On November 1^st, the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) came together in Chicago for the General Assembly (GA). The GA brings together Jewish leaders from across the country to explore major global and domestic issues affecting Jewish communities.

JCFS is proud to present our new Associates Board, a group of dedicated and energized young professionals who will help promote and support the good work of JCFS through advocacy, leadership development, fundraising, volunteerism and more.

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.

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.

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.

In January, Sande Shamash, Director of the Legal Advocacy Center (LAC), and LAC Staff Attorney, Marissa LaVette, submitted a paper for a presentation on childhood trauma and its impact on special education. Their presentation, “Recognizing Childhood Trauma: Identification, Implementation and Advocacy for Trauma Informed Approaches in Special Education” was one of the submissions selected to be featured at the 17th Annual 2015 Counsel of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) National Conference in San Diego. COPAA is a national organization that serves to protect the legal and civil rights of and secure excellence in education on behalf of the 6.4 million children with disabilities in the United States.