Unless otherwise noted, all events are virtual. Some events require an RSVP or enrollment in our programs, so please confirm your spot in advance. Please check directly with JFS on program dates, as dates may change.
This year’s Tisha B’Av observances will include a virtual discussion at 4 p.m., July 18: From Destruction to Redemption: Personal Stories of Addiction and Recovery hosted by the Rabbinical Association and Jewish Family Services of Greater Kansas City.
Hear from members of the community who have suffered personally or have a loved one who has suffered from addiction. The program will also include reflection of the path from addiction to recovery as a form of transition from destruction to redemption.
Participants will include: Rabbi David M. Glickman, Congregation Beth Shalom, who will share the story of his brother’s struggles with addiction; Mia Cohen, a recording artist and social media branding specialist currently working for Jewish Family and Career Services in Atlanta; a college student; an adult who has struggled with addiction; and Marla Kauffman, executive director and founder of Jewish Addiction Awareness Network (JAAN), whose son is in a long-term recovery from substance use disorder. Kauffman has been active in the Seattle Jewish community since relocating there with her husband, Joe, in November 2019.
Sarah Link Ferguson, development officer at First Call and member of Congregation Koi Ami, will moderate the discussion. Ferguson is also a member of the recovery community and has written about her experience as a Jewish person in recovery for outlets such as Tablet magazine and the Temper. She is passionate about destigmatizing issues such as mental illness and substance use disorder especially within the Jewish community.
“We are excited to hold this important community discussion especially at this time. Talking about addiction has always been somewhat of a taboo subject in the Jewish community, but the number of individuals with substance abuse disorder has dramatically increased due to the pandemic,” said Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick, Community Chaplain at Jewish Family Services and co-organizer of the event. “We are hoping this will be the beginning of many more discussions and a pathway to help for many individuals.”
Register for the virtual program : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSer_AM1wqqIJlc75r4FTpuiercPI_eRPrjOM9rBJK28LRcDsQ/viewform.
Tisha B’Av (The nineth day of the Hebrew month of Av) is a day of national mourning. The holiday primarily commemorates the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples, but also other tragedies of the Jewish people. The community Tisha B’Av observance will be held at 9:30 p.m. July 17 at Beth Shalom and online.
For more information, visit kcrabbi.org or contact Annette Fish, Rabbinical Association Administrator/Program Director at afprogram@aol.com or 913-327-8226.
Help stock our Food Pantry! The most-needed items in August are canned main dishes, such as Spaghettios or ravioli, deodorant, shampoo and toilet paper.
During the Community Food Drive, drop off will be in the front circle drive of the Jewish Community Campus where JFS volunteers and staff will take items directly from cars.
Monthly the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City and area congregations host food drives to help stock the two locations of Jewish Family Services Food Pantry.
Help stock our Food Pantry! The most-needed items in September are tomato products, such as canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, canned fruit, toothpaste, paper towels, and toilet paper.
During the Community Food Drive, drop off will be in the front circle drive of the Jewish Community Campus where JFS volunteers and staff will take items directly from cars.
JFS is hosting a free Vaccination Clinic from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Oct. 11 in the White Theatre at The J, 5801 W 115th St, Overland Park, KS.
Pfizer Covid19 vaccines and flu shots will be offered. The Pfizer booster shots will be for ages 65+ or individuals with underlying medical conditions, and essential workers (teachers, grocery workers, and healthcare workers).
Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, email info@jfskc.org.
Help stock our Food Pantry! The most-needed items in October are canned tomatoes, canned vegetables, liquid body wash, paper towels, and shampoo.
During the Community Food Drive, drop off will be in the front circle drive of the Jewish Community Campus where JFS volunteers and staff will take items directly from cars.
Join this expressive and supportive gathering in preparation for the festival of Hanukkah. We will join in traditional and contemporary prayers, songs, and readings at Village Shalom’s Social Hall on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021.
The service includes moments for personal reflection to guide us away from darkness and head us toward the light of the season. All are welcome, and masks are required. Please RSVP to chaplaincy@jfskc.org. Include your name, number in your party, and email address. The service will be recorded and will be posted on our website.
Help stock our Food Pantry! The most needed items in November are canned vegetables, sauces and condiments, baking mixes, dish soap for dishwashers and hand-washing, cleaning wipes, trash bags, and food packaging items such as zip-top bags, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap.
During the Community Food Drive, drop off will be in the front circle drive of the Jewish Community Campus where JFS volunteers and staff will take items directly from cars.
Join us on Sunday, March 20 for this expressive and supportive gathering in preparation for Passover, when we are reminded of the Exodus, being led out of the confines of Egypt and toward a future filled with hope. We will share in traditional and contemporary prayers, songs, and readings.
All are welcome.
Masks are required
Please RSVP to chaplaincy@jfskc.org. Include your name, number in your party & email address. Afterwards, a recording of the service will be posted at jfskc.org. For more information, call (913) 327-8250.
Did you know that each month, Jewish Family Services provides more than 800 families with food and non-perishable items through the two locations of its food pantry? Food drives help ensure our guests have a wide variety of items to select from and keep expenses down.
While JFS is happy to accept any shelf-stable food or personal care items, for the most needed items for November, we are asking donors to assemble Thanksgiving Meal Kits. The meal kits consist of:
1 box of stuffing
2 cans of pumpkin pie filling or canned fruit filling
2 cans of green beans (have enough on hand for pick-up to share)
1 can of mushroom soup
1 bag or box of mashed potatoes
1 to 2 cans of sweet potatoes or yams
2 boxes of macaroni and cheese
1 bag/box of rice
1 roll or cornbread mix
1 jar or gravy packet
1 package of french fried onions.
On Sunday, November 20, 2022, from 10 a.m. to Noon, JFS will hold its monthly community-wide food drive at the Jewish Community Center campus. Please drop off donations with volunteers who will be located in the front circle drive.
Donations can also be dropped off in the JFS barrel in the Jewish Community Campus lobby during business hours or at the Brookside office with an appointment by calling 913-327-8250. Donors may also purchase items for the food pantry directly through the JFS Pantry Wish List on Amazon.
Join Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick, Lezlie Zucker, and Rabbi Mark Glass for this expressive and supportive gathering as we share traditional and contemporary prayers, songs, and readings in preparation for the upcoming Hanukkah season.
All are welcome and masks are required. Please RSVP to chaplaincy@jfskc.org. Include your name, number in your party & email address.