Dear JFCS Family,
We are stronger together! In this last Shabbat Inspiration of the year, I want to share a thank you from one of our clients. Each year, we serve thousands of people in need. From food support to mental health counseling and case management to so much more, our agency truly provides hope and healing – helping our clients to help themselves.
It has been a difficult year for so many of us. Israel and the Jewish community are fighting for our right to exist, and widespread anti-Semitism has taken hold across the nation and the world. But we must press on and do the important work of caring for others in need, all while we care and advocate for ourselves. I know that we are not alone in this work. Your ongoing support and advocacy give us the strength to push forward. And I thank you!
This week, Deborah*, one of our clients, called to express her appreciation to JFCS. Her message is below:
I am calling to thank you. We so appreciate everything you have done for us. You deliver food to my kids and me each month. I am just calling to thank you all. My kids and I appreciate all you do. Because of you, I was able to support my kids during the holidays. Recently, I was praying for a blessing. Things can be so hard and sometimes I feel so alone. Today, your support arrived, and some of my prayers were answered. I don’t know what else to say but thank you! I know that I am not alone.
The work that we undertake is done with love, kindness, and compassion. I believe that by helping to repair the world, we are helping ourselves at the same time! I must be an eternal optimist, always rooted in pragmatism.
JFCS provides hope and healing to thousands of people, and we don’t do it alone. You walk alongside us, providing us with what we need to persevere on behalf of our clients. You ensure that they receive the support they need and that they are not alone.
As we walk forward into this newly discovered reality and begin 2024, I thank you for your unwavering support, generosity, and kindness.
Deborah’s words fill me with optimism for the future! And I hope you will join me and our JFCS family in celebrating our successes while also helping us to tackle the challenges that will inevitably face us. In 2024, we will embark on a new strategic plan, and I hope that you’ll join us in helping to create a new vision to carry JFCS into the future, forging a new path in the years to come. We are truly stronger together! Wishing you all the best for a happy and healthy new year!
Peace and love on this Shabbat and always,
Raechel
* Name changed to protect confidentiality
