BackAwareness & Education Forum 18: The Orthodox Sandwich Generation - Challenges and Supports
This forum will describe experiences of Orthodox Jewish adults in meeting competing obligations to their aging parents and growing children. Those attending will learn about clinical and cultural challenges faced by each of the three generational tiers. Presenters will identify formal and informal supports for the sandwich generation. Register Today.
The forum will consist of learning and discussion for communal professionals and leaders featuring:
Rabbi Gershon Schaffel, Rabbi, Young Israel of Skokie, Skokie
Tamara Kushnir Groman, JD, Manager, Irving H. and Jane W. Goldberg Legal Services at CJE SeniorLife
Hana Holland, Dean of Students, Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov, Chicago
Rachel Zimmerman, LCPC, Clinician in private practice
8:40 am Doors open
9:00 am – 11:00 am Program
2 Cultural Competency CEUs for social workers, psychologists, and counselors
The program will be recorded.
The Orthodox Network is a collaboration of social service providers in Jewish agencies who work in partnership to improve services to the Orthodox community in metropolitan Chicago.
To learn about previous Awareness and Education Forums, visit our YouTube channel.
Sponsoring Organizations to date: JCFS Chicago, The ARK, Chai Lifeline Midwest, CJE SeniorLife, Hinda Institute, JCC Chicago, Jewish Neighborhood Development Council of Chicago, Keshet, Libenu, Midwest Refuah Health Center, No Shame On U, SHALVA, Sharsheret, Yachad Chicago
Partnering with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community.
In-Person Grief Support Group
This grief support group is for adults who have experienced the death of a loved-one within the past two years. The group will meet in person at Anshe Emet for six weeks starting November 21, 7-8:30pm.
Co-sponsored by Anshe Emet Synagogue, Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel, Mishkan Chicago, Chicago Sinai Congregation and Temple Sholom of Chicago.
Registration required and space is limited. Contact Leah Shefsky to register.
Resources for Parents and Caregivers
JCFS clinicians have gathered several resources with guidance about how to support children in the wake of tragedy (like the one in Israel).
How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War
Common Sense Media provides tips and conversation starters to help adults talk to students of different ages about the toughest topics.
These articles from the American Psychological Association can help adults and teachers guide young children and middle school-aged beyond fear to resilience.
Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children
Resilience in a Time of War: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children
We recognize that bad things can happen all the time and traumatic events impact everyone differently. JCFS communication and trauma focused specialists created a social story that can be edited to meet a person's specific needs.
A social story is a social learning tool developed to support the safe and meaningful exchange of information between parents, professionals and people with autism of all ages. These are great for individuals who are nonverbal communicators but can be very useful for EVERYONE.
We are providing two communication boards as well as an editable social story and a social story focused on the Israel Hamas War prepared by professionals at Keshet.
- AAC Boardmaker Yes_No
- Traumatic Event Communication Board
- JCFS Traumatic Event Social Story [Editable]
- Israel Hamas War Social Story
If you have any questions about how to process an event in your or a loved one's life, or need additional support, contact JCFS Chicago at 855.275.5237 or Ask@JCFS.org.
We're Here
to Help.
For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.
Here for the Community
October 9, 2023
The people impacted by the horror unfolding in Israel are colleagues, friends and family for many of us. It is hard to know what to do for them from here, but for now, we as a community can come together and support each other.
- JCFS Chicago is offering a warm line for anyone, anywhere looking for support. Call 855.275.5237 to talk with someone, including Hebrew-speaking emotional support professionals, between 9am and 5pm Monday through Thursday, 9am-4pm Fridays.
- Support for organizations, schools and synagogues interested in further services focused on healing through words of comfort, can call 855.275.5237 to request JCFS programming.
- JCFS clinicians have prepared several resources with guidance about how to support children in the wake of scary events (like the one in Israel).
Our hearts are breaking for those already lost, our friends, our colleagues, all innocent civilians, and, of course, the State of Israel.
The Jewish Federation of Chicago has opened the Israel Emergency Fund to funnel critical aid from our community to the Israeli people. If you’d like to show your support, you can make a donation to the Israel Emergency Fund.
We're Here
to Help.
For assistance or more information, call us at 855.275.5237 or email us at Ask@JCFS.org.
Pediatric Assistive Technologies
Increase your professional knowledge of and access to a variety of assistive technologies - both high and low tech. Led by staff from the Illinois Assistive Technology Program (AITP) and hosted by JCFS Chicago. You may register for one or more sessions. These free sessions are supported by a grant from SourceAmerica. Register today.
This in-person session will include a basic IATP overview with special focus on their ISBE program and include a hands-on device demonstration. Learn about sensory assistive technology evaluations and how to borrow things from the AITP Device Loan program. This session will take place at the JCFS Chicago office in Northbrook.
Kathy Abraham is the Director of Assistive Technology/Augmentative and Alternative Communication Evaluations at IATP. She has been a Speech Language Pathologist for over 30 years in a variety of settings.
Additional sessions:
Residential Assistive Technologies – Nov. 15, 2023
Vocational Assistive Technologies – Nov. 29, 2023
Vocational Assistive Technologies
Increase your professional knowledge of and access to a variety of assistive technologies - both high and low tech. Led by staff from the Illinois Assistive Technology Program (AITP) and hosted by JCFS Chicago. You may register for one or more sessions. These free sessions are supported by a grant from SourceAmerica. Register today.
This online session will include a basic IATP overview, with specific focus on vocational rehabilitation assistive technology evaluation services, device loan, blind and low vision technologies, mainstream device access, apps and organizational technologies. Case studies will be included.
Jessica Schuyler-Weir is the Training Manager for the Illinois Assistive Technology Program. She is a RESNA certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), and is near completion of a Master’s degree in Assistive Technology and Human Services from California State University, Northridge. For the past 15 years, she has worked closely with the state of Illinois’s Vocational Rehabilitation program completing over 1,000 assistive technology evaluations for Division of Rehabilitation Services customers with a wide variety of disabilities and vocational needs.
Additional sessions:
Residential Assistive Technologies – Nov. 15, 2023
Pediatric Assistive Technologies – Dec. 13, 2023
