SUNNY DAYS AT JF&CS

At the Walk with Israel, JF&CS Director of Chaplaincy, Rabbi Ronald Weiss having a little fun with Director of Finance and Administration, Zachy Lahav.

The CringeWorthy committee posing with camp items as all proceeds from the show sent kids to Jewish day and overnight camps.  See more event photos!

Despite the rain, JF&CS staff and friends marched pridefully in the always fun and colourful Parade.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at important and fun-filled events in May and June.

The Walk with Israel drew more than 15,000 people and our staff, volunteers and friends walked together and volunteered with many other Jewish agencies at a rest stop for the walkers. A great time was had by all.

CringeWorthy featured adults in their 20s and 30s sharing embarrassing, edgy and downright hilarious stories about their most awkward years. This was our Emerging Leaders' inaugural event and it could not have been more successful.   Not only was the performance sold out, but it surpassed our fundraising goal, raising $15,000 to help send Jewish kids to camp.  It was a great way to introduce a new, younger demographic to Jewish Family & Child.

Just days after the US Supreme Court voted an historic 'yes' to marriage equality, Pride parades across North America were held.  Toronto's parade is always a huge and important event, and for close to ten years, JF&CS has sent a contingent to march in it.  

This year's Pride Parade was dampened a bit by rain, but it couldn't dampen the joy and spirit we all felt. Thank you to everyone who came (despite the weather) to join us.

We've been busy in other ways too!  

We have re-opened Maxie's Garden - a partnership with Shoresh Jewish Environmental Programs and we've welcomed employees of BMO Bank of Montreal to lend their volunteer hands to the soil. 

We attended Youth In Care Day where we pledged to become more forward-thinking and to encourage the larger community to take more responsibility for our youth. To that end we celebrated not only the kids in our foster care system, but the many people and organizations that have stepped up to help care for them: group homes, kinship families, foster parents, adoptive parents etc.  

We also treated our youth in care to an amazing barbecue and mini carnival as we do every summer. If you would like to understand a little more about Jewish foster care, keep your eyes out for the summer issue of Jewish Review Magazine as we will have a feature story.    

Just one corner of our amazing, colourful new space.

The Family Resource Centre (located in the Promenade Mall) is a joint program of Jewish Family & Child, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and The Prosserman Jewish Community Centre.

Over the spring, thanks to a generous grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we’ve worked hard to create a warm, bright, clean and caring environment that recognizes the value of the family in nurturing healthy, happy children.  We officially re-opened on July 6.

The FRC is a place for kids, moms, dads, grandparents and caregivers to relax, play and learn together.  We encourage early learning, physical development and socialization; an opportunity to play with your child and to connect with other adults.   The Centre offers kosher snacks, crafts, music circle, a weekly Shabbat celebration, parenting resources, newcomer supports, information and referrals and much more.  Learn more at www.jfandcs.com/frc or like us on Facebook.

Clifford Fielder passed away in the spring.  He was a kind, friendly, and welcoming person who cared about everyone he met; therefore, his friends considered JF&CS the perfect match for perpetuating their memory of what Cliff’s life stood for.  They pooled their resources and made a tribute donation to us in his honour. We wanted to express our appreciation for their thoughtfulness.

Mr. Fielder is an example of a recent memorial donation.  Please consider Jewish Family & Child when a friend or loved one passes away.  You can trust that all funds raised will be spent in a meaningful way that will honour anyone's memory.  Tribute cards can be ordered here or by calling our helpful donation staff at 416.638.7800 x 6999. 

Ben and his mom were newcomers to Toronto in search of a better life.  Ben’s mom worked three jobs, seven days a week, just to pay the rent and put food on the table. Unfortunately, even that didn't last for long as her landlord raised her rent beyond what she could manage. She once again harnessed her strength and resumed looking for a place to live. Everything was so expensive. And then, it happened.
“The crushing weight of my lonely, desperate life and dire straits combined with thoughts about my future and my child's life, all suddenly collapsed on me. I made a phone call that completely changed our lives for the better.” 
Your donation provides financial assistance for housing, food, basic necessities, camp, extracurricular activities and family celebrations. Join JF&CS in reducing the debilitating effects of poverty on Jewish families.