May 12, 2023
WPBF-25
“Seniors are often ignored in terms of mental health,” Alice Tennis, the senior vice president of Senior Services at Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services in Boca Raton, said. Her job is to make sure seniors feel seen and heard. “We have counselors, we have support groups, we have a great senior center, there's volunteer opportunities, and we can provide other services so that people aren't feeling so isolated and alone,” Tennis said.
Dec 12, 2022
We are thrilled to be able to share our latest edition of Illumination Magazine. We have so much to share about what’s happening at the agency.
Please click here to read our 2022-2023 edition.
Aug 19, 2022
When Mariah was five years old, she came to the United States from Haiti with her father, older sister, and older brother. Mariah was very quiet, she did not have any friends and was afraid to be apart from her sister.
Aug 18, 2022
Lea is a mom of two boys, ages 13 and 10, who both have Duchene Muscular Dystrophy. In October, Lea reached out for help with bills, and JFS was able to assist through our Covid-19 relief fund.
Aug 17, 2022
Joe was referred to the JFS community outreach by synagogue partner, Boca Jewish Center, because he had a very difficult year. He was furloughed and then laid off from his 21-year career with an airline due to the pandemic.
Aug 16, 2022
When Michal contacted the JFS DV (Domestic Violence) department she had been in a severe automobile accident. Unrelated to the accident, the reason she was first referred to the DV department, was because of her 14-year-old daughter.
Aug 15, 2022
Throughout the whole time the Weisman Center was closed due to the COVID pandemic, I felt the love and concern from the JFS staff and volunteers. When I was finally able to walk into the center again, I felt like a lost person being found. Seeing the staff with their smiling faces was just like a dream come true.
Aug 12, 2022
Lauren had been suffering alone with severe chronic depression for a couple of years. Lauren was confused as to why she felt this way, because she came from a loving and supportive family and had many friends.
Aug 11, 2022
Vera and her husband, Bill were enjoying a fairly typical retirement life until she started to notice some changes in his mood and his memory. A trip to his family physician resulted in a referral to a neurologist.
Aug 10, 2022
Taylor attended the JFS Career & Employment Services (CES) Steps to Success workshop series after hearing about the program through a JFS Staff member, after recently moving back down to Florida from NYC.
Aug 9, 2022
Janis and Robert, parents of two young children, began receiving food from the Jacobson Family Food Pantry shortly after they both lost their jobs due to Covid-19 shut downs.
May 25, 2022
A message from our CEO about the Texas tragedy:
It is with such sadness that we all must bear witness once again to a senseless act of violence against innocent children and teachers at a school in Texas, so soon after the shooting last week of innocent victims shopping at a store in Albany.
Dec 1, 2021
Rales JFS receives a $2 Million Transformational Gift from Leon & Toby Cooperman to name the “Toby and Leon Cooperman Therapy & Family Resource Center”.
The Toby and Leon Cooperman Therapy & Family Resource Center (TFRC) – A One-Stop Shop or Families with Special Needs – Will Serve School Aged Children with Disabilities and Their Families
Nov 12, 2021
I am thrilled to be able to share our latest 2021-2022 edition of Illumination Magazine. We have so much to share about what’s happening at the agency, as we have added several new programs and continue to provide COVID-related assistance. Read more about the Therapeutic and Family Resource Center 22-23, our newest endeavor to serve families raising children with special needs, which is scheduled to open in Spring 2022. We look forward to educating the community on this new project and have launched our Capital Campaign to raise $4M to support ongoing programming. A special thank you to the Rales Foundation for providing the seed money to start the project. Included in this edition is a special tribute to our beloved Bart Weisman (z”l). Bart led an extraordinary life and those of us who had the pleasure of knowing him will truly miss his big smile, charming laugh and positive attitude. I consider Bart one of my mentors at JFS, having benefitted greatly from his wisdom about seniors, philanthropy, family and life in general. His legacy will live on through the programs at the Weisman Center and his family. Read more on Pages 8-9. Thank you for your continued support of the agency and our clients during the past year. We are so lucky to live in a community that cares so deeply for those less fortunate. I look forward to seeing all of you very soon.
Click here to read...
Oct 27, 2021
There was a meeting held on October 26th to discuss changing the master plan for the Ag Reserve, which could directly benefit our community by creating pathways for affordable housing developments.
Please find a letter that I shared with Vice Mayor Weinroth and Commissioners Bernard, Sachs, Kerner, McKinlay, Marino and Weiss below.
Additionally, there is link to an article that appeared in October 27th Palm Beach Post recapping the meeting, where I was quoted.
Jul 31, 2020
Week 20 In the Trenches
It has been several weeks since my last update. Please check out the video letting you know how JFS has been serving and will continue to serve our community.
Jun 26, 2020
Week 15 In the Trenches
Here we are, another week gone by, Florida reporting increases in positive cases of the coronavirus, people still unable to receive their unemployment benefits, reports of fears of rising mortgage delinquencies, hurricane season in swing, summer camps trying to reopen only to shut down a few days later………..and then reopen again, students and parents waiting patiently to see what their fall will look like in regards to in-person or distance learning.
May 22, 2020
Week 10 In the Trenches
I’ve been thinking a lot about the children of our community this week. Actually, I think the better word would be worrying. I’m worried for our children who had to finish off their last few months of school at home, struggling to learn online. I know many made this transition easily, but what about our children who don’t have a WiFi connection, or share one computer with multiple siblings, if they even have a computer. I worry about our children who already struggle with completing schoolwork and don’t have the social outlet they need by being with together with their peers. I worry about our children who are facing uncharted waters this summer and whose summer will be like none other.
May 15, 2020
Week 9 In the Trenches
Hurricane Season starts in two weeks………………let that sink in. Most reports I have seen are predicting a very active Hurricane storm season. Typically, households are encouraged to ready themselves for the season by stocking up on non-perishables, batteries, and other essential supplies in preparation for whatever storm comes our way. For individuals and families still waiting for unemployment checks and older adults suffering from a reduction in their monthly income, I worry about how they will be able to adequately prepare for this year’s Hurricane season.
