For Parkinson's Patients, Tremble Clefs Offer Therapy Through Song
Click here to access Senior Resource Connect and stay current on the latest trends in older adult services.
AJFCA launched our new older adult services website, Senior Resource Connect this summer. The website aims to leverage the expertise of Jewish family services agencies assisting older adults in the community, increase referrals to member agency programs, streamline referrals between agencies, and act as an information hub on all matters of senior services.
Share this great news with your community.
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AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS
Erica Saum Acknowledged for Contributions to Human Trafficking Event
Erica Saum, LMSW, Senior Director of Family Life and Wellness Services at Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit was recognized on November 13th for her contributions to a two-day event on human trafficking held last year by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. 
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JCFS Winnipeg Organizing Aid Effort for Beleaguered Yazidi Community
Efforts on the parts of a wide range of Jewish community groups to provide assistance to certain refugee groups in the Middle East have moved to a new level. While plans are still being formulated, and not all the groups that have indicated a willingness to get involved in one way or another seem to know how it is that they might contribute, we are able to report movement in a number of areas. Foremost among these is the incredibly successful fundraising effort initiated by the newly formed group, Winnipeg Friends of Israel, that has resulted in over $120,000 being donated toward the specific cause of bringing in Yazidi refugee families who are currently confined to camps in Turkey. Continue reading here.
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Make Twice the Difference
Last year, more than 27,000 organizations in 68 countries came together to celebrate #GivingTuesday, which has inspired world-wide giving and generosity.  This year all donations made to Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles on #GivingTuesday, December 1st, will be generously matched. That means your gift will make twice the difference in helping those in need! Watch JFS's video here.
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Raleigh-Cary JFS Senior Connections
Raleigh-Cary Jewish Family Service's Senior Connections program provides social work services to older adults and their families including assessment of needs, development of a plan to meet these needs, exploring options with a focus on quality aging, as well as linking older adults to resources to maintain their highest level of independence and dignity while remaining safe. Visit AJFC's Marketing Bank to view their brochure
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The Voice and Vision for Stronger Communities
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D'Var Torah
Lee I. Sherman
President/CEO
Sometimes you just have to shake your head, drop your jaw, and gaze in wonderment. I know that Art Linkletter said that "Kids say the darndest things!" But, kids are nothing compared to adults, particularly adults with a microphone. Politicians, Hollywood celebrities, athletes, and other media stars just can't keep from revealing to us that they truly have no understanding of a variety of things they insist on commenting about. What could help them to give more consideration prior to opening their mouths?
This week's parashah, Va-Yeishev, begins the Joseph narrative with the familiar story of Joseph's vicious treatment by his brothers. The story begins with Joseph's revelation to his father and brothers of two dreams easily transparent as conveying that all of his family occupy an inferior position to him. Not only are his brothers angry, but his father, Jacob, berates him for sharing his dreams. What was Joseph thinking? Not long after, Jacob does something quite surprising. Knowing how the other brothers feel about Joseph, Jacob, nonetheless, sends him to Shechem to check up on the brothers and their flocks. What was Jacob's agenda?
Jacob clearly knew that Joseph was foolish to share his dreams with his family. But, Jacob understood that Joseph's poor decision-making was a result of his lack of understanding of his brothers and the world they occupied. Joseph had been favored, pampered. So, Jacob sent Joseph to Shechem to gain a better understanding of who is brothers were, of what they do and are about. Joseph, or any of us, must not feel superior just because of the environment in which we were born, we need to understand the other before we categorize or demonize. Perhaps if those who spout off in the media without pausing for thought gave a little more time to understanding those they feel compelled to speak about, we would all have more time to learn about each other.
Shabbat Shalom.
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Mazon Kicks Off Year 2 of Solutions to Senior Hunger Initiative 
In response to the escalating number of seniors struggling to put food on the table, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger has launched the second year of its senior hunger initiative to help low-income, food-insecure seniors get the vital nutrition assistance they need. More specifically, Solutions to Senior Hunger™, which is conducted in partnership with the AJFCA and generously funded by the Walmart Foundation, is designed to reduce the barriers that keep vulnerable seniors from enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Learn more here.
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Join JFNA/JCPA for a Teleconference on Human Trafficking with the Polaris Project 
Interested agencies are invited to join a teleconference, hosted by The Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, on anti-human trafficking efforts. Keeli Sorensen, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy at the Polaris Project, a leading anti-human trafficking organization, will discuss national and state policies addressing sex and labor trafficking.
Tuesday, December 8th - 3pm ET
If you are interested in joining this call, please RSVP to Liz Leibowitz, AJFCA Director of Government Affairs.
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United States Department of Labor Proposed Regulations on Overtime Pay
It is reported that the United States Department of Labor will delay the implementation and may make some modest changes to the final regulations on overtime pay. According to DOL officials, the earliest they expect to issue final regulations will be late 2016 (toward the end of the Obama Administration). DOL is currently wading through over 250,000 comments on the proposed regulations. There is speculation that the salary threshold may be lowered slightly from the $50,400 proposal. Representatives from the charitable community have been attempting to set a meeting with senior DOL officials to discuss the implications of the proposed rules on the sector.
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TRENDS in AGENCY PROGRAMMING
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A Lesson for Team Leaders from the Ship of Theseus 
Many of the people walking the halls of your building are stuck believing that they just are who they are - and like the boards on Theseus's Ship, they will continue to sail and endure storms and eventually will see their skills or performance begin to deteriorate. As a leader it is your job to provide opportunities for growth and inspire them to renew themselves. Continue reading here. |
The Power of Shared Purpose: A Core Concept of Extraordinary Small Nonprofits 
Size and impact are not always correlated as far as nonprofits are concerned. There is always something impressive about a small nonprofit that punches well above its weight class. What creates that kind of magic? Read the entire article here.
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AJFCA MEMBER NEWS & BENEFITS
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Agency Showcase: Engaging Young Adults in the Work of Your Organization
Young Adults, ages 21-39, want to make a meaningful, direct impact on their community. This webinar, presented at AJFCA's 2015 Annual Conference, will feature a panel of AJFCA member agencies sharing how they involve this sought after demographic. Discover how member agencies have found success (and failure) in engagement through volunteer opportunities, social programming, leadership development, advocacy, board appointment and philanthropy. Learn how to effectively collaborate in executing an ambitious calendar of diverse events that balances volunteer leaderships' aspirations with agency goals, limited resources and staff time availability.
Presenters:
Ashley Harrington, Manager, Public Affairs & Young Adult Initiatives, JFS San Diego
Melanie Blumental, Board Member/Volunteer, JFS Greater Cincinnati
Sandee Golden, Food Pantry & Volunteer Program Manager, JFS Greater Cincinnati
Marian Mendelsohn, Director, Special Projects, JCS South Florida
Hinda Adler, JCS Alliance Co-Chair, JCS South Florida
Laura Raiffe, JCS Alliance Co-Chair, JCS South Florida
Engaging Young Adults in the Work of Your Organization
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The Impact of Changing Legislation & Court De cisions on Supports for Individuals with Disabilities
As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark civil rights legislation, and the 40th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, we are experiencing a rapidly changing landscape shifting to the alignment of policies, best practices, and funding that promote accountability and outcomes consistent with the goals of the ADA. During this webinar, Allan Bergman, a nationally recognized thought leader and expert in disability policy and practice with over 40 years of experience, will highlight the following substantive policy changes complemented by national and state data on best practice, and discuss the impact on the provision of services and supports:
- Title II of the ADA and funding services in the "most integrated setting" and how that differs from "least restrictive environment";
- The Olmstead Supreme Court decisions and subsequent federal court decisions;
- The Melville Supportive Housing Act and Section 811 funding;
- The separation of housing from supports and Medicaid funding for supported living
- Medicaid funding and Integrated Employment, the Medicaid "settings" rule, and Medicaid rules on person-centered planning and "informed choice";
- Employment First and the myth of losing benefits; and,
- Closing the "front door" to sheltered workshops through the Workforce Innovations and Opportunities Act (WIOA)
The Impact of Changing Legislation & Court Decisions on Supports for Individuals with Disabilities
Wednesday, December 16th - 1 pm EST - REGISTER HERE
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Giving More Than Money 
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How to Get More Donors With Your Nonprofit Website 
Dear nonprofits of the world: Is your website helping you increase donations to your cause? Many nonprofits often find themselves in a catch-22. You need a better website, but you don't have the budget to improve it. And you're not raising as much money as you could be because you need a better website. Read the entire article here. |
Your Plan at a Glance: Visual Communications for  Strategic Planning
Infographics are all the rage these days, and not just because they're pretty. The popularity of infographics reflects some core truths that nonprofit communicators know well:
- Your supporters want information that's easy to understand
- People are bombarded by messages, and there's limited time to grab and keep their attention
- Humans process visuals much easier and faster than text
- Images and graphics are more memorable than words
Learn more here.
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Click here to learn more about Sharsheret's Best Face Forward kit (addressing the cosmetic side effects of treatment), and how to share it with the women you serve. #SharsheretPrograms
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