JF&CS President, Merle Rosenhek

Keynote Speaker, Avrum Rosensweig and Executive Director, Brian Prousky

Simon Kalkstein, surrounded by friends and family, is recognized for 40 years of service

Our Annual General Meeting was held on September 27th and was a truly touching event. It started with The Pearl Project youth sampling (and selling out of) their exclusive Tikkun Tea.  With the support of Jewish Family & Child, The Pearl Project allows enthusiastic young adults facing adverse circumstances to gain a wide range of skills and build community.  In partnership with Shoresh, these youth have planted their own garden at the Kiever Shul in Toronto's Kensington Market and are learning the importance and medicinal value of many herbs. Proceeds from Tikkun Tea will support the Pearl Project youth as they grow and heal themselves, their community, and ultimately their world.  

Our guest speaker, a former client of JF&CS bravely shared her story with the capacity-filled room. There were very few dry eyes as she spoke about leaving an abusive marriage and then falling into poverty. She courageously spoke about how Jewish Family & Child had 'saved her life' and how she could not imagine where she and her children might be today if not for our services.   

Our Keynote address was delivered passionately by Avrum Rosensweig, author and Executive Director of Ve'ahavta in Toronto. Avrum shared stories about his history with our agency and our combined efforts to combat poverty in the Jewish community. We thank Avrum for his engaging and motivational words - including his tribute to one of our staff members who was honoured for 40 years of service - Simon Kalkstein.  Simon received a moving tribute as did our other staff honourees, Sue Sonshine, Teena Grund and Noelene Mahon.

If you were not able to attend and would like to read the Annual Report, please click here. 

Click here to see all of the photos from the AGM.

OCTOBER IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH October is Child Abuse Prevention Month across Ontario. This year, October 19th will be #GoPurple Day and a number of exciting things will happen province-wide including a launch event featuring the Hon. Michael Coteau, Minister of Children & Youth Services, primary students, teachers, school board representatives, and CAS staff.   Also on October 19th, six landmarks will #GoPurple including the CN Tower, Welland Bridge, Skylon Tower, Fallsview Casino, Pelham Arches, and the Peace Bridge, and 250 purple ribbons will be worn in the Ontario Legislature when the Minister makes a statement about CAPM.   Next week (October 16-22) is National Foster Family Week.  Ruth has been a foster mother with JF&CS since 2009. At 71, she has a zest for life and has fostered a number of children from infancy to latency age and has been able to make accommodations to her home, lifestyle, and schedule to ensure her foster children integrate into her family seamlessly. We'd love to tell you more about Ruth, but her efforts would fill this whole newsletter, so please click here to read the rest of her story. If you would like to learn more about Child Abuse Prevention Month, please visit and 'like'  www.facebook.com/capmtoronto

If you have ever visited the central branch of JF&CS in the Lipa Green Centre, then you may have noticed our beautiful Donor Wall.  This important tribute was installed in 2012 and has since changed and grown along with the increasing generosity of our donors.  On October 26th, we will be installing a new section of the wall dedicated to our platinum 1868 Society members, who have donated consecutively for 30 years or more.  We are so thankful to our loyal and generous donors and we look forward to honouring them at this reception.  

This is a friendly reminder that JF&CS will be tackling the stairs of the CN Tower on October 23rd in order to raise funds for the United Way Toronto and York Region.  We are a proud member agency of UWTYR; therefore, the climb is always meaningful.

If you’re interested in climbing with our team, we'd love to have you!  Please click here and choose JOIN TEAM

If stairs just aren't your thing, please click here and choose GIVE NOW to sponsor anyone on our team.

Thanks in advance to all who climb/donate!