STAY CONNECTED
by Kay Kornmeier, CJFS President Elect I have been a donor to the CJFS Friends Campaign since 2016, when I first learned about CJFS. As I have become more involved and learned more about the work we do, I am always impressed that CJFS finds a way to say ‘yes’ when people need help. Whether […]
by Caleigh Rathmell Alevy, LMSW As I exchange pleasantries with a passerby, my children often ask, “Who was that?” Their curiosity never gets old. Sometimes, the person is a friend and I explain how I know them; but often it’s a “stranger” and I’m simply acknowledging them with a wave or a smile and a […]
. At some point in college or my early twenties, my grandmother gifted me a scrapbook full of poems, stories, cartoons, and musings, all of which had spoken to her at different times in her life. I like to think it encouraged me to start gathering my own pieces which I have saved in my […]
by Amy Neiman, LMSW I told myself that 2024 would be less stressful. Seriously. I had a conversation with myself while I was walking my dogs. I was going to be more organized. I was going to plan out dinners for the week. I was going to walk these dogs every day – rain or […]
By Mark Driskill, LICSW-S I remember watching cartoons as a child and seeing one in which a character had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Each of these was trying to influence the main character to behave in a particular way. Sometimes I remember this when I talk to clients […]
by Executive Director, Lauren Schwartz, MSW This is a time of uncertainty, fear, anger, pain, and sadness. The shock and brutality of the Hamas attacks have left our Jewish community in a state of emotional crisis. Regardless of the degrees of separation we have from that attack, we are–all of us–affected and are trying to […]
By Amy Neiman, LMSW We have all experienced the signs of ANXIETY when facing an intimidating or challenging situation: sweaty hands, heart beating faster or butterflies in the stomach. These feelings are sometimes referred to as “stage fright”, “nerves” or “anticipation.” Scientifically, it is our body’s physical reaction to the stress of the unknown. At […]
By Cynthia Bryant, LICSW You’re attending, or maybe hosting, a holiday party or family dinner – yay! Or is it nay? Holidays, and the way we anticipate them, can be complicated. We may generally look forward to catching up with friends and family. And yet, the most delightful gathering can be dampened when someone behaves in a way we perceive as crude, unkind, overbearing or provocative. With some people, these moments can even be predictable … and […]
