowers as the centerpieces on the tables for our wedding, which took place on September 1, we would create baskets filled with back-to-school supplies to be donated to JF&CS. We are happy knowing that our donation will assist children in being prepared to begin a new school year with excitement. We hope others in the community will follow our lead in creating centrepiece baskets for children, teens or families when celebrating their own Simchas."

If you want to create your own baskets or kits to support JF&CS clients, click here.

Thank you to all our donors, funders, partners, staff, board, and community members who attended the JF&CS Annual General Meeting last week on Thursday, September 26. 

JF&CS CEO Talyah Breslin shared words of hope with everyone in attendance to kick off the evening, and Rabbi Ronald Weiss delivered a moving D’var Torah about resilience. We also heard beautiful musical performances from Loren Aronov, a 16-year-old emerging artist born and raised in Thornhill.

After a challenging year, it was important to recognize how the events of October 7 impacted us at JF&CS. This year’s keynote speakers offered very personal perspectives – Greg Frankson (JF&CS Manager of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion), Greta Reiss (JF&CS Manager of Domestic Violence), and Martine Taylor (JF&CS Board Member). Each shared their own heartfelt reflections, as well as personal and professional experiences. From launching the Israel Crisis Response program to offering leadership and support, our team's unwavering commitment to our clients and to one another has played a crucial role in ensuring we continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our community.

Click here to view our 2023-2024 Annual Report.

Mitzvahs connect us as a community, turning actions into impact. Feeling part of a community can positively affect our overall well-being, which is why Jacob decided to donate to JF&CS for his Bar Mitzvah tzedakah project. 

“Tikkun Olam and Tzedakah are Jewish values that are very important to my family,” Jacob shares. “No matter what your circumstances are, it’s important to remember to find meaningful ways to give back to our community and do mitzvot. A small gesture could have a big impact. Marking Jewish lifecycle events by doing a mitzvah is a common tradition, and I wanted to mark my Bar Mitzvah by doing something that represents something meaningful to me.”

Jacob chose to combine his passion for sports with a donation to support JF&CS clients. “My mom had heard of people donating centrepieces, so we brainstormed the idea of doing centrepieces that have balls from my favourite sports and donating them to families in need of supplies to help them have a fun summer. I hope that other kids, like me, can have a fun-filled summer, playing sports and being outside.”

To learn more about the various ways you can give back like Jacob, click here.

It’s not too late to order your Rosh Hashanah e-cards! We have eight beautiful designs to choose from.

Donations made through the purchase of JF&CS tribute cards go towards helping JF&CS clients celebrate the Jewish New Year in a meaningful way. Send a personalized message wishing your loved ones a Chag Sameach with one of our Rosh Hashanah tribute cards. 

Order your tribute cards today by clicking here.

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