The month of Sivan carries with it a spirit of profound meaning — a time when the Jewish people stood united at the foot of Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, forging an eternal covenant grounded in purpose, service, and community. The heart of this month is Shavuot, commemorating that moment of divine revelation when we became connected by shared values and sacred responsibility.
At JFCS, we felt this connection especially deeply during our Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast on Tuesday, May 6 — a gathering that beautifully embodied the themes of Sivan: unity, gratitude, and the transformative power of giving.
When we looked around the room, filled with dedicated volunteers and staff, we saw something extraordinary. Our volunteers truly represent the very heartbeat of JFCS. Already this fiscal year, they have contributed nearly 8,735 hours of service, a gift valued at over $310,000. Yet the true worth of what our volunteers give can’t be measured in dollars or hours. It’s measured in the relieved smile of a senior who made it to their doctor’s appointment, the gratitude of a family receiving groceries from our Betsy & Peter Fischer Food Pantry, and the confidence growing in our TOPS day habilitation participants when they work alongside them.
Sivan reminds us that revelation isn’t limited to a single moment in history — it continues each day through sacred choices to show up, to help, to give. Our volunteers embody this spirit beautifully. Whether preparing food in the Soups & Sweets kitchen, visiting isolated seniors, or serving on committees, their acts of service are modern expressions of timeless Jewish values.
One client recently shared how our volunteers have become “angels” in their life, while another expressed deep gratitude for the companionship and support they receive. These words reflect the divine spark within every act of giving — volunteers offer not just assistance, but dignity and possibility.
This year’s breakfast, generously sponsored by JFCS Board President Margo Orlin and her husband Alan — himself a devoted volunteer — celebrated those whose compassion forms the heart of our work. Whether a volunteer has been with us daily or joined for just one opportunity this year, through their dedication to tikkun olam — repairing the world — our community grows stronger and more whole.
As we journey through this meaningful month of Sivan, may we all recommit to lives of purpose, compassion, and service. Today and always, we celebrate our volunteers as the embodiment of our mission: giving help, giving hope. Your compassion ripples outward in ways you may never fully see, but we witness it every day.
With deep appreciation and gratitude,
Melanie Stoopler & Jill Hammel, Associate Executive Directors
Top row: JFCS staff members Carly Schaffer, Sherri Jonas, Lisa Freedman Enda, Jess Markus, and Terri Jones at our volunteer appreciation breakfast. Volunteers Shana Myers Herring and Stephanie Zinn. Middle row: Volunteers Mort Mekler, Judy Stein, and Howard Jonas; Volunteers Don Levitsky and Mitch Augarten; Bottom Row: Friendly Visitor Volunteer Sydney Herring with her client, Phyllis Rones; Volunteers Barb Malkin, Jerry Baer, and Jaime Cohen assembling grocery “sets” at the Betsy & Peter Fischer Food Pantry.
