Blog

On April 29 through May 1, Jewish Child & Family Services hosted more than 400 lay and professional leaders, service providers, philanthropists, academics, direct service volunteers and agency board members from the United States, Canada and Israel at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Chicago for the first annual Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies Conference: "Unifying Our Human Service Voice."

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.

With close to 15% of U.S. children ages 6–19 experiencing hearing loss, Integrated Pediatric Interventions notes that May Is Better Hearing & Speech Month is the ideal time for parents to learn more about the sometimes-subtle signs of hearing loss, ways it can affect school-aged children, and where to find help.

Parents today are faced with raising their children in a society where school and neighborhood violence is not uncommon. You may be asking yourself, how do I help myself and my children make sense of these tragic events?

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.

Dear Community Members, my bat mitzvah is in May and as a mitzvah, or service, project I’ve chosen to partner with Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) to help supply all kinds of kids in need with backpacks and school supplies.

A teenager balks when his mom asks what time he’ll be home. Another groans when asked about their homework status. Another teen puts on make-up at school, out of their parents’ sight and judgement. And another stays in his room, a lot. These youth are negotiating one of the most common developmental concerns for teenagers: Gaining a sense of independence as they move slowly toward adulthood.

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.