YAHAD - יחד JEWISH COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUPS
We invite members of the Edmonton Jewish community to participate in a single-session community support group.
In this session, trained facilitators will provide a safe space for community members to come together and speak about the impact of the crisis in Israel on their life here.
Sessions (pending facilitator availability) will be available in Hebrew, English, and Russian.
Interested participants wanting to know more about the dates, times, locations, and how to register can contact Sarah Karesa, Counselling Program Manager at Jewish Family Services, at 780-454-1194 or sarahk@jfse.org
Board Director- Volunteer Position
Jewish Family Services, Edmonton (JFSE) is recruiting new Board members.
It is an exciting time for the organization as we continue to work with community to ensure mental health and social support programs are available. We work in partnership with other social services agencies, as well as Jewish community organizations, in ensuring services are accessible for those in need. JFSE has a vision for a world of economic and social justice, where individuals, families, and communities care for and support one another. Our organization is inclusive and committed to the values of Fairness, Caring and Respect.
If you have a skillset that would help us achieve our goals, and have experience in nonprofit organizational governance, business, social/ health services, or fund development, we would love to hear from you. Please check our website: jfse.org for more information.
We embrace a diversity of perspectives, skills and knowledge, and value the contribution individuals bring to the board discussions. The Board of Directors’ primary role includes effective governance for Jewish Family Services and includes fiscal responsibility, strategic directions, generative leadership, and advocacy. The Board’s role is providing a framework and vision for the organization and supporting the staff in the delivery of programs and services. Our strength comes from the team – board members, staff, and volunteers. Consider joining our team.
To inquire about this position, which is a two-year term of office renewable for up to three terms, please contact Toby Rabinovitz, President, Jewish Family Services at info@jfse.org.
JEWISH COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUPS
Members of the Edmonton Jewish community are invited to participate in a single session community support group, Yahad(יחד), to address the pain, loss, and trauma stemming from the crisis in Israel. In this session, trained facilitators will provide a safe space for community members to come together to heal, learn, and grow.
This will not be a discussion of current events or politics – rather, this will be a space for participants to explore the impact of current events on their thoughts, feelings,and behaviours. Participants will be given the language to start to talk about their experiences and the tools to cope in a safe supportive environment.
Dates and locations of the group to be announced at a later date.
Interested participants can contact Sarah Karesa, Counselling Program Manager at Jewish Family Services, at 780-454-1194 or sarahk@jfse.org
Annual General Meeting 2023
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday November 29, 2023
7 pm - 8:30 pm
Jewish Family Services, Parkwest Bldg.#5 Suite 104, 15023 123 Ave NW, Edmonton AB T5V1J7
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES is excited to share our story of growth. Join us to celebrate resilience, share our Annual Report, accept our Audit Report and meet the staff & board members.
Members and general public are all welcome!
Doors are open at 6:30 pm for socialization, refreshments provided.
Please register: RSVP to info@jfse.org or call 780-454-1194
We are here for you!
In these heightened times Jewish Family Services is providing increased supports for the Jewish community.
We are collaborating with the Jewish Federation to provide free counselling which is accessible either in person or remotely.
Our Counselling and Outreach teams are developing dedicated Jewish Community Support Groups that will be scheduled over the upcoming weeks. Details pending.
To access counselling or for more information please contact Jewish Family Services at 780-454-1194.
Watch for Support Group details coming soon!
We are Here for You
Our hearts and condolences reach out to those directly or indirectly impacted by the events over the past weekend. Many of us, including staff, volunteers, donors, and clients have close ties to people in Israel and as a Jewish social service agency, we are committed to supporting the mental health and emotional security of our community members. The stories and images from Israel have deeply touched all of us. We are currently working with the Jewish Federation of Edmonton and other community partners to offer support to those impacted by the recent attacks in Israel.
Together we stand united, and we pray for peace and healing for all.
Toby Rabinovitz
President
Jewish Family Services
Peer Support Volunteers Wanted
As part of our commitment to support the Jewish community during this difficult time, we are looking for 3-4 volunteers to provide phone, and occasionally in-person, peer support to those impacted by the events in Israel. This position will be in our offices and can be adjusted to suit your availability. Individuals with experience in peer support, social work, or counselling are encouraged to reach out! Training will be provided.
Please send your resumes and cover letters to Sarah Karesa, Program Manager at sarahk@jfse.org
Jewish Family Services Casino needs volunteers
We're looking for volunteers for our Casino which will be held at the Starlight Casino at West Edmonton Mall from Wednesday August 23 to Thursday August 24. Please contact our Casino Chair: Linda Goody at lindagoody@gmail.com or 780-995-2115 if you're interested in joining our volunteer team.
Thank you for volunteering for JFSE!
Jewish Family Services would like to thank Marzia Saramad for volunteering 128 hours through Catholic Social Services Links for Success program. We’re very thankful that Marzia decided to continue volunteering with our English Classes and would like to share her story.
"JFS has been serving the Edmonton community since the 1950s as a not-for-profit organization. The organizational principles are based on Jewish values (Healing the world, Fairness, Caring, and Respect). Although it has a Jewish foundation, its services are open to people of all backgrounds. Their goal is to provide support to people suffering social, economic, and mental adversity.
The outreach services where I volunteer include community support programs for newcomers and others in need. The outreach team assists clients in finding social services and in addressing current issues such as employment barriers and language barriers. One of the services is Canadian Newcomer Support, which provides information about settlement, community referrals, money management, and job search assistance. In addition, they offer friendly English classes for people with basic, intermediate, and advanced English levels.
My job involves assisting English classes both in person and online. I was sometimes able to help the outreach team with other tasks they needed, such as writing, creating questionnaires and consent forms, conducting interviews, handling intakes, entering data, and sometimes doing technical tasks.
I gained valuable experience that I hope will be useful for my future career. As a part of my trip, I met a lot of people and organizations, including the Sexual Assault Center of Edmonton, Edmonton Multicultural Coalition, and Islamic Family and Social Services Association, attended the MacEwan University presentation on gender and migration using intersectionality approach, and met with representatives from different organizations that work on GBV, migration, and reducing it. There were a lot of networking opportunities, some friendships, and professional connections.
Although I cannot speak specifically about what I learned, spending time with people from different countries was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. My intention is not to make my story inspirational. Those little moments brought me joy and a smile even for an hour that I would like to share with you. The hours I spent there were precious to me because I was forgetting about everything here - no stress, no anxiety, no depression, and no worries about finishing my
master's degree or finding a job. During those hours in the library, we knew how to assemble pieces and make something meaningful out of them. I learned being kind brings no harm and it is important to know what you can offer to others to make their life easier.
It is my pleasure to thank Irit, Assel, Frank, Teresa for providing The Link for Success program and Meital from JFS who allowed me to become part of the team, and all the participants who made this journey enjoyable. Through the Link program, I gained a lot of knowledge and experience from everyone."
Marzia Saramad
-Afghanistan
Links for Success # 12- Final Project