Now is not the time to reduce Jewish Family Services ability
to meet the needs of our community - by Geremy Miller
May 11, 2009, Ottawa Jewish Bulletin

On May 1st, 2009 Jewish Family Services of Ottawa will be launching its annual “Friends of JFS” campaign which helps fund several of the agency’s innovative programs. These programs help connect members of our community to vital services. “This year brings its own set of challenges,” said Mark Zarecki, Executive Director of Jewish Family Services, “Our clients are the most important thing to us. Despite the economic crisis and the loss of approximately $50,000 of funding from the Jewish Community we are committed to maintaining the quality of service that we provide to our clients.”

Zarecki stated emphatically, “Now is not the time to cut our budget and scale back on our services! Our clients and the community need us more than ever. From counselling to crisis intervention, from Miriam’s Well and the Tikvah Program, to our Employment workshops and resources, JFS is seeing record number of new and returning clients. Now is not the time to reduce our ability to meet the needs of our community.”

From the funds raised through the ‘Friends of JFS’ campaign, JFS has continued to provide the essential and innovative programs that continue to engage and assist their clients in strengthening their Jewish identity as well as strengthen communal life in both the Jewish and greater Ottawa communities.

Two programs that are being funded through last year’s ‘Friends of JFS’ campaign are the JOLT (Jewish Immigrant Aid Service Opportunity Leadership Training) and the Jewish Connection programs. The JOLT program has had a successful start with over a dozen participants who have emigrated from Russia, beginning to connect to Ottawa’s Jewish Community for the first time and reconnecting to their Jewish heritage.

The Jewish Connection Program, which is funded solely through JFS, is designed to afford people the opportunity to connect to the Jewish community through innovative and quality programs. Erica Bregman, an Ottawa native, is the program coordinator and is looking forward to the challenges of this new position. “Jewish Family Services’ recognizes the need to create avenues and opportunities for people to connect to the Jewish community.” Bregman says, “The Jewish community has grown a lot from when I grew up here. If we can build connections with these new people in our city we will be able to create a stronger and more vibrant Jewish community.”

Jewish Family Services has become the premiere social service agency in the city, but they have not done this alone. Zarecki makes it a point to acknowledge all the donors and funders throughout the years. “It is reassuring to the board, professionals, and clients of our agency that our donors care enough about the work we do and financially support it. It is because of this trust that we have been able to grow and expand, becoming the premier social service agency in Ottawa.”

Despite the economic forecasts, Jewish Family Services is optimistic that their donors will recognize the importance of the services and programs that are provided to the community. JFS is confident that both current and potential funders will embrace and encourage the agency’s mandate with their financial support of the “Friends of JFS” campaign.

To donate to and become a “Friends of JFS” please contact their offices at
613-722-2225 or go to www.jfsottawa.com/donate .

Return to top