JFS News Archive

For Barstow High School senior Susanna King, making a difference in the world is part of her DNA - literally. Susanna remembers volunteering at Jewish Family Services Food Pantry as a young child when she would come with her mother, Amanda Morgan, to lend a hand. “She taught me the values of tikkun olam [repairing the world] when I was very little,” Susanna said. “As I got older, I knew that I ... read more

Home maintenance program offers independence for individuals 60+ Never has the 60-plus set been so active and determined to live life independently in their own homes and on their terms. Sometimes, an extra set of hands is just what’s needed to make this a reality. Help@Home provides individuals more time to spend enjoying activities other than home repairs and household chores and helps ... read more

Learn Laugh & Love A joint program between Jewish Family Services and Heritage Center at The J. While Passover is a festival widely studied, Shavuot remains a mystery. For most, it is a holiday to enjoying dairy treats, like cheesecake. While little is mentioned about it in the Torah, the rabbis understood Shavuot as the anniversary of one of the most important events in Jewish history—the ... read more

John Ball is April’s Volunteer of the Month and is one of 324 volunteers who donated 6,597 hours of their time to JFS last year! John joined the JetExpress volunteer driver program in 2014 after he retired. John’s robust career included serving as an officer in the Marine Corps, working in the beer, soft drink, and plastic bottle manufacturing industries, and teaching high school algebra in ... read more

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the JFS team came together to do what we’ve always done – help others – one person, one family at a time.  Each of us worked quickly and tirelessly. Together, we helped more people than ever before, doubling our numbers in some programs, launching new programs, forging new partnerships – doing so somewhat seamlessly with the same care and compassion as ... read more

Thursday, April 15 5:00 p.m. CDT Register to receive Zoom link for this FREE program Meghann Hennen, a Jewish preschool teacher, based in Cleveland, Ohio, discovered challah's incredible impact on her life firsthand when she decided to start her own challah business on Instagram—during the pandemic. Hear her inspirational story and place orders for her amazing challah! ... read more

Spiritual Care volunteers (SCVs) are integral to the JFS Chaplaincy Program and fulfill the mitzvah of bikkur holim—visiting the sick. Under Community Chaplain Rabbi Jonathan Rudnick’s guidance, Brad Ordo is among this group of volunteers who receive extensive training to work in the healthcare community serving Jewish patients’ spiritual needs. Volunteers provide connection and support at ... read more

Offered virtually beginning March 18 Life is a journey - a sacred path with unpredictable terrain. We need comfort and care, both when we celebrate and when we struggle, when we rejoice and when we mourn. As we approach Passover and prepare to celebrate the Festival of Freedom, we are reminded of the Exodus, being led out of the confines of Egypt and toward a future filled with hope and ... read more

Learn, Laugh & Love Marlene Katz Presents Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz Listen to the delightful presentation of America's most beloved couple, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The Lucille Ball show captivated millions of viewers as a husband and wife team. Marlene Katz will present their life stories. Many people called her the Queen of Comedy. It was the opinion of many that Lucille spent ... read more

Kathy Keller proves volunteers stay nimble at Jewish Family Services The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in various ways, including volunteers at Jewish Family Services. However, a pandemic hasn’t stopped dedicated individuals such as Kathy Keller from finding ways to help the thousands of people JFS serves every day. Kathy has been volunteering for JFS since August ... read more