April 15 - JFS Weekly Insider

WEEKLY Insider

Welcome to the updated Weekly Insider!

We value your feedback and welcome any suggestions to enhance our offering.

UPCOMING TIME OFF

Change in timecard approvals. - With JFS offices being closed on Tuesday 04.23.24 payroll will need to change its processing timeline. All employees and management will need to have their timecards approved for the Friday 04.26.24 pay date no later than 3pm on Friday 04.19.24. Please plan accordingly.

APRIL 15TH

A PASSAGE ON PASSOVER

By: Rabbi Yonina Foster

When have you been in a narrow place? What did that feel like? Maybe it was a relationship that didn't feel quite right, or a job that didn't allow you to shine (of course, not at JFS!) or the place you were living was too small Many narrow places exist in our lives. We have to become aware of them to make a change, to then improve our situations, and create something with more breadth. Sometimes it means leaving one place for another. Why is Rabbi bringing this up now? Because of Passover. Passover? Indeed. That's part of the story. This year Passover begins the night of Monday April 22nd, in the Hebrew month of Nisan, the beginning of the 14th day. It lasts through Tuesday April 30th, or Nisan 21st.

We were slaves in Egypt, "Mitzrayim," which we translate as "narrow places." Narrow places existed and still do. Then we cried out in pain and God heard us and remembered the relationship promised to our ancestors. God determines through Moses to redeem, rescue us, and take us out, to serve as free people It's a message for our lives today as we continue to cry out from narrow places. Some of your clients share stories of those narrow places and what it took to come to America. In ancient days we had to leave the confines of slavery to become free people and create places of justice with a moral compass for something new. We complained, celebrated, made mistakes, and continue to strive towards justice and freedom. That's only part of the Passover story. Look for more in the next Insider.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN COMMUNITY EDUCATION?

By: Anthony DiGesare, Adult Education Specialist

When JFS set out to begin offering ESL, considering there are plenty of free resources across the city, we wanted to be sure we were offering things that were needed, and not already offered someplace else With that, I am excited to update everyone on a couple of our recent achievements. We have made a deal with Erie1Boces for them to offer English classes at The Meadows to residents every Monday and Wednesday evening from 5:308:30PM. They are also offering classes that are open to the wider public every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:00AM-12:00PM. Feedback has been great so far, and these classes will go on in perpetuity. This was key, of course, since travel from The Meadows can be difficult.

Through HIAS, we obtained licenses for an online learning program called EnGen, which helps language learners focus on a specific topic and take courses in their own time. I am currently teaching a course called “English for Healthcare Professionals ” I have multiple doctors, two nurses, an EMT and a young woman who wishes to become a CNA all taking courses specific to their interests on their own through Engen. Then, we meet every Thursday evening on ZOOM to discuss what everyone has learned during their independent study. We are currently working on bus training for clients, an English language course focused on vocabulary for driving, and a program that would connect clients who cannot easily attend classes – stay at home mothers for instance –with volunteers who will study one on one in the home or through video conference. I will update everyone soon, but, in the meantime please contact me if you have any questions about ESL or adult education.

ARE YOU READY TO HAVE A MATZAH BALL?

Thank you to staff who have already reached out to volunteer and/or purchase tickets for our upcoming Matzah Ball on Thursday, May 16, 2024 at Temple Beth Zion.

If you would like to attend the event as a guest, we are happy to offer staff and one guest a discounted general admission ticket ($25/ each). Please use code JFSSTAFF25 at checkout. (PLEASE NOTE: this is a new staff code. if you purchased a ticket with the original staff code, please reach out to Lauren Maguire, lmaguire@jfswny.org)

Megan Wolfe, 4/17 Psychosocial Support

Renee Fearon, 4/20 Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Suzanne Smith, 4/20 Mental Health Therapist

Catholic Charities of Buffalo is inviting all JFS staff to participate in a relatively new community and TRP initiative, Book Club!

The book will be: ‘The spirit catches you & you fall down’ by Anne Fadiman. In this nonfiction work, Fadiman tells a compelling story of the clash of two cultures as experienced by a newly arrived refugee family, the Lee’s, a Hmong refugee family arriving in the US in the 1990’s. The Lee’s youngest daughter is diagnosed with a rare form of Epilepsy and the family must navigate the US medical system as they try to heal their daughter using traditional medicine.

If you’re interested in attending, here are additional details.

When: Friday April 19th 2024; 11:30am to 12:30pm

Location: Canisius University at the Library Learning Center

The Library Learning center is located in the Bouwhuis Library (C on their map). There is a small tower lot right next to the library (marked with an arrow), but it can hold maybe 15 cars maximum. Visitors can also park along Main Street in front of Science Hall (N on their map)

Please RSVP to Brittany Book brittany.book@ccwny.org

SIGN UP FOR JFS COMMITTEES

To sign up for committees, contact the following people:

Employee Engagement: Meghan Stith (mstith@jfswny.org) or Kara Kane (kkane@jfswny.org)

Health & Wellness: Meghan Stith (mstith@jfswny.org) or AJ Martha (amartha@jfswny.org)

JEDI, Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion: Sierra Johnston (sjohnston@jfswny.org) or Danielle Bernas (dbernas@jfswny org)

Safety: Todd Warfield (twarfield@jfswny.org)

SUBMIT YOUR PET PHOTOS!

May is National Pet Month and in anticipation, we want to see all of your pets! Submit as many photos as you'd like of you and your furry friends to be featured in the May Monthly Insider. If you're having technical difficulties uploading through the form, please email your submission(s) to Madison Ruffo.

Show us your pets!

Come to our first PRIDE Committee meeting!

Come join your colleagues in celebrating PRIDE by attending our first committee meeting of this year!

When: This Thursday, April 18 at 11:45 a.m.

Where: Zoom

If you’re interested in joining the committee or attending the meeting, please RSVP to Madison Ruffo.

Insider Contributors:

Madison Ruffo

Megan Brenner-Zwara

Kara Kane

Kelly Brown

Lauren Maguire

Molly Carr

Megan Wolfe

Rabbi Yonina Foster

Patty Hoyt

Dee Howell

Anthony DiGesare

Nikki Ronan

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