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Editorial, Ottawa Jewish Bulletin
by Jack Shinder, July 29 2009
During the past 18 months
as Chairperson of Jewish Family Services (JFS) the agency
has developed into the premiere social service agency in Ottawa.
Our Anti-racism program has been acclaimed. Our mentoring
of ethnic communities is lauded from coast to coast. We are
recognized as a leader and innovator by the federal, provincial,
and municipal governments as well as the United Way.
Despite our successes, JFS
is still facing many challenges. We continue to fight an uphill
battle to ensure adequate funding for our Jewish clientele;
Jewish seniors, immigrants, unemployed and low income individuals
and families.
It is especially troubling
to me that during this period of economic chaos where we have
seen an exponential increase in demand for our services, our
budget has been dramatically slashed.
JFS was forced to reduce
their annual direct assistance to a fraction of what it was.
Both large families as well as single parents with two or
more children have been adversely affected, forcing them to
reprioritize their spending to ensure they will have food
on their tables.
Our employed clients,
whom are in low paying or part time jobs, cannot earn enough
to meet their basic needs and yet, are ineligible for any
social assistance, will see their monthly JFS allocations
reduced. While our clients whose annual income is within $1000
of the Low Income Cut Off, the poverty line, will no longer
be receiving any financial support from JFS.
What, as a community, can
we do?
We need to look at other
Jewish communities and their responses to the economic crisis.
In Montreal, Ometz (formerly
Jewish Family Services of Montreal), recognizes the effect
of the crisis on the vulnerable. Their community now offers
two free kosher meals a week to assists those that are finding
it a challenge to keep food in their kitchens. In addition,
due to the astronomical cost of Passover food this past year,
they sponsored several Passover Seders throughout their city,
including one on their premises.
Toronto’s Jewish Family
and Children Services have handed out in excess of $12 million
in direct assistance and saw over 2,000 clients. They understand
the spiraling effect that poverty has on the individual, the
family, and most importantly on children. Poverty affects
a child’s ability to succeed in school, it disrupts the stability
in their home, and hinders their ability to participate in
Jewish education, camps and youth groups.
The Toronto Jewish Community
is urging people to advocate for the eradication of poverty
by signing petitions, witting letters to city councilors and
provincial and federal representatives.
The Jewish Federation of
Philadelphia created a Centre for Social Responsibility that
focuses on hunger relief, the elderly, and the impoverished
while maintaining their commitment to their ongoing programs.
Philadelphia is committed to funding and enhancing services
for the chronic poor, the low income, the senior living in
their own homes, and creating social action projects to help
the Jewish vulnerable while engaging Jewish volunteers and
building Jewish identity.
As other communities have
recognized the importance of their family services agencies,
JFS in Ottawa has been forced to reduce their services. Jewish
Federation of Ottawa needs to recognize that JFS is an essential
agency to the wellbeing of our Community. A “Made in Ottawa”
solution can be coordinated by JFS with the support of Federation
to address the economic crisis and ensure all members of our
community are able to continue to receive the assistance that
they require.
Regardless
where in the world Jews have faced crises, the Ottawa Community
has leapt to their assistance.
We must do no less when our
neighbours at home are in crisis.
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