JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES

Annual Report to the Community

2016(Annual General Meeting in 2017)

CONTENTS

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Leaders’ Report

Integrity Counselling

Edmonton Healing Centre for Grief & Loss

Community Links

Holocaust Survivors Support

Seniors Making Age-Related Transitions

Thank You to Our Volunteers

Thank You to Our Donors

Thank You to Our Funding Organizations

Financial Overview

Loss and RestorationWe all encounter events in our lives that cause us to stumble. Events of loss such as security due to a financial crisis, loss of community due to immigration, loss of health from life’s stresses, loss of identity while transitioning through life’s stages and loss of loved ones.

These are times when restorative supports are needed to help in self-identifying strengths not yet tapped, knowledge provision that will guide sound decisions,teachings of self-care that aid in resiliency and skill acquisition fostering increased confidence.

All of our programs at Jewish Family Services offer restorative supports, unique and client-specific, that aid clients to grow and flourish within their communities, their families, and themselves.

We envision a world of economicand social justice;

a world where individuals,families and communities

care for and support themselvesand one another.

To this end, we provide strength & supportto individuals & families in need,

in a manner sensitive to Jewish values.

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Leaders’ Report

The image of the tree, greening amidst a complex of many branches, speaks to the work and challenges of the JFS leadership.

All year we grappled with the question of how to grow from being great to being greater. How do we grow our roots deeper and draw up both financial and goodwill resources? How do we devote energy to financial sustainability and also to the larger sustainability question of articulating a preferred future and planning how to get there? It has been both daunting and motivating, and will continue to be a pressing agenda item for the year to come.

Fresh perspectives are always needed, and we welcomed Marilyn Sheckter and Craig Roskin to the Board during the year. After serving two terms as Co-Presidents, and Michael two terms as a sole President before that, Michael and Tulane will pass the torch to Judi Card and Barry Greenspan following the 2017 AGM. We say thank you and farewell to Lewis Wasel who has served enthusiastically and wisely for ten years, including a time as President.

Board committees were active in 2016. The Fund Development and Community Relations committees found new energy in combining their work to increase community awareness of JFS’s work as foundational to increased support. Important fiduciary work was also

pursued by the standing Executive Director Evaluation and Finance Committees.

We’ve seen continued revitalization in our services as well. The Holocaust Survivors’ support program provided more, and more responsive, services with an increase in the Claims Conference grant. We offered free counselling services to Fort McMurray residents displaced by the tragic fire. With the fresh ideas of masters-level placement students, we explored new approaches to grief counselling and support. English as Another Language classes built new supportive networks among the students in addition to new skills. We enhanced the lives of seniors of all ages. We collaborated with agency partners in a study of domestic violence in prairie Jewish communities that will help plan future services.

Amidst this we had our own obstacles to deal with, as an out-of-control vehicle during an August morning rush hour plowed into our building, destroying two counselling offices – just minutes before our staff began arriving, with injuries thus averted. The repair was not completed until mid-winter, and not before a frozen pipe flooded a third office and adjacent corridors. With undaunted spirits and good humour, staff adapted and did not miss a beat in providing full service to clients while restoration was being completed.

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We note with sadness and gratitude the loss of our staff Linda Aris, who succumbed to brain cancer just as 2017 began. Linda was the driving force for our Edmonton Healing Centre for Grief & Loss program since 2003, bringing hope and restoration to hundreds of clients, and leaving a legacy of love and strong social work

practice on which to continue to build.We are grateful for the steadfast support of our funders and donors who make this work possible. Please see pages 14 to 16 for a complete listing. We also treasure the gift of time of the many volunteers who have helped fuel this enterprise. Their names are

listed on pages 12 and 13.

Tulane RollingherCo-President

Dr. Michael AlpernCo-President

Larry DerkachExecutive Director

Elected DirectorsMichael AlpernTulane RollingherDavid Grossman*Lewis WaselJudi CardNaomi Amato

Barry GoldbergLinda Goody

Barry GreenspanTerry Karpman*Victor LinetskyCraig Roskin

Marilyn SheckterJacquelyn SkeffingtonAbe SilvermanMel Wyne

Honorary DirectorsAdrian Albert Danny Assh Jane Karstaedt

Honorary OfficersRuth Nolan Netta Phillet Ernie Schlesinger

Management & Support StaffLarry DerkachUliana KolosovskaMegan Kompf

Vera Leanovich* Linda RobinsonSylvia RiosJuan Teran

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* left during year

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Integrity Counselling

Our trained Clinical Counsellors help people to address deep-seated emotional and psychological issues, as well as more temporary obstacles and challenges that ordinary people encounter in this fast-paced, stressful society. Clients are referred from other community agencies, health or other professionals, or are self-

referred. We provide counselling for as long as the client needs it

and is being helped; with a sliding fee scale that makes the service available regardless of means. Clients

gain better understanding of their problems, and learn how to choose new behaviours which help them make healthy choices and form healthy relationships.

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2975 hours of therapy provided to 477 unique clients, including 270 new clients213 additional clients referred to other community resources after a thorough telephone assessment

I am alive today and continuing to thrive because of you. To say THANK YOU is definitely an understatement.

I continue to evolve, grow, and move forward. I have fears and doubts, but my counsellor helps me to resolve and work through them too. I have come far, but the journey continues.

I can never thank Jewish Family Services enough. You provide and invaluable service with wonderful caring and no judgement or rush

WOW! This is a start of a new journey that I'm excited, relieved, and scared about! However, I feel confident that this is going to be a great relationship that will help me in recovery. Thank

CounsellorsTina Kafka

Courtney MeidingerDavid RolstonArthur Totman

Michael Yankowski

InternsJoni Fisher-CanhamJennifer Summerfeldt

Tina Van der Worp

Edmonton Healing Centre

For Grief & LossOur Healing Centre’s primary focus is to build skills that enable people to find meaning in their loss, improve their level of personal functioning, and become resilient to future loss. We offer small group sessions, presentations, workshops and

courses, and supportive counselling for bereaved individuals and those who serve and support them.

When the tragedy in Fort McMurray occurred, we responded with the offer of free

counselling for all those affected from that region.

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102 unique clients attended “Roads to Healing" introductory groups83 individuals went on to attend one of the 10, seven-week "Navigating the Rivers of Grief" groups142 clients, including 87 new, received a total of 1,804 hours of counselling for loss

It is good to come for counselling, it restores my faith in my tomorrows

We are so thankful that we heard of your services. We were adrift and our weekly sessions with our counsellor have been amazing and we are now able to look at our grief and

We feel hopeful that we can make it through this intense grief and know we will be

Feeling heard and not judged, is SO healing! Thank you

Grief SpecialistsCourtney Meidinger

David RolstonMichael Yankowski

Community Links

Community Links is geared to people who are not sure where inthe community to find the help they need, or who need helpaccessing other helping resources that are confusing orcomplicated. We welcome newcomers to Canada, newcomers to Edmonton from other parts of Canada, and people who have been here for some time

and simply do not know how to find and access the help they need.

We help with navigating government systems and community networks, and offer help with employment and

tenant issues, and our Community Support and Intercultural Facilitation staff helps find the right programs and services, advocating on clients' behalf.

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You don't know what this means to me. I now know that the good deeds I've done have brought you to me.

119 individuals were helped with advocacy, settlement, and relief services 60% of clients served were Jewish of our 119 clients, 84 were foreign born

Intercultural Facilitator and Community Resource Specialist

Jeni Adler

Holocaust Survivors Support

Holocaust Survivor Support is an important part of our seniors programming. We offer light housekeeping, home care, food assistance and emergency assistance on an income tested basis

Jewish victims of Nazi aggression during World War II.

Assistance is provided with funds from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (commonly referred to as the “Claims

Conference”).

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129 clients were helped to live independently with dignity 29,915 hours of in-home care was delivered$53,016 was provided for health and medical needs$70,780 was provided in financial assistance

Get through by phone no problem, friendly chat with them understanding our age, and the desire to do everything possible, and even more to

Thank you very much for holiday dinners delivered for Chanukah celebration. Thanks to the women’s who does it with love for

Thank you to the organization funding the program and its staff

I am particularly satisfied with refunding me for the cost of my medications and medical services.

Holocaust Survivor Support TeamRhonda Eidelman –Case Manager

Alberto Genis – Home Support SupervisorTatiana Kastner – Gerontological Social Worker

Megan Kompf – Case SupervisorAlena Sasnouskaya & Sylvia Rios – Program

AssistantsPlus 28 in-home workers

Seniors MakingAge-Related Transitions

Ageing affects each person differently, creating new challenges with mobility, housing, changing family and community relationships, and health.

Our Outreach Worker assists Jewish seniors with issues such as a transition to a new home, staying active,

staying connected with the community, understanding and managing health and medication concerns, communicating with

care professionals, and mediating the involvement of concerned family members – not to mention home-made, volunteer-delivered kosher

meals a few times a year.

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140 Jewish senior citizens were helped improve their quality of life280 Kosher dinners were prepared and delivered to clients by volunteers862 support sessions were given by telephone20 Private in-home workers were placed for seniors needing assistance

Very happy with cleaning lady!

Thank you for the excellent support.

Thank you for your continuous support of my family over the past three years

Special thanks to Marcia Bercov for her photographic chronicling of our work with seniors.

Seniors Outreach WorkerRhonda Eidelman

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Thank You to ourVolunteers

We gratefully acknowledge the time given by these individuals in 2016 – more than 2,120 hours. Others were involved who did not let their names be known. We offer heartfelt thanks to all.

Freda AbugovJeni AdlerMichael AlpernNaomi AmatoRebeca AsbellDamaris BarreraJorge BarrientosMarcia BerkovMarilyn BerkovichTatiana BetsSusan BinningtonLana BlackGordon BushewskyDarlene BushewskyJudi CardGulshat CherniyazovaRachel CohenJerry CooperRuth Coppens

Howard DavidowDanielle DrisdallAlyson EidelmanBen EidelmanRhonda EidelmanEhud EllmanCorey FelberMaya FeldmanSam Fialkow

Alberto GenisCourtney GliebermanJudy GliebermanBarry GoldbergLinda GoodyBarry GreenspanDavid GrossmanRoberta HansonKaren HeringDonna JonesValeria KaretnikovaTerry KarpmanMarie KastnerTatiana KastnerMiriam KatzUliana KolosovskaMegan KompfLiebe LagnadoGloria LallouzLucy LavineDavid LavineVera LeanovichVictor LinetskyDmitriy LoukinElena LoukinMichelle MarcushamerRisa MargolisUlya MassarskySandra MaygardAlejandra MerinoMarla MillerLeticia NadlerDana NagliBeryl NahornickBen NoblemanFrancie NoblemanJudy NoblemanPhyllis NurgitzDenise OkrainetzMichael Paull

Nestor PradoKaren PrestonRoman RachkovetskiFrancie Rattner-DolgoyTulane RollingherFlor RomeoCraig RoskinGabriel ShawnMarilyn SheckterCheryl ShurAbe SilvermanJacquie SkeffingtonAnita SkyNatalie SorokaAlena SasnouskayaJennifer SummerfeldtSharon TankelLauren TankelAngela ToppingPauline UretskyTina Van Der WorpNorman WaselFreya WaselLeanne WaselLewis WaselAsher WaselHila WaselZev WaselJaffa WaselRhonda WinstonBarb WisemanMel WyneSusanna YedgarovaJodi Zabludowski

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In addition to money and volunteer time, people offer many other gifts to help the people we serve, such as grocery cards and home goods, employment opportunities, referrals, medical and professional assistance, discounts, and words of encouragement. Thank you for all of this kindness!

We ask your forgiveness for any errors or omissions. If your name has been missed, we offer sincere thanks.

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THANK YOU!

Thank You to ourDonors

We gratefully acknowledge the financial and in-kind support of these individuals and companies in 2016:

Gloria AaronSharon AbbottDoreen AlbertMichael & Sylvia AlpernElaine AltonVictor & Naomi AmatoDaniel & Brenda Lee AsshFlorence AxlerSusan BaramDaniel Barer & Sheila BailinNellya BassNaomi BeckNettie BeckerOlena BedzeilleMarcia BercovEllen BielawskiKenneth BilodeauAnne BogowichJim Bowron & Maita SilverYelena BraslavskyLen & Polina BroitmanStan & Sheila BronsonAnne BroomfieldFrieda BugisJay CairnsJudi CardJack ChetnerDerrick CliveMalcolm & Hoda CohenAvril ComfortBen & Ruth CoppensBibiana CujecHoward DavidowJeff & Linda DavisSydney DeitchLarry DerkachMiriam DevinsHilton & Michelle DinnerRon & Ellen DlinLen Dolgoy & Catherine Dolgoy-MillerVeronica DrozdBruno DruckerJennifer EidelmanElisabeth ElserHarvey & Minnie EmasBarry & Fani EstrinArnie Faintuch & Marilyn SegallJack FeldmanRocky FeldmanTessie FinkelsteinJoni Fisher-Canham

Rabbi Daniel & Batya FriedmanMargaret FrohlichSylvia FrohlichSam & Joyce GalanteJudith GarberBrian GeislingerSheldon & Jaima GellerAlberto GenisShirley GhitterSandra & David Ghitter-MannesIsidor & Grace GlienerRobert & Cheryl Gliener

Shirley GoldbergBarry & Kathy GoldbergMitchell GoldenbergGeorge GoldfordLinda GoodyTsilya GorodetskyLilian GreenBarry Greenspan & Sandra MaygardShirley & David GrossmanNorman & Roberta HansonZelma HardinRalph & Nancy HechterAbe & Karen HeringDaphne HorwitzDoug HughesTara IrwinLesley JacobsonRichard JesseRichard & Helen JesseBarbara JoffeAbie & Myra KacewEdgar & Jane KarstaedtRuth KatzJerry & Miriam KatzMaury Katzin

Cyril & Faye KayChristopher KayeMitch & Morris KlimoveIlana KniselySamuel KoplowiczPhil & Tanya KovlerLarisa KrylovMartha KushnerRaja LambaAaron LandaNancy LavoieMichael & Penny M LevyLyle LindquistEugene & Anna LinetskyHinda LipshitzLeslie LiscombeLorraine LubinElaine LyonsSheldon MaerovSharon MarcusDarryl MarkusTracy MartinGary & Shari McNeilErnest & Raya MermelArliss MillerMarla MillerGabriel & Sandra MillerMichael & Beryl NahornickJon & Francie NoblemanPhyllis NurgitzSharon OhayonShimon & Esther OhayonEster OlyanIlya OratovskyRuth PakesMaryna PapovaEdna ParksVictoria PerelmanDebra PerraJosie PetersFrank & Netta PhilletEvelyn PrepesIrwin & Maxine RaphaelDiana RemmerFay RibackTulane RollingherBarry RosofAnthony & Alison RussellRay RutmanHerbert & Moira SacksMichael SadovnickMark & Elaine SalkieAlena Sasnouskaya

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Richard SawadaJanice & Vaughn SewardFarrel Shadlyn

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Miriam SheckterRhoda SheininHarvey SheydwasserMihail ShmuilovichKayla ShoctorNaomi ShoctorMarshall & Debby ShoctorJacquelyn SkeffingtonBarry SlawskyDeborah SmithHowie SnidermanJack & Lillian SorokaGeoffrey & Robyn SperberJanet StandishDaniel & Marina StarkmanHazel StewartInna SukonnikKeith & Lauren TankelErrol Tarnow

Stan TubinshlakGrant Vogel & Lemore Alima

Harry & Marlene WarhaftLewis & Freya WaselNorman & Leanne WaselJoel & Linda WeinerErica WeissSamuel & Eva WeiszSheila WelchBarbara WisemanDavid & Debby WishartRonald & Naomi WolchMorley & Naomi WolfmanRobert WoodMel WyneSimone WynnykEdward & Susanna YedgarovaSaul ZalikDanny & Connie Zalmanowitz

Alberta Health Services Alberta Provincial Judges Association College of Alberta PsychologistsField Management Services General Realty Group LtdGeneral Recycling Industries Ltd.

Impact Office Services LTD.Little Professors Childcare Inc.Melcor Developments Ltd.Riverbend United ChurchRosedale Seniors Activity Society

We ask your forgiveness for any errors or omissions. If your name has been missed, we offer sincere thanks.

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Thank

You!

Thank You to ourFunding Organizations

We gratefully acknowledge the partnership and support of these organizations who help make our work possible and effective:

Beth Israel Benevolent Fund

City of Edmonton

Civil Service Union 52

Community Initiatives Program

Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against

Germany

Edmonton Community Foundation

Edmonton Jewish Community Charitable

Foundation

Family & Community Support Services

Jewish Federation of Edmonton – United

Jewish Appeal

Na’amat Canada Edmonton

National Council of Jewish Women

ORT

Prosper Canada

The Stollery Charitable Foundation

United Way Alberta Capital Region

United Way of Fort McMurray

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Thank

You!

Financial Overview

Expenditures 2015-2016

Revenues 2015-2016

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Claims Conference 1,581,813 Donations & Grants 128,224 United Way 202,225 FCSS 86,376 UJA 75,000 Fees & Misc 106,906 Net Fund Raising 57,539 Government 19,313

TOTAL 2,257,395

Survivor Support 1,621,594 Counselling 260,868 Edmonton Healing Centre 147,316 Community Links 95,990 SMART 58,060 Net Administration 9,110 Governance 33,204

TOTAL 2,226,143

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Help, With Heart

Jewish Family Services 100 – 8702 Meadowlark Road

Edmonton AB T5R 5W5Phone 780.454.1194

Fax 780.482.4784

TikunOlam@jfse.org www.jfse.org

This booklet has been produced in-house at a very low cost, so we can use more of your donations for services.

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