Jewish Community Programs

Most of us would agree that gratitude is indisputably good. It is therefore reasonable to ask: if gratitude is so obviously good and valuable, what are the barriers to gratitude?

November is National Adoption Awareness month, a time to shine a spotlight on families formed through foster care and adoption. There's a good chance you are touched by adoption through family, friends, or community. How can you best support those on this lifelong journey?   In more ways than you can imagine! 

In 1989, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) established National Recovery Month as a national observance to promote and support new evidence-based substance use treatment and recovery practices.

Suicide Awareness week will be observed September 4th-10^th this year with the goal of raising awareness about suicide and support both for those who struggle with suicidal ideation and those grieving the death of a loved one from suicide. 

Without a doubt, Covid-19 threw us all on a road we never expected to be travelling down. Parents and students alike grappled with school closures, online learning, working from home, and social isolation. More than anything, parents and children of all ages had to learn how to deal with the effects of these new stressors on their mental health.  

For many, any thoughts of romance were put on a solid hold over the last 2+ years of the pandemic. As much of the country is now vaccinated, many people are once again ready to dip (or dive!) into the dating scene.  What follows are some thoughts on how we can enjoy dating thoughtfully, perhaps a little more slowly, and in line with our Jewish values.

Did you know that our JCFS chaplains work with more than 16 senior communities in the greater Chicago area, with diversity and inclusion communities, and with more than 40 individual clients at a time?

Since March 2020, when Covid-19 first altered our daily lives, public health officials warned of a potential surge in drug overdoses.

JCFS supports Chicago’s Jewish community members on many paths from constriction to expansion. In this spirit, we offer links to haggadot and Passover readings that reflect both ancient and contemporary ways that we experience bondage, the struggle for freedom, and ultimate liberation from slavery.

It is critically important that we engage with our young children and provide age-appropriate child abuse prevention education, as this is a key strategy in keeping children safe.