Give Your Child a Boost in Their Language and Thinking Skills This Summer

Summer doesn’t have to be a time for children to fall behind in their speech and language skills. Although school therapy sessions have ended, continued intervention with a speech therapist can maximize a child’s communication growth.

An intense 1-2 hours per week in a pediatric clinic during summer break can enhance their understanding of language, including following directions and improving their ability to express their thoughts.  These skills can help children relate better to friends and share information with their parents, in addition to providing a jump-start for the next school year.  

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Our Partners

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The Ark

The Ark offers free, comprehensive support to Chicagoland Jews facing physical, emotional, or financial challenges, helping over 5,000 people annually with services like healthcare, housing, food, employment, and more.

Associated Talmund Torahs of Chicago

Chicago is the only Jewish community in North America with a central agency dedicated exclusively to community-wide Torah education. For three generations, the ATT has partnered with schools, principals, teachers and parents to support education, funding and advocacy for Jewish day schools.

The Center for Enriched Living

The Center for Enriched Living exists so that people with developmental disabilities can be fully included in the community, achieve personal success, and enjoy a good quality of life.

Center for Independent Futures

CIF was founded in Evanston, Illinois, by Kay Branz and Jane Doyle, two women raising daughters with developmental disabilities. From their first meeting over 20 years ago, Kay and Jane together navigated the challenges of the school system and advocated for programs and experiences that would help prepare their children for the world beyond high school.

CJE SeniorLife

For over 50 years, CJE SeniorLife (CJE) has supported older adults and their families with services that promote dignity, independence, and quality of life—at home or in CJE communities.

ENCOMPASS

Encompass forges innovative partnerships among service providers and the community to make this—and much more—possible for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Guided by a philosophy of person-centered care and the principle that any planning should be done hand in hand with people with disabilities, not for them, Encompass seeks to provide adults with I/DD a full array of financially sustainable, community-based services and support.

EZRA

EZRA works to prevent homelessness, relieve hunger, reduce isolation, and ease other barriers to self-sufficiency. In addition, EZRA offers social activities and holiday celebrations to ensure that Jews who live in poverty remain actively connected to their heritage. EZRA is funded and administered by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. EZRA provides assistance to Jews and non-Jews.

The Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities

The Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities enables human service organizations to improve the lives of adults living with intellectual an developmental disabilities and strengthen their networks of support.

JCC Chicago

The journey begins with J.

Located at the intersection of Jewish and life, JCC Chicago is a life-affirming journey that builds on the richness and power of Jewish values. It begins wherever you are. In the greater Chicago area. And life.

Jewish United Fund

The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago is the one organization that impacts every aspect of local and global Jewish life, providing human services for Jews and others in need, creating Jewish experiences and strengthening Jewish community connections.

Keshet

Keshet is the premier provider of educational, recreational, vocational and social programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities operating according to traditional Jewish values. 

MISSD

MISSD (The Medication-Induced Suicide Prevention and Education Foundation in Memory of Stewart Dolin) is dedicated to honoring the memory of Stewart and other victims of akathisia by raising awareness and educating the public about the dangers of akathisia.

No Shame on U

No Shame on U is dedicated to eliminating the stigma associated with mental health conditions and raising awareness in the Jewish community and beyond. 

SHALVA

SHALVA provides culturally competent support for the Jewish community around domestic abuse. Survivors over 18 in Illinois who identify as Jewish—or have a Jewish partner—can access free, confidential counseling. If you’re concerned about an intimate relationship, call 773-583-HOPE (4673).

Upward Community
Upward Community

Since 2008, Upward Community has supported the Chicago Jewish community with mental health services, including school-based prevention programs, enrichment activities, and clinical care such as therapy and group counseling for children, teens, and young adults.

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Board & Leadership

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The Impact Noisy Toys Have on Children

Does it ever seem like some toys are just too noisy? The sounds that many infant and children’s toys make are loud enough to reach hazardous levels. As cited in an article for Advance Healthcare Network for Speech & Hearing , 200 toys were recently tested and 98% of them measured at sound levels greater than 85 decibels at arms’ length.  That level of noise has the same impact as being near an airplane when it takes off.  White noise machines also exceed healthy hearing levels; some even exceed safe levels for adults. This type of exposure can put a child at risk for noise induced hearing loss.

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Yoga for a Healthy Night's Sleep

by Sara Zryl, M.A. Pre-Doctoral Psychology Intern

Let her sleep-For when she wakes- She will move mountains-― Napoléon Bonaparte

Feeling overtired? You can improve sleep patterns just by adding some Zen into your life. It is not uncommon, every so often, to feel run down, overtired, less motivated or fatigued. If this occurs on a day to day basis, you may experience difficulty sleeping throughout the night. Sleep health is a relatively new field of study that examines how we sleep and what factors impact sleep. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention  provides sleep guidelines from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2013). The amount of sleep recommended changes as we age; however, individual sleep needs vary.

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Feeding & Swallowing Therapy: One Mother's Experience with Our Team

The speech-language, occupational and developmental therapists and social workers at the Integrated Pediatric Therapies program at JCFS Chicago work with infants, toddlers and children who are experiencing developmental delays.

These early childhood experts are passionate about working with the entire family—child, parents, siblings and family as a whole—not only to ensure the therapies are consistently worked into daily family life, but to address related issues that arise from raising or living with a child with a delay or disability. We love to share how their passion translates into real life stories of success and hope. Here is one mother’s experience, in her own words…

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Infertility: a Scriptural Perspective

By Rabbi Joseph S. Ozarowski, Rabbinic Counselor and Chaplain, JCFS Chicago

I have been part of a work group that is planning a conference called “The Journey of Infertility .” Some think this conference “path-breaking” or “revolutionary,” but this issue is not new. The challenges of infertility go back to the Torah itself.

In Judaism children are seen as a blessing, as a means of continuing our faith and people. When this proves difficult, the burden can be heavy. 

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Employees of New Kosher Mariano’s Learn about Orthodox Judaism

Rabbi David Rosenberg, the JCFS Chicago Liaison with the Orthodox Jewish community, presented a cultural sensitivity training session on February 10 to educate the employees of Mariano’s™ new kosher store about the Orthodox Jewish community.

Rabbi Rosenberg’s presentation closely followed a job fair conducted for the same store by JVS Career & Employment, which is allied with JCFS Chicago. JVS Career & Employment had awarded Mariano’s™ their 2014 Employer of the Year Award and has worked closely with the grocery chain to help place employees with disabilities in Mariano’s™ stores.

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DCFS Cook County Permanency Enhancement Project Steering Committee

In August of 2014, Angelo Militello of the JCFS Skokie Office was asked to co-chair the DCFS Cook County Permanency Enhancement Project Steering Committee. This committee meets The Illinois Permanency Enhancement Project (PEP) began in 2007 as a partnership between IDCFS, the African American Family Commission, the IDCFS African American Advisory Council and Illinois State University, School of Social Work/Center for Adoption Studies. The goal of the initiative is to improve permanency outcomes and reduce racial disproportionality within the child welfare system, through local, community-driven solutions. Community “Action Teams” made up of child welfare service consumers, human service professionals, educators, judicial officers, and concerned citizens, meet on a monthly basis to develop programs, policies, and collaborative initiatives aimed at improving permanency outcomes for children.

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Technology and the Orthodox Community

Everywhere you look, people’s eyes are glued to the screens of their smartphones, iPods and tablets. Commuters on the El or customers waiting in line with their shopping carts at their local Jewel-Osco are scrolling and tapping their hand-held devices—texting, surfing, emailing, gaming, posting and shopping. The Orthodox Jewish community is by no means immune to this digital invasion and it is grappling with how to adhere to Jewish laws in the ubiquitous landscape of technology.

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