JCFS Archives - Get Down To Business with Shalom Klein

Friends and Colleagues:

As we have shared on multiple occasions, Jewish Child and Family Services and the JUF / Jewish Federation has been investing in West Rogers Park with the construction and operation of the new Abe and Ida Cooper Center on Pratt and Kedzie. The new building is beautiful and joins the Joy Faith Knapp Children’s Center as a demonstration of the JUF / JCFS commitment to our neighborhood.

The leadership of JCFS, led by CEO Howard Sitron, have also been active participants in many of the Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park conversations on important advocacy initiatives and other community priorities.

Recently, JCFS completed another major change in West Rogers Park. Their tremendously important JCFS / JVS Access, Response Center and JVS Pharmacy Technician Programs have now been moved to a new home at 3033 W Touhy – right next to the Bernard Horwich JCC. I had the opportunity to tour the remodeled space, meet the leadership and see their programs and was very impressed.

There will be an open house at the brand-new location 3033 W. Touhy Ave., Chicago, IL – on Wednesday, February 22nd from 3:30 p – 5:30 p (extended time for Response only until 6:30 p). Kosher snacks will be provided and I would encourage the community to come out to learn about the services provided and wish JCFS mazel tov and thank them for their commitment to West Rogers Park.

Shabbat Shalom,

Shalom Klein

on behalf of the Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park

JCCWRP Family Event Features Fun for Kids, Neighborhood Advocacy, Mortgage Assistance and Enrichment Info For Moms and Dads

More than 400 WRP residents of all ages -but especially moms, dads and kids – enjoyed an afternoon of socializing and community building at Back-to-School Fun Day, Sunday, Aug. 31, on the grounds of the Bernard Horwich Center, sponsored by Jewish Community Council of West Rogers Park and Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago.

Featuring free rides for children including a moonwalk and rock-climbing wall, musical entertainment, door prizes, and food for purchase from Great Chicago Food & Beverage, the event provided a bounty of information from participating exhibitors on services and opportunities available in the neighborhood.

“Our goal was to connect community members to valuable – and little known — resources,” said JCCWRP Executive Director Shalom Klein.

JCCWRP informed guests of its mission to strengthen and preserve West Rogers Park as Chicago’s flagship Jewish neighborhood, providing a vehicle for advocacy for better amenities in the parks and a new public library; revitalization of commercial streets, and alleviating eye soars, like the blighted area behind Lincoln Village. To learn more about how community members can participate in efforts to become a force for positive change in the neighborhood, visit the JCCWRP website atwww.gowrp.org.

Among other highlights, Richard Trumbo, proprietor of Music House, located at 2925 W. Devon, delighted guests with a live mini-concert and answered questions from scores of parents about music lessons for kids (www.musichouseinc.com).

Devon Bank representatives shared information about a program developed in partnership with JCCWRP, providing financial assistance to qualified buyers to encourage home ownership. (Contact Irv Loundy, Senior VP, ILoundy@DevonBank.com.)

Jewish Child and Family Services staff explained the “safer schools” initiative, aimed to protect children from abuse in the day-school system. (Information is available athttp://www.jcfs.org/node/677)

A volunteer for Ald. Debra Silverstein’s office advised neighbors on how to utilize her constituent services to report crime, potholes, graffiti, worn-out refuse cans, and more (visitwww.50thWardChicago.com).

Akiba Schechter Day School (www.akibaschechter.org), Council for Jewish Elderly (www.cje.net/), Sinai Health System (www.sinai.org), and HIAS(www.hias.org) also participated in the event.

Co-sponsors included Jewish Community Centers of Chicago, Devon Bank, Ald. Debra Silverstein and State Sen. Ira Silverstein.