AJFCA Newsletter
In This Issue
ADVOCACY
NEWS & TRENDS in AGENCY PROGRAMMING
AJFCA MEMBER NEWS & BENEFITS
BOARD RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING
PARTNERS & SPONSORS
AJFCA Links
INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
&
THE AJFCA NETWORK



On January 27th, Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati promoted 
International Holocaust Remembrance Day on their Facebook page, via Twitter and in their monthly email sent to nearly 8,000 recipients.

JFS Cincinnati spent $5 to boost the International Holocaust Remembrance Day post for one day on Facebook and the response was amazing. In a day it reached 9,975 people, and got 586 likes, 37 comments, and 163 shares. And, 15 more likes to their page.  Great engagement around a topic of critical importance. 
 
JFS cincinnati  
On January 27th we remembered the brave victims of the Holocaust and the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp, by Soviet troops, in 1945.

What did your agency share with your community about this international day of remembrance. Did a member of your agency write a blog or organize a program? Please share your work with the network by emailing Megan.
AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS
 
Celebration of International Diversity in Squirrel Hill

jfcs pittsburgh  
This February, Jewish Family & Children's Service of Pittsburgh is partnering with several Squirrel Hill organizations and the Chinese community of greater Pittsburgh to invite all Pittsburghers to a two week celebration of the Lunar New Year.  

This year's Lunar New Year is also known as the Year of the Red Fire Monkey. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public and will ring in the Lunar New Year with cultural performances, demonstrations in Asian arts and crafts, a parade and a taste of authentic flavors from Squirrel Hill's acclaimed Asian restaurants and eateries.


 
"JF&CS is looking forward to being a partner in bringing Pittsburghers together to celebrate Squirrel Hill's incredible international diversity," said Jordan Golin, Chief Operating Officer at JF&CS. "Many people think of Squirrel Hill as the 'Jewish neighborhood' of Pittsburgh, but Squirrel Hill is also home to a growing and diverse Asian population, so it's only fitting that we should come together to host this important and exciting cultural celebration." 
Meet the Refugees Living in America
 
 
The ongoing global refugee crisis continues to draw attention to the experiences of refugees and what it is like to start life over in a new country. Jewish Family & Community Services of East Bay's Director of Refugee & Immigrant Services, Amy Weiss, was recently featured in a Huffington Post article detailing some of these stories. 

Learn more about their Refugee Resettlement and LGBT Refugee Services programs on their website.
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Last month, Executive Director Avi Rose was featured in KQED Radio's Perspective series, speaking about the moral imperative to welcome refugees. "Now is the time for us to act on the best of our values." Listen here. 



  Visit 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.
 
 
January 29, 2016  
About AJFCA | News
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Annual Conference | Job Postings
The Voice and Vision for Stronger Communities
  
family 

D'Var Torah 
 
Lee I. Sherman 
President/CEO
 
We had a lot of snow last week. From late Friday afternoon to early Sunday morning, 30 inches fell in Baltimore. The fact that the storm coincided with Shabbat intrigues me. There is nothing more Shabbat-inducing than 30 inches of snow. Traffic was non-existent. Businesses were closed. People enjoyed time with their families. And there was plenty of quiet time for reflection. Baltimore - welcome to our world. 

This week in parashah Yitro, we read the Ten Commandments, perhaps none of which changed the world more than "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." Thomas Cahill in his book The Gifts of the Jews expressed a number of different "gifts" that Judaism has given to the broader world. Among them was that no ancient society before the Jews had a day of rest. God's gift of Shabbat to the Jews was, in turn, the Jews gift to the world.

In our modern society, the concept of a day of rest has been lost for many. Businesses are open 7 days a week, some for 24 hours each day. We work constantly and never get away from our electronic media. Except for Shabbat. And, those wonderful times when a snow storm forces us to take a break from the routine, slow down, and perhaps get a little rest (until the shoveling begins).

Enjoy your Shabbat.
ADVOCACY
JPRO Network MLK Webinar 
Join JPRO Network, for a thought provoking webinar in honor of Black History Month and continuing concerns for social justice. David Eisner, Repair the World CEO and Cheryl Cook, AVODAH Jewish Corps CEO will discuss "Is Social Justice at Work?".

Is Social Justice at Work?
Thursday, February 4th - 2pm EST - REGISTER HERE  
Funding Opportunity: Inclusive Transportation Planning Grants
Your organization can now apply for a new round of ACL-funded demonstration grants. The grants seek to make transportation more responsive to the needs of people with disabilities and older adults by giving consumers a voice in the design and implementation of coordinated transportation systems. Learn more about the grants (Application deadline: March 18th) and the conference call on January 27th here. 
Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month &
 Jewish Disability Awareness Day
February 2016
Learn more about Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month (JDAIM), which takes place in February and Jewish Disability Awareness Day (JDAD), held on February 10th here. Contact Liz Woodward regarding JDAIM and Elizabeth Leibowitz regarding JDAD.

Upcoming webinars of interest can be found on AJFCA's Calendar. 
NEWS & TRENDS in AGENCY PROGRAMMING
Using Social Media in Nonprofit Talent Acquisition  bridgespan
Attracting talented people to your organization can be competitive. This is especially true at the senior and leadership levels, where nonprofits are vying for top talent with both other nonprofits and the corporate sector. Used well, however, social media tools can help lift your search above the fray and provide a valuable way to find the talent your organization needs. Learn more here.
AJFCA MEMBER NEWS & BENEFITS
2016 AJFCA Annual Conference Awards  

AJFCA's 2016 Awards' Guidelines are now available. All award submissions are due on Friday, February 12th.
  • KOVOD Award
    • Agency Video
    • Replicable Programming in the area of:
      • Disabilities Services
      • Behavioral Health Services
      • Holocaust Survivor Support Services
  • Leadership Award
  • Distinguished Service Award
  • Joseph S. Kaplan Memorial Scholarship 
Click here to learn more about the 2016 Annual Conference. Contact Megan with questions.  

REGISTRATION COMING SOON!
Domestic Violence Professionals Call:  The Impact of Feminine Norms on Young Jewish Girls
Domestic violence professionals are invted to join a webinar presented by Riki Wilchins, Executive Director of True Child. Riki has been working on a project for JWF-NY and JWF-Chi with support from the Dobkin Family Foundation about the impact of feminine norms on young Jewish girls. Decades of research has shown that when girls buy into rigid gender ideals, they have markedly lower life outcomes in areas like leadership, health, body image, and economic security. Jewish girls have long been known to be a vulnerable population in this regard, but studies totally ignore them, and most programs omit a strong, specific focus on feminine norms. After interviewing parents, providers, and girls, Riki is working on a piloting a new mini-curriculum that programs and parents could adopt. (Note:  All welcome. This maybe of particular interest to counseling staff.)

The Impact of Feminine Norms on Young Jewish Girls
Tuesday, February 9th - 2pm ET - REGISTER HERE
Purchasing Point: New Program Vendor 
WageWorks is a leading on-demand provider of Consumer-Directed Benefits (CDBs) in the United States. CDBs are tax-advantaged programs for consumer-directed health, commuter, and other employee spending account benefits. WageWorks administers and operates a broad array of benefits, including:
  • Dependent care and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
  • Health savings accounts (HSAs)
  • Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs)
  • Commuter benefits, such as transit and parking programs
Your employees and their families will save money by using pre-tax dollars to pay for their qualified expenses, and as an employer, you can benefit financially through reduced payroll taxes!

Contact Kaitlyn Hudgins with questions about participating in PurchasingPoint, a complimentary AJFCA member benefit that is sure to save your agency money.
BOARD RESOURCES
Make Your Mission Matter  board source
Can your board members recite your organization's mission statement? Does it represent who you are and what you do? Use this quick refresher to ignite a conversation with your board about the single most important statement your organization makes. Read the entire article here.  
DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING
2016 Nonprofit Communications Trends  nonprofit marketing guide
Are you curious how your nonprofit's marketing stacks up against your peers? Which marketing channels are most important to your peers? Do you share the same challenges faced by your peers? All of these questions are answered in the Nonprofit Marketing Guides' 2016 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. Read more here.
PARTNERS & SPONSORS
Will Workshop 
Weinstock Friedman & Friedman, your LegalShield Provider, is excited to welcome you to participate in their next Will Workshop.

Will Workshop - Thursday, February 11th - 12pm ET 

Phone: 559-546-1230

Participant Code: 559686

Meeting ID: 566-184-914


Please contact Reginald Gant Jr with questions.
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