“The only place I felt safe, fully safe, and could relax was when he was at the JCC’s aftercare.”
—Henry’s mom
Henry [a pseudonym] was unhappy, and his mom, Claire, didn’t know what to do. He needed afterschool care, and at first it was wonderful: Henry loved the Mayerson JCC’s Camp at the J and After Crew, their after-school program. He especially loved his counselors and Rock, Sticks, and Dirt, an outdoor play area. But he couldn’t handle changes of location.
“Transitions would be so upsetting Henry would cry, yell, and refuse to move for up to 45 minutes,” said his counselor. Requests would go in one ear and out the other.
The JCC’s counselors were there for Henry from the start. They have a high level of commitment to the children in their care, and are well trained in issues of neurodivergence (such as ADHD, autism, or dyslexia).
Claire trusted the J’s counselors. “I knew that they would take care of him, and would contact me
immediately if Henry was having a tough time,” she said.
Henry was soon diagnosed with ADHD. “Handling a neurodivergent kid is a skillset,” said Claire, “Here at the J they are adept, and so incredibly intelligent with the way they use that skillset.” The counselors stepped up—and Henry thrived.
You helped Henry go from struggling at camp and after-school to loving his experience.
Sometimes the most basic parts of your life get pulled out from under you. That’s what happened to Michelle’s mom, Alice [pseudonyms], when she fell
in her own kitchen and fractured her neck. Life also drastically changed for her daughter, Michelle, since suddenly her 79-year-old mother was unable to help herself. Alice lives alone; Michelle is her only child. The doctor recommended no surgery because of Alice’s severe osteoporosis, and extensive rehab.
A business executive with a demanding job, Michelle felt overwhelmed despite herself. “I was lost, Mom is debilitated, I can’t even get into her bank account,” said Michelle. She was mired for endless hours in health care bureaucracies.
Three different friends suggested she call Jewish Family Service, and finally she did. “I should have called Jewish Family Service right from the start,” said Michelle. For three months, Katie Moore, social worker and health care expert, was able—for free—to help ease the problems. She guided Michelle through replacing Alice’s lost social security card, explained how to navigate the health care system, and offered empathetic counseling.
“I was stressed and overwhelmed. Then Katie guided me every step of the way.” —MichelleThe sharp rise in antisemitism tied to the crisis in Israel has concerned Jews nationally, but there is hope. In Cincinnati the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) learned of incidents at the high rate of one per day for the three months after October 7. According to Jeremy Spiegel, Assistant JCRC Director, this lessened in January and is now at the rate of one incident every other week.
In one recent incident, Aaron Levinson reported that someone stole their Israeli flag and flagpole from outside their front doorstep. Their neighbors came together to purchase a new flag for them. In March, antisemitic banners with the message “Save Ireland from the Jews” were hung near downtown Cincinnati. We took action to ensure that the banners were removed without delay.
Spiegel said rising antisemitism affected young Jewish
The Jewish Federation supports Cincinnati 2030, our community’s vision based around caring, engagement, the wider world, and communal health and resiliency.
“I hope we can prioritize dialogue and understanding,” said Danielle V. Minson, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, speaking at City Council on February 14.
adults: “So many tell us about work: ‘I don’t feel comfortable telling people I’m Jewish’; I don’t feel comfortable hanging out with non-Jews anymore.’”
JCRC can’t know now if the downturn in incidents will last, but Spiegel is hopeful: “We may be turning a corner.”
To report an antisemitic incident, contact Rabbi Ari Jun at 513-985-1501 or ajun@jfedcin. org, or fill in the new JCRC Antisemitic Incident Form at jewishcincinnati.org/report.
You support strengthening Jewish identity through grants for overnight camp and travel to Israel. This year the grant program, Cincy Journeys, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Our impact report reveals that nearly half of those who went would not have been able to participate without the grant. For this coming year, grants include approved travel within the US and internationally beyond Israel.
You support Tamar, who was shot in the stomach by a Hamas terrorist as she took shelter after escaping the Nova Music Festival massacre. Tamar is extremely thankful for the assistance through the Fund for Victims of Terror, which helps her cover basic financial needs for her and her mother.
You support ongoing dialogue with Cincinnati school administrations. We met with Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) leadership to tackle ongoing concerns of antisemitism within local schools and to encourage a safe and welcoming educational environment for Jewish students.
Dear friends,
As the crisis in Israel continues and reverberates in our local community, our commitment to creating a vibrant community that reflects our values and our vision for the future has only deepened. As of last month, your generous support has raised almost $4.5 million for the Israel Emergency Fund, just shy of our goal. I am amazed by these vital gifts for those still recovering from and dealing with the ramifications of October 7.
While support and relief are coming from our dollars sent to Israel, our community here in Cincinnati still has increased needs, as well. The funding we provide for our agency partners annually and for special projects is supporting so many important programs and initiatives. We recently secured a gift from a donor to fund an elevator at Halom House, which provides 24-hour and drop-in services to adults with developmental disabilities, to make their home more inclusive and ADA-friendly.
Ensuring that our local programs continue to flourish and that agencies can provide critical services and opportunities to gather in safe and secure facilities is all the more a priority in this moment. In addition, we continue to develop educational resources and programs to help our Jewish and Greater Cincinnati community members navigate this challenging time. We know that you count on us to stay informed and to act as a united community, especially now.
Your ongoing commitment to this journey with all of us is invaluable. Your actions are creating a vibrant, inclusive, and resilient Jewish Cincinnati.
Thanks for all you do,
David Harris Chief Development Officer Jewish Federation of Cincinnati