Warm temperatures and bright sunshine remind us that summer has arrived. With summer comes fun and relaxation and, often, more unstructured time. It’s important for parents to remind children about how to keep their bodies safe and ways of avoiding unhealthy interactions. Having these kinds of conversations help foster strong, open relationships with children that can last a lifetime.

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize that we each can play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in our care, especially JCFS foster parents and staff. 

With Chicago's beautiful skyline as the backdrop for our annual VIP Reception, Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) recently recognized more than 100 outstanding community partners for sharing their time, energy and resources to support the agency.

Jewish Child & Family Services was honored to be part of the delegation of more than 40 Chicago and Springfield Jewish community leaders and professionals who convened at the Illinois State Capital April 11-12,2018 for the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago's (JUF) annual State Advocacy Mission.

As camp begins to feel more and more like a reality, it is normal for your child to start to feel anxious about leaving home. Even campers who have been away before may still feel nervous. Our Camp Firefly staff has put together some tips that can help your child get ready for the summer.

Jessica Schaffer, Director of HIAS Chicago, recently attended an immigration action rally led by JCUA and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights at Federal Plaza. The rally was in support of immigration reform, specifically asking legislators to pass permanent solutions for DACA and TPS recipients.

Helping the World See My Sister the Way I See Her

By Renee Birnberg Silberman

My sister is the most emotionally intelligent person I know. Our mother liked to tell me Estella was so smart, but I brushed her statements aside for most of my young and young adult life. After all, she had been tested as having lower than average intelligence, and the doctors told my parents (over half a century ago) that the best place for her to grow up was in a nun-run facility in Wisconsin.

One of the core values at JCFS is an understanding that the community is essential to living. This core value is demonstrated in our participation in events like the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Community Service, held January 15, 2018, at various places within Chicago.

According to a 2014 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2012 and 2050, the United States will experi­ence considerable growth in its older population (the report defined older population as age 65 and older). The baby boomers are largely responsible for this increase as they began turning 65 in 2011. By 2050, the surviving baby boomers will be over the age of 85.

by Dawn Levin, Liaison

How can an agency with services as wide-ranging as JCFS Chicago become more accessible while directly addressing the needs of a synagogue community? The Synagogue Community Partnership (SCP) was developed solely for this purpose.