On July 20th, Jewish Family & Children's Services of Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill Community Food Pantry (SHCFP) revealed their dazzling new Tribute Wall, created by internationally known local artist James Simon. The Tribute Wall recognizes the donors who have helped SHCFP fulfill its mission through their generous financial support and aims to nurture hope in the hearts of those who rely on them for assistance. Visit the SHCFP Facebook page to view photos from the reveal at the community Open House! Click here to browse photos.



In cooperation with Repair the World: Pittsburgh and NCJW Pittsburgh Section, SHCFP recently launched a new volunteer garden in Squirrel Hill.
The Squirrel Hill Produce to Pantry Volunteer Garden, broke ground in early spring and provides fresh, locally-grown produce for clients at SHCFP. Volunteers from Repair the World: Pittsburgh have assisted SHCFP staff members in all areas of garden operations, from breaking ground and planting produce to community outreach and volunteer coordination and preparing for the garden's first harvests. To date, volunteers have planted and cultivated produce including green beans, tomatoes and other seasonal vegetables, which will all be distributed to clients at SHCFP along with their regular groceries. Read more here.

  

For the first time in history, there is a large influx of unaccompanied children arriving at a U.S. border, requiring an immediate and effective humanitarian response.

There is no question that the long-term solution is to increase safety and opportunity for children in Central America. But, in the meantime, their basic needs for safety, shelter and food must be met.



Just as important, their well-being must be at the heart of every policy decision U.S. officials make. Under both international and domestic law, children who have asylum claims cannot be returned to harm. Furthermore, they should not be expected to represent themselves in court to make their asylum claims. We do not allow children to face complex legal procedures alone under any other circumstances. Why allow it in these cases? Continue reading here.

Lee I. Sherman

President/CEO

I fear anti-Semitism. I fear anti-Semitism for me personally and for those I know and love. For the first time in my life, I fear anti-Semitism. For my entire life, I have been aware of anti-Semitism through the ages:  I have read accounts, I have seen photos. I grew up in the South, in a community with fewer than 10,000 Jews. I went to a high school where in my graduating class of 614, I was one of a dozen Jews. I heard anti-Semitic remarks, but I was never afraid. Today, I fear anti-Semitism.  I can see what's happening. I can feel the hate.

This week, we begin the reading of D'varim, the final book of Torah. The Israelites are so close to the Promised Land that they can smell it. Were they afraid to enter hostile territory and claim the land? I have no doubt. But, they had faith - in themselves and in God. Certainly, there were still tests to come, but by living the teachings of Torah they knew they would persevere.

I may harbor fears, but I know that by living our Jewish values all day, each day, we can continue to be a "light unto the nations." That is why the work of our Jewish social service agencies is so critical to perpetuating our community and establishing our continuing presence amongst our neighbors, locally and globally. The contributions of our agencies to people of all religions, races, and nationalities, even if they do not like us, bring justice to the world. It is our responsibility to bring justice to the world. Certainly, that should be enough to calm my fear.

Shabbat Shalom

The Art of Less As More: Micro Content

Visual.ly has published this really useful and free e-book on Micro Content. As our attention fragments and more and more of us are reading content on mobile devices, content creators are finding that the best way to engage audiences is with shorter, bite-sized chunks of content known as "Micro Content." Learn about micro content here.

Long standing professionals often forget for whom they work. They also tend to forget the importance of their role to nurture leadership and volunteerism. They forget the need to apologize to others, to admit they have erred. Continue reading about the structure of volunteer organizations here.