Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford

09/12/2025

🎉 We are so proud of our teammates Svetlana Berlinsky and Lucy Dratva!

Both were honored with the Henry M. Zachs Spirit of Judaism Award at Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford's Annual Meeting on Wednesday for their extraordinary work with Russian-speaking community members and Holocaust survivors.

Svetlana is a licensed clinical social worker and counselor with JFS, and Lucy is a Russian translator with JFS in addition to serving as New Americans program coordinator at the Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford.

Congratulations also to Carol Fishman, who was honored for her volunteer work as the founder of Yaysh Hartford. 💙

09/10/2025

Join JFS and The Wellness Institute on Tuesday, September 16 from 8:00–9:30 p.m. EST for another FREE webinar!

You’ll learn:
• How to spot the early signs of su***de risk—even in high-achieving kids
• Why emotionally intense children are more vulnerable, and what you can do
• A DBT-informed parenting model rooted in warmth and real connection

About the Speaker:
In collaboration with The Wellness Institute, we invite you to join Dr. Bethany Michel, Director of DBT Vancouver, for a free virtual event on su***de prevention. Dr. Michel works with children and teens ages 5–19 who struggle with suicidality and emotional dysregulation. Her approach is powerful, practical, and filled with hope.

Register for this free virtual workshop here: www.eventbrite.com/e/parenting-youth-in-crisis-tickets-1538634279549?aff=JFSGH .

09/03/2025

🥫Our Pantry Pick for September is canned Tuna! 🐟 Each month, we highlight a most-needed item for the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry at JFS. There are a few ways you can help us keep this item stocked:

🛒 Drop off at JFS during business hours
📦 Shop via our Amazon Wishlist -- or set up Subscribe & Save to keep the care coming all year
💸 Donate via our Givebutter page so we can buy in bulk
🔗 All links in bio

✨ If you’re shopping for us, please look for kosher-certified options (check for a kosher symbol on the can).

09/02/2025

Join us Tuesday, September 9 from 8-9:30pm to hear Dr. Eli Lebowitz share strategies for parents and caregivers to support their anxious children. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/breaking-the-anxiety-cycle-tickets-1527498903339?aff=JFSGH

Dr. Lebowitz is a child psychologist and developer of Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions, or SPACE, out of the Yale Child Study Center. JFS has immediate openings for clients interested in SPACE treatment-- reach out to us today!

This webinar is part of a school year-long series for parents, caregivers, and educators in partnership with The Wellness Institute! Stay tuned for upcoming webinar topics.

08/29/2025

08/28/2025

We were honored to have our CEO, Katie Hanley, present at the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce’s AM Connections series last Friday! This wonderful bi-monthly program gave us the chance to share our work, hear from fellow business leaders, and connect with so many inspiring professionals in the community. Many thanks to the WeHa Chamber for hosting, and to all the wonderful attendees who took the time to learn about JFS and our mission. We’re grateful for the connections made and look forward to keeping the conversations going!

Photo Credit: Chris Conway

08/22/2025

💙 Aging takes courage. And sometimes, it takes help.

You may be doing everything you can to support a loved one at home—but the truth is, even the most devoted family caregivers need backup. That’s where JFS Care at Home comes in.

Our trained caregivers help Hartford County seniors age safely, happily, and independently with personalized services like:
• Personal care and memory support
• Grocery shopping and kosher-friendly meal prep
• Light housekeeping, laundry, and errands
• Rides to appointments
• Hourly and 24/7 live-in care

We treat every client with compassion, respect, and dignity—just as we would our own family. 🏠💙
📞 Ready to talk? Call 860.233.4470 or visit CareAtHomebyJFS.org

08/18/2025

✨ The perfect recipe for a successful back-to-school drive! ✨
A huge thank you to our generous sponsor S&S Worldwide and our wonderful community partners at the Mandell JCC, PJ Library, and JCSO. Plus, a special shoutout to our amazing volunteers, including the speedy Camp Shalom crew! Together, we packed backpacks and hearts full of school-year excitement 🎒💙

08/06/2025

Our Webinar series in partnership with The Wellness Institute is back!

Join us for a professional development session with Dr. Ross Greene on Tuesday, August 19th at 7-9 PM EDT. You’ll learn practical strategies for managing behavior, reducing anxiety in the classroom, and building stronger connections with students starting on day one.

By the end of this session, you'll be able to:

Identify the skills students are missing—and learn how to build them
Implement the 3-step Plan B conversation with students
Troubleshoot common implementation roadblocks
Shift your mindset and approach for the school year

Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/collaborative-and-proactive-solutions-cps-tickets-1458435272159?aff=oddtdtcreator&discount=JFSGH

08/05/2025

🎉 Congratulations to our amazing Money Coach, Jim Goldman!🎉

JFS is proud to share that Jim Goldman, AWM, CFP®, has earned his third Honorable Mention for the Invest in Others Volunteer of the Year Award!

Since 2008, Jim has generously shared his financial expertise one day each week to help Greater Hartford neighbors overcome financial challenges and build brighter futures. His dedication reflects the very heart of our mission—offering support with dignity and hope. 💙

In recognition of Jim’s service, Invest in Others has awarded JFS a $2,000 grant to continue helping local families move forward.

Please join us in thanking Jim for his incredible commitment to our community! 👏

08/04/2025

From backpacks to food bags, coaching to check-ins, holiday joy to heartfelt care — our volunteers did it all! We’re in awe of everything they’ve made possible this year and deeply grateful for every moment of service.

Want to be part of something meaningful? Join our volunteer community and help create lasting impact. 🌟

P.S. Stay tuned — tomorrow we’re celebrating one of our incredible volunteers with some exciting news! 🎉

07/31/2025

Each month, Pantry Picks highlights a most-needed item to keep the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry stocked with essentials. For the month of August, we're collecting personal hygiene products — think soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and more! 🧼🪥
🛒 Drop off at JFS during business hours
📦 Shop via our Amazon Wish List—or set up Subscribe & Save to keep the care coming all year: https://a.co/66xHEWi
💲 Donate funds via our Givebutter page so we can buy in bulk: https://givebutter.com/JFSPantryPicks