10 Sivan 5785

Dear Friend,

Every Jewish Family Service organization around the country, while charged with assisting with the welfare of the Jewish community, must create a revenue stream to support themselves. While JFS in Western Massachusetts is a beneficiary of the Annual Community Campaign and benefits from funds at the Jewish Endowment Foundation, they are only able to provide those services with other revenue generating enterprises. From what I’m told, in the past, those revenue streams included providing adoption services for the region and providing services by those with HIV/AIDs.  

With the opening of the Former Soviet Union, JFS of Western MA became local experts at resettlement in bringing dozens of families to our area. Since that time they have continued to provide refugee support and resettlement to thousands of '“new immigrants.’

Yesterday, our community was honored to have HIAS (formerly, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) President Mark Hetfield addressing a number of groups in the community. Mark has been President since 2004 and has seen many administrations and has worked with them all. As JFS’s partner in resettlement, he and James Greene shared the challenges to new refugees with the dramatic shift in government priorities.  

What was an agency that was created solely for helping Jewish refugees has pivoted to being a protection agency for all refugees. Mark commented that “while they once helped refugees because they were Jewish, they now help others because we are Jewish.” He stated that the commandment to care for the stranger is mentioned 36 times in the Torah and is a crucial element of Jewish tradition.

And lest you think that the “only thing” that JFS does is resettlement of waves of refugees, they collaborate with Rachel’s Table to provide kosher food throughout the year, maintain a Jewish Family Service Corps, do resiliency programming and instruction, provide behavioral health (intervention and therapy) for individuals and families, provide conservatorship and guardianship services, and maintain a partnership with Yad Chessed to raise awarness and build a response to those in financial distress and in need of food assistance.

And while you might not know it or see it, we do.  

Just this morning, when we received an email plea to assist a Jewish centenarian who is feeling isolated and in need of social support, it was as “simple” as calling JFS, giving them the contact information, and they were on it.  

It’s what they were created for;

It’s what they do - today and every day.

Your support of the Federation’s Annual Community Campaign provides essential dollars for JFS and a myriad of other organizations throughout the Pioneer Valley, nationally, in Israel, and throughout the world.  

No single gift makes such a difference to so many and we can only do it with your help.

Shabbat Shalom.

Adam Solender