(Continued on page 2)

EXECUTIVE LETTERHelping Those Who Need Us Most

INSIDE

Executive Letter .............................2

Community of Caring Luncheon ....2

Job Searching 101 .........................3

Meaningful Mentorships ............. 4-5

Social Justice .................................5

Family Tree Legacy Circle .............6

Calendar of Events .........................7

Polack Food Bank .........................8

SPECIAL INSERT Tributes

The autumn Jewish holidays give us an opportunity to recommit to our highest values and best selves. Many of us use this time to reflect and also to plan for the coming year. Here at Jewish Family Service, we’ve been doing the same.

In the spring, a group of Board Members and staff came together during a four-day retreat to refresh the JFS mission. The goal was to renew our sense of ownership in the agency and help focus JFS on the outcomes that will best serve our community and those in need. At this special time of year and in that spirit of commitment, we are excited to present the new mission and approach for Jewish Family Service.

MISSIONJFS helps vulnerable individuals and families in the Puget Sound region achieve well-being, health and stability.

APPROACHJewish history and values guide our work; therefore, we provide effective services to people of all backgrounds and also have a responsibility to meet the particular needs of Jewish individuals and families in the region.

The mission and approach are aligned with our heritage and provide practical guidance to help JFS meet ever greater challenges. Our belief that repair of the world includes acts of loving-kindness towards people of all backgrounds is clear. Our unwavering commitment to the well-being of our Jewish family is affirmed.

Writing the mission and approach was the first step in a planning process that will take approximately a year. As we write this, the strategic planning committee and staff are defining the positive life-outcomes JFS will focus on helping our clients achieve and the indicators we will use to measure our progress. Next, we will create the operating plan that will provide practical steps and structures to ensure we reach our goals.

A P U B LI CATI O N O F J E W I S H FA M I LY S E RVI C E

Volume 122, Number 2 I Fal l 2014 / 5775

2014 - 2015 Jewish Family Service Board of Directors

Gail Mautner PresidentMichele Rosen President-ElectDelia Jampel First Vice PresidentRichard Gumpert TreasurerLaurie Minsk SecretaryEmily Alhadeff Immediate Past President

Stephanie AxelrodKaryn BarerEtan BasseriMichael BernsteinEric CandellCarolee DanzSusan EasternJoAnn FormanRochelle GoffeDawn GoldGerry GoldmanCarol GownScott JacobsonMargot KravetteAvi LipmanEd MalakoffJoan MorseMarty NelsonJon RosenJulia SchechterCarol SidellNoah TrattAlisa Weise

Gail Mautner and Will Berkovitz

EXECUTIVE LETTER(Continued from page 1)

jfsseattle.org

Will Berkovitz Gail Mautner Chief Executive Officer President, Board of Directors

These planning efforts are a reflection of the dedicated spirit of our greater community. At JFS, we have the privilege of working with staff whose daily acts of compassion powerfully impact the lives of others. We are grateful to them and to the members of our Board who give their precious time and incomparable expertise. In each generation, for a remarkable 122 years, the people in this community have always made sure that JFS is the outstretched, helping hand for those who need it most.

We look forward to keeping you updated on the impact JFS is having today and the planning we are doing for the future.

Warmest regards,

Community of Caring Luncheon

Save the Date

Thursday, April 30, 2015Sheraton Seattle Hotel

For information about sponsorships, becoming a Table Captain or event details, contact Director of Special Events Leslie Sugiura at Lsugiura@jfsseattle.org or (206) 861-3151.

Page 2 I JFS Matters I Fal l 2014

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 @ 1:00 p.m.

Jewish Family ServiceCapitol Hill Campus1601-16th Avenue, Seattle

Date and time:

Location:

Class covers:

EMPLOYMENT SERVICESJob Searching 101

Searching for a job can be daunting, intimidating and frustrating. People who are willing and ready to fi nd employment can become anxious and demoralized because they do not know where to begin.

JFS now offers group classes so that job-seekers can acquire skills to support them in their search and also to provide them the sense of camaraderie and community that can be missing during the isolation of unemployment.

In late summer, 12 individuals who use the Polack Food Bank came together for Job Searching 101.

“I felt the class was very educational. I took away valuable information, and I know we each have to do our own footwork in order to get a job.” – JFS client

“ It was nice to know I wasn’t alone in looking for work.” – JFS client

Contact Marla Jones-Price, (206) 726-3632 or mjonesprice@jfsseattle.org.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the job search process? We’re here to help you through it. Come to our free class to learn more about getting started.

Job Searching Basics

1. Have a good attitude.

2. Determine what your goal is for fi nding employment.

3. Know what your skills are.

4. Learn to be okay with doing something.

5. Work on your resume.

6. Make a daily habit of looking for work.

7. Understand “temp to hire.”

8. Interview in the mirror and with a coach.

9. Get your interview attire together.

10. Don’t give up.

10 Tips for Job-Seekers

Tips on How to Find a Job • Writing resume & cover letters • Using the internet for your job search • Habits to help you succeed

The group included single mothers seeking full-time work and senior citizens looking to supplement fi xed incomes. Over the hour-long class, participants were introduced to standards for resume and cover letters and internet job search basics. Most valuable for the group were tips to help them stay focused and productive during the search.

Class attendees agreed that hard work, patience and persistence were all necessary when looking for a job. Overwhelmingly, participants expressed their sense of relief in knowing that there is hope and their comfort in knowing that they are not alone.

Fal l 2014 I JFS Matters I Page 3

OUTREACH & SERVICEMeaningful Mentorships: Volunteering with Resettling Refugees

Jessica Allmendinger, a local veterin-arian, volunteers as a refugee mentor with the JFS Refugee & Immigrant Service Centers. In just under two years, she has helped three refugee families settle into American life in the greater Seattle-area.

“I had read many different accounts of people fleeing dangerous situations and ending up in a new culture with no possessions and little understanding of the new environment,” Allmendinger says. “Since I don’t have a lot of money to donate, it made sense that I do what I can to help them out with my time. Just being someone they can reach out to is helpful, and I certainly have time to do that.”

Mentors help recently arrived refugees become acquainted with their new community and face the challenges of resettling in a foreign country. This critical period of acclimation is when refugees need assistance learning the basics of American life. Speaking English, connecting to community and learning to use systems like public transportation, banks, schools and health care are all part of the steep learning curve.

“The mentor’s job is to extend that first welcoming, friendly hand,” explains Jane Deer-Hileman, Director of Volunteer Services. “You don’t have to know another language or have prior experience. We are looking for volunteers who have a strong interest in helping others and can provide empathetic guidance during this time of great transition.”

“The first few months, I see what they feel like they need,” Allmendinger says. “Sometimes it’s help with

had before, like playing in the water at the beach, building a snowman or watching animals at the zoo. She notes that all of these experiences are very exciting for families and ones they will remember for many years to come.

“It is helpful to have patience. Refugee families rely heavily on volunteers, not just to teach how something is done but also to carefully walk them through the process many times before expecting them to do it independently,” Allmendinger says. “I found that the refugees really want to learn English and American culture, and they also want specific instruction on what to do. If you give them books to practice their English they won’t read independently. But if you give them a specific homework assignment to do, they will always follow your instructions perfectly.”

When newly resettled families spend time with a mentor, they not only develop greater familiarity with U.S. conventions but they also hone all-important English skills. The

Paw Nay Moo, originally from Burma, with Jessica Allmendinger

(Continued on next page)

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A REFUGEE MENTOR?We welcome people of all backgrounds for this opportunity! Volunteers, clients and staff come from around the world, bringing with them a wide variety of cultures, ethnicities, religions and talents. Positive relationships are formed when mentors have:

• a sensitivity to cultural differences

• the ability to communicate nonverbally (no languages other than English are required)

• a comfort working independently at the residence of the clients

• their own transportation (most resettled families are in South King County)

homework or with going to a certain store. Sometimes they just want to get to know and trust you, so taking them to the park and planning a picnic is a good choice. If it’s something within walking distance from their home, that’s even better, as it gives them confidence to do it on their own.”

Allmendinger enjoys introducing families to experiences they have not

Page 4 I JFS Matters I Fal l 2014

A refugee is defined as a person outside of his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinions.

– U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services

camaraderie of the mentor-family relationship helps build confi dence, and ultimately, independence.

“Mentors express a real sense of satisfaction in this volunteer experi-ence,” says Deer-Hileman. “It’s very touching, moving and meaningful. You are in the homes of these new American families, and often a lifetime connection will emerge.”

Burma

Iraq

Democratic Republic of Congo

Seattle

WHAT DOES SOCIAL JUSTICE MEAN TO YOU?

JFS recently walked around Capitol Hill, asking our neighbors what social justice means to them. Visit the blog to see what they had to say, and then leave a comment telling us what social justice means to you.

BLOG.JFSSEATTLE.ORG

Jessica Allmendinger has mentored refugees from across the globe as they were resettling in the Seattle-area.

Fal l 2014 I JFS Matters I Page 5

READY TO GET INVOLVED?Mentors make a minimum 3-month commitment and meet with their individual or family for 2-3 hours per week. Mentorship opportunities are primarily in South King County. JFS offers other opportunities to volunteer with refugees and immigrants in its Bellevue office. There, volunteers provide support in English and citizenship classes.

JFS is committed to creating worthwhile effective experiences for volunteers and strives to accommodate volunteers’ schedules, interests and needs.

Learn more at jfsseattle.org/vrisc, or contact Director of Volunteer Services Jane Deer-Hileman at (206) 861-3155 or jdeer@jfsseattle.org.

FAMILY TREE LEGACY CIRCLEMaking a Lasting Statement of Your Values

The help and hope that Jewish Family Service provides today rests upon the foundation built by those who came before us. At its heart, our venerable 122-year history is really a simple human story that weaves together caring for the present with planning

for the future. It is the story of people who believe and invest in one another and, in so doing, create a timeless, compassionate community. The result is an organization that has literally served — and has been handed down through — generation to generation.

The Family Tree Legacy Circle is our way of honoring those who have already made a gift to the JFS Endowment or let us know of their intention to leave a bequest to JFS, as well as those of blessed memory who have already made such gifts. Just as JFS provides crucial stability to vulnerable individuals and families, JFS itself needs stability so it can steadfastly fulfi ll its ongoing commitment to the community.

Legacy giving — either the intention to leave a bequest or an endowment gift made during one’s lifetime —

LEAVING A LEGACYDesignate JFS as a Beneficiary

There are several ways to include JFS in your estate planning:

• Specifying monetary, stock or real estate gifts

• Stipulating a percentage or remainder of your estate

• Designating JFS as the benefi ciary of your life insurance, annuity or retirement instruments (IRA or 401k)

To learn more about designating JFS as your benefi ciary or making a JFS Endowment gift during your lifetime, please contact Shelly C. Shapiro, J.D. at (206) 861-8785 or sshapiro@jfsseattle.org.

“We decided to focus on JFS because its work touches on meeting so many different needs in the community. JFS represents the best expression of Jewish values and is how we would want our values to be demonstrated. ”

– Family Tree Legacy Circle Member

provides that essential stability, enabling JFS to continue to meet the most pressing human needs here at home. And because a Legacy gift can be made during one’s lifetime or after, this particular kind of giving is accessible to anyone who values the difference that JFS makes in people’s lives.

I have been committed to JFS for over 25 years. First, I volunteered and eventually served as President of the Board of Directors. I now work at JFS and am focused on Legacy giving because — like you — I want to be certain that the JFS story will continue for the next 122 years. We support the JFS annual campaign because of who we are and who we want to be. By making a Legacy gift, we leave a lasting reminder of who we were and how we want to be remembered.

By Shelly C. Shapiro, J.D., Director of Legacy Giving

If you’d like to learn more about leaving a Legacy and the impact your gift will have, please get in touch. If you have already made arrangements for a Legacy gift to JFS, please let us know. We would like to thank you!

Contact Shelly C. Shapiro, J.D. at (206) 861-8785 or sshapiro@jfsseattle.org.

Page 6 I JFS Matters I Fal l 2014

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FOR ADULTS AGE 60+

Endless OpportunitiesEndless Opportunities is a community-wide program offered in partnership with Temple B’nai Torah & Temple De Hirsch Sinai. Events are open to the public. Unless otherwise noted, events are from 10:30 a.m. – noon.

Little Merchants: The Golden Era of Youth Delivering NewspapersTuesday, October 14

Risks of Substance Abuse as We AgeThursday, October 23

A Morning of Song: From Schubert to ShenandoahThursday, October 30

Diabetes: The Latest in Research and Medical CareTuesday, November 11

A Union, a Celebration, a Couple and…a Mouse?Thursday, November 20

Senior Consumer ProtectionThursday, December 4

Chanukah Celebration with the Shalom Klezmer BandThursday, December 18

RSVP Ellen Hendin or Wendy Warman, (206) 461-3240 or endlessopps@jfsseattle.org.

FOR THE COMMUNITY

Chanukah Tzedakah ProgramSign-up by Tuesday, October 14.Visit jfsseattle.org/eother.

Medicare 101Sunday, October 26 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.Contact Leonid Orlov, (206) 861-8784 or familylife@jfsseattle.org.

Kosher Food BankWednesdays, Nov. 5 & Dec. 3 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.Pre-register Jana Prothman Lissiak, (206) 861-3174 or jlissiak@jfsseattle.org.

Writing a Life Story with Esther Altshul HelfgottSunday, November 9 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.Contact Leonid Orlov, (206) 861-8784 or familylife@jfsseattle.org.

Understanding Changes in Our Aging Loved OnesThursday, December 11 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.Contact Leonid Orlov, (206) 861-8784 or familylife@jfsseattle.org.

Chanukah Basket Making and DeliverySunday, December 14 Times to be assigned on registration.Contact Jane Deer-Hileman, (206) 861-3155 or jdeer@jfsseattle.org.

Chanukah CelebrationSunday, December 21 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or familylife@jfsseattle.org.

AA Meetings at JFSTuesdays, 7:00 p.m.Contact (206) 461-3240 or ata@jfsseattle.org.

Solutions to Senior HungerOngoingJFS is helping eligible seniors sign up for food stamps.Contact Carol Mullin, (206) 861-3176 or cmullin@jfsseattle.org.

FOR PARENTS & FAMILIES

Contact Marjorie Schnyder, (206) 861-3146 or familylife@jfsseattle.org.

Jewish Perspectives on Talking with Your Children and Friends about GunsSundays, October 19 or 2610:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Positive Discipline: Parenting with ConfidenceTuesdays, October 21 – November 11 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Partners to ParentsSundays, November 2 & 9 3:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Bringing Jewish Traditions HomeSunday, November 23 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Emotion Coaching: An Essential Part of Your Parenting ToolboxTuesday, December 2 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Raising Jewish Kids in a Non-Jewish WorldThursday, December 4 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Menorahs & MitzvahsSunday, December 7 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Contact Jane Deer-Hileman, (206) 861-3155 or jdeer@jfsseattle.org for these and other volunteer opportunities.• Refugee Family Mentors• Food Bank Home Delivery

Program• Chanukah Basket Making

and Delivery

For complete details about these and other upcoming events, visit jfsseattle.org/calendar.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

FRIENDLY VISITORSJFS matches friendly visitors with housebound older adults who would appreciate weekly company and companionship. We are looking for outgoing individuals who are able to make a minimum six-month commitment.Contact Jane Deer-Hileman, (206) 861-3155 or jdeer@jfsseattle.org.

Fal l 2014 I JFS Matters I Page 7

MISSION JFS helps vulnerable individuals and families in the Puget Sound region achieve well-being, health and stability.

APPROACH Jewish history and values guide our work; therefore, we provide effective services to people of all backgrounds and also have a responsibility to meet the particular needs of Jewish individuals and families in the region.

Gail Mautner, Board President Will Berkovitz, Chief Executive Officer Deborah Frockt, Editor Jenelle Birnbaum, Writer Leslie Sugiura, Writer

Jewish Family Service is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) social service organization. Contributions are tax-deductible under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.

jfsseattle.org(206) 461-3240

Capitol Hill Campus 1601 16th Avenue Seattle, WA 98122-4000

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSEATTLE, WA

PERMIT NO. 88

There are so many ways you can volunteer to help. Call (206) 861-3155 or jdeer@jfsseattle.org.

Remember to recycle this newsletter

OF GREATER SEATTLE

We rely on your help all year.

1,800+ people rely on the Food Bank

monthly.