In July of 2024, JCFS Chicago, in partnership with the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF), launched a local Resiliency Roundtable. Modeled on the BeWell platform of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the roundtable is comprised of community lay leaders, clinical practitioners, and agency leaders who convene regularly to address critical mental health issues. This roundtable aspires to establish a stigma-free, comprehensive, and integrated Jewish communal support system. This system will meet the needs of Jewish Chicagoland families seeking improved and accessible mental health care—irrespective of age, socio-economic status, or the level of assistance required.

So far, the Resiliency Roundtable at JCFS has brought together professionals from 17+ local and national organizations—including Base Hillel, JCC, Midwest Refuah, Mishkan, No Shame on U, Upward Community, USY and others. These organizations work with clinicians in Jewish settings to understand the issues young people confront and to support each other in these efforts.

Ultimately, this endeavor strengthens the Jewish community’s ability to provide developmentally and culturally appropriate care and build resilience among young people. Through the Roundtable, leaders meet regularly to share best practices, problem-solve, and collaborate. They create resources that draw on Jewish wisdom to promote well-being and healthy environments, addressing issues such as addiction and substance use disorders, controlling behaviors, body image, issues of suicidality, creating physically and psychologically safe spaces, how antisemitism impacts mental health, and coping with failure in high performing communities. By their actions, the professionals in the Roundtable are helping to prove that Jewish engagement and experiences can be a powerful tool for building resilience.

For more information, check out the national Resiliency Roundtable Website.

List of Participating Organizations

No Shame On U
NFTY
Keshet LGBTQ+
Ramah Day Camp
USY
Midwest Refuah
The Ark
JCC Chicago
Temple Beth Emet
JUF
Base Hillel
Mishkan
Upward Community

LGBTQIA+ Resources and Support

LGBTQIA+ 101
Start here for definitions of LGBTQIA+-related terms, answers to common questions, and links to our LGBTQIA+ resources.

Jewish Youth 
Keshet works for the full equality of all LGBTQIA+ Jews and our families in Jewish life.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago: Gender Development Program & Resources
A thorough list of resources for LGBTQIA+ youth in the Chicagoland area, with a focus on resources for transgender individuals.

Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook: Pride Youth Program
Based in Glenview, Illinois, Youth Services program offer support, events, and leadership training for LGBTQIA+ youth in the Chicagoland area.

An Ally's Guide to Terminology: Talking About LGBT People & Equality
The Talking About series was co-authored by GLAAD and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), in partnership with a board of contributing editors from the Human Rights Campaign, Lake Research Partners, PFLAG's Straight for Equality project, Arizona Together, researcher Margaret Conway, and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN, on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell section).

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Resources and support to unite LGBTQIA+ people with families, friends, and allies.

The Trevor Project
Crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQIA+ young people ages 13–24.

From its inception, Response for Teens has been serving the diverse needs of teenagers and their families in the Jewish and general communities, helping young people deal with life’s challenges. Here are some highlights of our history through the decades. For the full story, watch our historical video.

1972: After drug paraphernalia was found in a local park, a group of Jewish Federation agencies with both resources and expertise came together to start The Drug Response Program.

Focused on serving adolescents in crisis by providing counseling, outreach, and medical assistance, the Jewish Children’s Bureau, Jewish Family and Community Service, Jewish Community Centers, Jewish Vocational Service, and Mount Sinai Hospital were the founding organizations.

1984: Response moved to the original Skokie location and saw an increase in family counseling.

1985: Operation Snowball began as a substance abuse prevention program. Still active today, Snowball is a safe space for everyone to express themselves.

1985: Recognizing teens and all they can achieve has long been part of Response’s history, beginning with the Harry I. Hoffman Award.

1987: The AIDS epidemic was affecting much of the country, which prompted the Response Center to develop a peer leadership program that educated young people about the risks of HIV and AIDS.

1988: Response created programming for Soviet teens and their families resettling in the Chicago area, focused on the unique needs of young people starting a new life in the United States.

1992: Volunteers committed to generously giving their time and resources to support the future of Response came together as the first Lay Response Council or LRC.

1994: Response received a substantial grant from the Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse to fund prevention services at New Trier, Niles, and Northfield Townships School Districts.

1998: Response opened a second location in Buffalo Grove, moving to Prairie View one year later.

2001: Response first displayed the “Clothesline Project” aimed at creating awareness of the problem of domestic violence and sexual abuse in our society.

2008: The first Response website was launched, a new logo unveiled and relationships with middle schools developed to address the issues impacting teens at a younger age.

2008: The first Tuned In event was held, showcasing teens from 5 area high schools. The event committee included Jill Bernstein, Shari Zenner, Terri Freedman, Donna Field, Susan Friedman, Amy Herzog, Jill Katlin, Lauren Kohlenbrener, Arlene Lewis, and Wendy Nathan. Bruce Sher directed the musical production.

2015: Response LGBTQ programming is created to support teens on their journey of self-discovery as they start to explore their sexuality and how they identify in terms of gender.

2019: Funding issues forced Response to stop offering sexual and reproductive health services for young adults and shift to sexual health education.

2021: The Seigle Building in Skokie was transformed into a modern space and the new home to Response for Teens.

Kat Stuehrk Talo (she/they) is a youth worker and educator with a decade of experience in the field of mentoring, violence prevention, community education, and youth development. They studied the arts and humanities and social work at Michigan State University and received their MSW from University of Illinois Chicago’s Jane Addams College of Social Work. She is also a pastry chef, and enjoys utilizing mindfulness in her work, and exploring the intersections of mental health and creativity.

About Response for Teens:
Started in 1970, Response for Teens is a JCFS Chicago program specifically devoted to supporting adolescents (ages 12 through 24) and their families in the Jewish and general community. We provide prevention education, leadership development, and counseling in a teen-friendly environment that empowers youth to make healthy life choices. 

Response for Teens takes a holistic approach to working with tweens, teens, young adults and their families. Our team of Master’s-level counselors, social workers, community educators, and other youth development experts provide an array of services to meet the varied needs of young people in our community.

We believe that youth thrive when they have the information they need to make healthy choices and a safe space in which to receive support. Response for Teens welcomes teens of all religions, races, identities, sexual orientations and ethnic backgrounds.

WEXi (The Wellness and Expressive Arts Initiative) is an opportunity for young people to regain a sense of resilience, community, and meaning by engaging in a variety of group activities that promote wellness.

WEXi will offer a calendar full of after-school and Sunday activities where young people can join with others to relax, have fun, be social, and express themselves – an important outlet to deal with feelings, be authentic and to feel seen.

Activities will include informal drop-in opportunities, one-time activities, and short-term groups.

Interested in facilitating a WEXi workshop?

Response and WEXi are seeking enthusiastic, creative, and experienced artist instructors and wellness workers who have a passion for sharing their craft with teens and young adults. 

Learn more and apply here!

Why WEXi?

Trauma is not just a psychological experience; it is a mind-body experience tied to neurobiology. Wellness modalities and expressive arts are best practices to address traumatic stress. The goal is to facilitate a sense of safety, enhance resiliency, help individuals recover a sense of well-being, and connect individuals through community when practiced in groups.

• Benefits of Meditation & Mindfulness for Teens
• How Expressive Arts Help Teens
• Information about Art Therapy & Teens
• Importance of Teen Friendships During COVID-19

Welcome! Come on in

Are you searching for a place to express yourself, make new friends, and grow? Come give WEXi a try! Designed with teens like you in mind, WEXi has something for everyone.

WEXi is:
A place for connection, expression, and renewal
A place to make art, friends, connections, and meaning
A place to unwind, reset, explore, and try new things

Art & Writing

- Coming soon!

Body & Movement

- Coming soon!

Mind & Spirit

- Coming soon!

Movies & Games

- Coming soon!

Music & Sound

- Coming soon!