The year 2024 marks a significant milestone in the JFS journey and to celebrate its 45th Anniversary, JFS brought together past and present leaders for a time of joyful remembrance, reflection and rededication. Held at the Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University, attendees reminisced, shared fond memories, and discussed the vision for JFS’ future. Featured speakers included Former Executive Director Helene Kress, Former Executive Director Candace Mandel, CEO Emeritus Marc Jacobs, and current CEO Lino Covarrubias.
Submitted by Anna Michelson, granddaughter of Max Michelson, Co-Founder of JFS:
As we gather here to celebrate JFS’ 45th anniversary, we are also celebrating the livelihood and achievements of our amazing community. This is eloquently put by my grandfather himself during his Holocaust Memorial speech at Temple Beth Am in 1986. I recently came across the manuscript, of which I would like to share a small part on the value of community:
“During the war, being part of the community eased my pain in a significant way. The Jewish community, in particular, helped me survive in many ways. Once in the camps, I met Jews from all over Europe, and using the lingua franca of Jews (Yiddish), I could communicate with almost all of them. This provided me the feeling of a kinship and solidarity with Jews worldwide. No matter how painful the experience, for me it was a solace to be with other Jews. The sense of community gave me the emotional strength to continue living, to fight and hope for survival. For me, community took the place of family.
After the war, my goals were clear: finish school, build a life, have a family. [Shortly after arriving in the US,] I met my wife on a blind date (she was actually dating the other guy!), and we married in December 1948. Once we settled in Framingham with our little family, I joined the United Jewish Appeal, Jewish Federation and later Combined Jewish Philanthropies. Eventually [in 1979], my wife Julie and I helped co-found the Jewish Family Services in Framingham to expand access in the area to these crucial social and human services. Even though we have a small family, we feel that our larger family is the wonderful Jewish community where we live. I have worked on the other side now — helping new immigrants get resettled and find new homes. And through this wonderful work, Julie and I have made many new friends.”
I can say without a doubt that Max and Julie would be so proud of how JFS has grown and all it has accomplished! Thank you to all of the incredible, empathetic, and hard-working individuals at JFS (past and present) and our Jewish community! It’s with your support and commitment that we made it to 45 years together, and cheers to many more!
For nearly half a century, JFS has been dedicated to assisting individuals and families in need in our community, and we are proud of the impact we have made together with our supporters, community partners, staff and volunteers. Incorporated in 1979, JFS got its start when a group of volunteers began resettling New American refugees from the former Soviet Union and providing information and referrals for older adults. Since that time the agency has grown to serving over 7,800 individuals each year, providing a wide range of services that support the needs of Jewish community members and families in crisis, immigrants and refugees, and low-income older adults in the Metrowest Greater Boston region. Since its inception, JFS has been a resource for community members in need, and we are committed to continuing this legacy for many years to come.
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1979 Prof. Jehudah Leftin has the faith and the foresight to call an organizational meeting. Jewish Family Service of Greater Framingham, Inc. is incorporated as a non-sectarian, non-profit agency. JFS starts operation with an all-volunteer Information and Referral Service coordinated by Julia Michelson and staffed by volunteers. Volunteers helped resettle the first refugee family from the Soviet Union.
1980 JFS receives initial funding of $14,420 from the Greater Framingham Jewish Federation, allocated expressly for serving the needs of the elderly.
1981 Candace Mandel is hired as a half-time Director. The agency operates out of a former laundry room in the Federation building at 76 Salem End Road in Framingham. JFS programs expand rapidly. Clinical staff is hired.
1984 JFS begins offering Adoption services. Ten infants are placed during the first year.
1986 JFS receives its first United Way funding and begins offering Homemaker and Personal Care services.
1988 Candace Mandell retires and Helene Kress becomes Executive Director.
1990 The agency’s name is changed to Jewish Family Service of Metrowest.
1991 The first Seas the Dream gala, held at the TJX building, is a well-attended and successful fundraiser. Seas the Dream becomes a premier annual social event in Metrowest.
1993 JFS is accredited by the national Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children (COA).
1996 Helene Kress retires as Executive Director and Marc Jacobs is hired.
1999 JFS raises funds, purchases, renovates, and moves to a 6,000 square foot suite of offices at 475 Franklin Street.
2000 Marc Jacobs and JFS receive The Carlisle Foundation’s Creative Entrepreneur Award.
2001 As a result of a generous donation, JFS expands its space to over 7,500 square feet, accommodating the rapid growth needs due to program and staff expansions
2002 JFS establishes its first Geriatric Care Management Practice to help families navigate best solutions for their elders.
2003 The Board elects its youngest President in agency history as part of the Board’s continuing commitment to young leadership development.
2003 The Reducing Achievement Gaps program is established at the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Framingham.
2004 Celebrating its 25th year of existence, Jewish Family Service of Metrowest continues to expand its innovative programming, volunteer involvement and donor commitment.
2005 Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC) program is established by a grant from the Metrowest Health Foundation.
2006 Recognized for its high standards for service delivery and operations management, JFS is reaccredited by the national Council on
Accreditation for Child and Family Services.
2006 The Joe and Lucy Press Food Pantry is established to provide emergency food assistance to frail older adults and families to meet basic nutritional needs.
2007 The agency receives the Goodman Award for its Kesher 13 program, a national honor awarded only every 2 years by the Association of
Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies
2008 JFS hires its first Hispanic Jew of color and U.S. Veteran, Lino Covarrubias, to serve as Chief Operating Officer.
2009 JFS has a very robust response to the Great Recession. Jewish Anti-poverty emergency response evolves into Jewish Family Assistance Network.
2012 The Patient Navigator program is established to increase medical access to older adults in the community.
2013 JFS commences its first serious look into agency wide systemized integrated performance management with the Root Cause project.
2015 JFS’ Anti-poverty Stabilization Scale is adopted system-wide by CJP.
2015 JFS hires its first Manager of Inclusion and Diversity from the LGBTQ community.
2015 Partnership with JFS, Brothers for Life (Israeli Wounded Warriors) and U.S. Wounded Warriors for yearly programming is sponsored by the Kraft family at Gillette Stadium.
2016 Veteran’s assistance program is established at MassBay Community College.
2016 The Syrian Refugee Humanitarian Project is initiated to resettle families in Metrowest from war-torn Syria.
2017 MA Association of School Committees awards JFS recognition as an outstanding school partner for its work in reducing achievement gaps in Framingham.
2017 The Children’s Clothing Closet is established to help elementary school aged children in need of clothing.
2018 The Children’s Clothing Closet is expanded to a warehouse in Saxonville to accommodate the growing need in the community.
2018 The agency launches a program to serve first generation college students with partners Framingham State University, MassBay Community College, and Duet.
2018 The Board installs its first member from the Brazilian-American community.
2019 JFS is selected to participate in Bridgespan’s Leader for Impact 2 year project to build the future executive team of JFS.
2019 The agency is awarded a 10 year sustaining grant by the Cummings Foundation for the Patient Navigator program.
2019 The Marc N. Jacobs Innovation Fund is established to honor the legacy of retiring CEO Marc Jacobs.
2020 Marc Jacobs retires and Lino Covarrubias, COO, is selected to be CEO by the Board after a rigorous selection process.
2020 In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis, JFS responds to critical needs in the community around food security, safety, social isolation, housing stability, medical and personal needs.
2020 The Committee on Anti-Racism and Fighting Antisemitism is established to look deeply into JFS’ role and responsibility in the community.
2022 The Children’s Clothing Closet is relocated to the Resource Room of the Framingham Public Schools (FPS) to deepen the collaborative partnership and better serve Framingham families in need.
2023 The first JFS-Rashi Learning and Leadership Council convenes Rashi Middle School students to strengthen their leadership skills, execute social services programming, and to lead in Boston Jewish community endeavors and beyond.
2023 JFS takes the lead in organizing the local response for Israeli war evacuees after October 7th.
2023 Thanks to a generous donation from the estate of Susan Copeland (z”l), the JFS Center for Social Innovation opens to assist local non-profit organizations to develop coordinated new/creative approaches to current and future social challenges.
2024 JFS purchases additional office space to accommodate program and staff expansions.
2024 Celebrating its 45th year anniversary, JFS continues to expand its innovative programming, volunteer involvement, community partnerships, and donor commitment.