Jewish Life

Jewish Life programs foster the resiliency and wellbeing of our Jewish community across the life span.

Grounded in the Jewish value of Tikun Olam, repairing the world, our Jewish Life programs provide outreach, education, and meaningful volunteer opportunities for the Jewish community of Western Massachusetts.

Jewish Life programs include:

ESSEN-tials, the Kosher Food Program:  In collaboration with Rachel’s Table, Jewish Family Service provides kosher food multiple times a year to individuals and families challenged by food insecurity or limited access. Distributions include special items appropriate for the seasonal holidays, kosher meat and chicken, produce and other non-perishable kosher items.

Jewish Family Jam:  Experiential, fun and upbeat Jewish music classes provide an enriching experience for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers. Classes held at the Lander Grinspoon Academy.

The Passover Project:  JFS established the Passover Project, also known as the Matzah Fund, to ensure that community members have the necessary provisions to celebrate the holiday. We distribute bags of Passover food and subsidize Seder attendance at local synagogues to those who are struggling to provide for their most basic needs.

Tikun Olam Group Education and Volunteer Experiences:  Bringing religious school students, families, synagogues and community members together for education and direct service experiences in refugee resettlement–welcoming the stranger, building community. We provide ongoing service opportunities and in services for lay leaders, students and members of the Jewish community. 

Workshops: Educational workshops to address family and community topics.

Yad Chessed Partnership:  In 2020, JFS was the recipient of a Jewish Poverty Challenge grant from the Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies (NJHSA) to raise awareness and build a sustainable response with our Jewish community partners to the critical issue of Jewish poverty in Western MA. In 2022 we partnered with Yad Chessed to bring new resources to our Western Massachusetts Jewish community experiencing financial distress, including emergency financial aid, monthly food cards, and ongoing support. If you or someone you know need assistance, please contact Yad Chessed at (781) 487-2693 or intake@yadchessed.org.

 

For more information contact Rosalind Torrey at r.torrey@jfswm.org  or call 413-737-2601.

As part of our Tikun Olam Group Education and Volunteer Experiences, Lander Grinspoon Academy students set up apartments and welcome New American Families.

View JFS 2023 Impact Report