How can JCFS Chicago, with its diverse range of services, better meet the needs of synagogue communities? The answer lies in the Synagogue Community Partnership (SCP), an initiative designed to bridge the gap.

In an SCP, each synagogue collaborates with a specially-trained JCFS Chicago liaison. This liaison establishes a strong relationship with the congregation, providing resources and referrals to essential services, including:

• Consultative support for rabbis, synagogue staff and lay leaders
• Assistance for congregants facing challenges such as mental health issues, housing instability, food insecurity and more
• Education and prevention programs covering topics such as abuse, addiction, parenting, mental health and wellness, and aging
• Support groups addressing bereavement, mental health and issues such as rising antisemitism
• Professional training for synagogue and religious school staff, as well as lay leadership, on subjects including intimate partner violence, child abuse, teen dating violence, elder abuse, addiction and recovery, and mental health

Established in 2014, our Synagogue Community Partnership initiative serves congregations from Highland Park to Chicago, Oak Park/River Forest to Lombard. This program fosters a community environment that promotes health, trust and well-being. By embedding itself in the communities it serves, JCFS Chicago supports community members where they live, work, learn and worship.

For more information, please visit our SCP webpage  or email ElizabethUry@JCFS.org.