Love from a caring community
Rich Simon and his family received emergency aid, job counseling, and moral support thanks to CJP’s support and our community’s coordinated network of services that help people gain financial stability.
We had a house in Newton and a retirement account. Everything was heading in the right direction, with a toddler and another baby on the way. Then, I lost my job. And things started to spiral downward.
It was a shock. I had a wealth of experience, but I couldn’t find work. We sold the house. The job search led us to El Paso and Nantucket and then back to Framingham, and after a time, my unemployment benefits ran out. Our TV and phones were shut off, and we started going to food pantries. As if all of that wasn’t enough, I also found out I needed open heart surgery. We were drowning. We sold everything — our washer and dryer, my dad’s coin collection, and even our wedding rings — in an effort to stay afloat.
I was very frustrated. I called my state senator and one of her assistants told me about a network of Jewish social services that could help us.
They helped me fix my resume, improve my interview skills, and network. I went to job fairs and gained confidence. The day I received a job offer — to see the offer envelope and to hold it — was amazing. I never could have done it on my own.
The Jewish community did so much for us. I can’t quantify it. They paid for car insurance, food, gas, and diapers. There were jackets and Hanukkah gifts for our kids. But what we received wasn’t only material. We were also given love and moral support. People were there to help us, and we knew it. So, physically, emotionally, and financially, things got better.
To be accepted with open arms and the reassurance that everything would be okay, this reconnected us and renewed our faith in Judaism. We’re lucky the Greater Boston Jewish community, specifically CJP and its partners, was there for us. My challenge now is to do even better financially. It’s hard to keep up and to get ahead while still repairing the past.
Israel: Online and in Real Time
“I realized there’s so much about Israel that’s erased from the media and global narratives.” Through the Boston Media Room, young adults are acquiring the knowledge, skills, and tools to positively influence public discourse on Israel.
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Creating Community Through Jewish Learning
“We could measure the success of the night by how much we talked about a topic on the way home.” Adam Berg and his wife, Meagan Jennings-Berg, set out to explore Jewish learning, but what they discovered was a meaningful connection to Jewish life and new friends.
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Connecting to Their Heritage
“A lot of students tell me they don’t feel ‘religious enough’ or ‘Jewish enough.’ I hear it all the time.” Learn how Jackie Dratch helps college students find their Jewish connection, even if they didn’t grow up with Jewish traditions.
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Making Changes: Transitions to Work
Through Transitions to Work, people with disabilities are finding a sense of purpose through work.
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Lifting the Burden of Shame
“I was embarrassed and that made it so hard to ask for help,” says Bonnie. But when she could no longer afford transportation to her son’s medical appointments, she called CJP.
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A Design for Giving Back
How could the space be redesigned into an accessible prayer room that would make the residents feel comfortable? And, who could complete the work?
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Two Lives, One Journey
They survived the Holocaust, but the Zuckermans found that war and strife would pursue them into their senior years.
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CJP Brings IACT Nationwide
CJP’s Israel campus initiative supports students before, during and after their Birthright trips. And now IACT is reaching young people on campuses from Massachusetts to California.
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Finding the Courage to Succeed
Ready for Success is a program that helps unemployed, mid-to-late career professionals in Metrowest get back in the job market by enhancing their skills – and raising their confidence.
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New Fund Supports Inclusion at Day Schools
Ready for Success is a program that helps unemployed, mid-to-late career professionals in Metrowest get back in the job market by enhancing their skills – and raising their confidence.
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Finding the Courage to Succeed
Imagine leaving your home country and career to forge a new life in an unfamiliar place.
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Making Friends Across Generations
For a lot of people, there’s nothing too special about Tuesday night. But for a group of teens in the South Area, Tuesday is the best night of the week.
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Building Connections
What happens when you bring together students from top technology universities in Boston and in Haifa, Israel?
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Jewish Life on Campus
Whether you’re a freshman or a returning student, you can find ways to get involved on campus.
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Funding Futures
Every year, CJP’s Scholarship Committee receives applications from hundreds of students who need our help to fund their college education.
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Mensches at Work
What can planting flowers, cleaning up a beach or working behind the scenes at a theater teach your child about Jewish values?
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