NETWORK NEWS - June 2019, Edition II
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#Pride2019
Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT community celebrates Pride month, in a number of different ways. Across the globe, various events are held during this special month as a way of recognizing the influence LGBT people have had around the world. Why was June chosen? Because it is when the Stonewall Riots took place, way back in 1969.
As well as being a month long celebration, Pride month is also an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise political awareness of current issues facing the community. Parades are a prominent feature of Pride month, and there are many street parties, community events, poetry readings, public speaking, street festivals and educational sessions all of which are covered by mainstream media and attracting millions of participants.
Pride Month is so important because it marks the start of huge change within the LGBT+ community, as well as the wider societal implications. Although attitudes and injustice still remain, we have come a long way since the riots of 1969 and by continuing in this long standing tradition we continue to raise awareness, improve the attitudes of society and encourage inclusiveness.
How did your agency celebrate Pride month? Email
Megan
and we'll include your story in the next Member Highlights!
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Covenant Foundation Hosts Consultation to Strengthen Jewish Identity of NJHSA Agencies
NJHSA was pleased to collaborate last week with the Covenant Foundation to support a day-long consultation to strengthen connections to the Jewish values which guide Jewish human service agencies. The consultation showcased the highly successful Project Kavod initiative, which was developed by JFS Seattle. Participating communities included representatives from Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, DC, East Bay, Gulf Coast, Houston, Louisville, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Toronto.
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Member Agencies Represent the Network on Jewish Poverty National Affinity Group
NJHSA is well represented in the Weinberg Foundation’s Newly Formed National Affinity Group on Jewish Poverty.
In partnership with the Jewish Funders Network, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has formed a National Affinity Group on Jewish Poverty. Together, with input from NJHSA member agencies and key partners, JFN and the Weinberg Foundation are seeking innovative responses to address the growing and complex dynamics of Jewish Poverty.
The recent gathering of the Affinity Group addressed topics including Food Insecurity, Housing, Jobs, Mental/Behavioral Health and Older Adults. Participating NJHSA agencies in last week’s meeting in Chicago included representatives from Ann Arbor, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Detroit, East Bay, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and San Francisco.
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Affinity Group Spotlight
DISABILITIES SERVICES PROFESSIONALS
The Disabilities Services Professionals Affinity Group has met twice since February.
The group invited Aaron Kaufman, Senior Legislative Associate at JFNA, to speak on protecting the financial security of people with disabilities through the ABLE Age Adjustment Act and the Competitive Employment Act. The group’s third call, “
From Longing to Belonging—A New Approach to Inclusion for Jewish Communal Agencies
,” will be held on Wednesday, June 19th at 3pm ET and is open to the entire Network. Drawing on her extensive personal and professional experience in the disability field, Shelly Christensen, MA, leader in the faith community disability inclusion movement, will break down the components of both the “why” and the “how” of successful inclusion efforts, giving Jewish professionals and lay leaders a path to developing communities that are more than a place to be included. They are places to belong.
Learn more about the webinar here
. In the future, th
e group looks forward to hosting meetings that not only highlight areas of interests in the disability world, but also highlight member agencies who are doing innovative work in the field.
Learn more about the Disabilities Services Professionals Affinity Group and their chairs here
.
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Operation Ezra Jewish Winnipeg’s Yazidi Rescue Initiative –
A 2019 NJHSA Pillar of Excellence Award Winning Program
Wednesday, June 26th - 2pm ET
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Over the past few years,
Jewish Child and Family Service of Winnipeg
has engaged in an innovative and unprecedented role; that of serving as a pillar to provide formality and organizational structure for a partnership of inter-faith and multifaceted community groups, non-profits, churches, synagogues, corporations, as well as government agencies to work together to save, integrate, and improve the quality of the lives of Yazidi refugees.
Learn more about the initiative here
.
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NJHSA Membership Incentive
Referral Program
Consider other Jewish human service agencies in your community and invite them to join in an exploratory conversation with a member of the NJHSA membership committee and/or NJHSA staff. Make your referrals today! Contact
Karen Rosen
, Director, NJHSA Membership Services via email or phone at 201-977-2614.
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Center for Innovation & Research Forms Work Group - Recruitment & Retention
In response to requests from Network member agencies, the Network’s Center for Innovation & Research is forming a Work Group to examine the challenges associated with recruitment and retention of staff, at all levels. This Work Group will seek to bring innovations to the Network to respond to this challenge. If you have an interest in joining this Work Group, or would like to recommend colleagues from your agency, please contact
Reuben Rotman
. The Work Group will meet via Zoom video conferencing and is expected to meet approximately every 6-8 weeks over the coming months.
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Room Rate: $299
(The room rate will be honored three days post and prior, 10/30-11/6.)
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Executives Networking Forum
Arizona Biltmore | Phoenix
November 2nd-4th
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Member agency executives and senior staff are invited to join the 2019 NJHSA Executives Networking Forum, November 2nd-4th at the Arizona Biltmore. This year’s theme is "
Responding to Change
.
Together, the executives of the Network will explore a range of dynamic change which is impacting the Jewish human service sector including the need for crisis planning and response, risks associated social enterprise efforts and changing priorities for traditional funding streams.
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**
Save the Date **
Advocacy Webinar - Violence Against Women Act
Tuesday, July 23
rd
- 2pm ET
Join the Network for a webinar with Jewish Women International about the
Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA). This landmark piece of legislation, which authorizes programs to support criminal justice and community-based responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, is up for reauthorization in September. Learn about the Act, what reauthorization means for your agency, and what YOU can do to get involved. More details to come.
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Ometz CEO, Gail Small Announces Retirement
Gail Small informed the Board of Ometz of her intention to retire as Chief Executive Officer by the end of the first quarter of 2020. Gail leaves a profound legacy at Ometz. She has led the agency since their merger in 2008. Many people within the Ometz family are familiar with her current accomplishments: securing their long-term funding through ground-breaking collaborations with long-term partners—Federation CJA, the Baron de Hirsch Community Foundation, and Centraide—and cultivating a new group of partners and the founding of a Youth Centre.
Learn more about Gail here
.
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Jessica Whitehill – Next Executive Director of Jewish Family Services of WNC
Jewish Family Services of Western North Carolina
announced that Jessica Whitehill recently joined the agency as Executive Director. Alison Gilreath (former ED will assist and advise Jessica for a couple weeks before retiring). Jessica was selected after a national search. She has most recently been Director of Philanthropy at Our VOICE, Inc. She is completing her term as President of the Asheville JCC Board of Directors. After receiving a B.A. from Barnard, she earned an M.S. from Columbia University.
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Looking For Your Referrals
Ta’amod is a newly established program sponsored by the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York and the Good People Fund. The goal of Ta’amod is to establish a national set of resources to support Jewish communal workplaces with a focused effort on ensuring safety, respect and equity for all. The Network is pleased to serve as a partner of Ta’amod and is encouraging Network member agencies to serve as referral sources for mental health support and related services.
The goal is a geographically diverse
resource bank
of therapists, employment lawyers, social workers, trainers, executive coaches, organizational dynamics consultants and outside investigators. Please contact
Sarah Flatto
with questions or referrals.
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Building Resilient Communities
Reuben Rotman will facilitate a panel discussion at
JPRO19
on
the rise in natural disasters and other crises in recent years and the indelible impact these events have on our institutions and the professionals who work every day to build resilient, responsive, and vibrant communities.
Learn more here
.
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Joint Forces Innovating for Change
Beit Issie Shapiro
, Israel’s leading disabilities organization, will be holding its 7th International Conference "Joint Forces Innovating for Change," Research, Policy and Practice on July 5-8, 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Learn more here
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CALLS & WEBINARS
**Please visit the
Calendar
to register for
webinars
in advance.**
Monday, June 24th – 1pm EDT
- Small Agency Executives Affinity Group – How to Successfully Manage Relationships and Collaborations with other Jewish Agencies in your Community
Tuesday, June 25th - 3:30pm EDT
- IT Professionals Affinity Group Call
Wednesday, June 26th – 2pm EDT
- Operation Ezra Jewish Winnipeg’s Yazidi Rescue Initiative – A 2019 NJHSA Pillar of Excellence Award Winning Program
Tuesday, July 9th - 2pm ET
- Uniper & NJHSA: Working Together to Maximize Technology to Reduce Senior Isolation
Is your agency concerned that older adults clients are finding it more and more challenging to attend agency sponsored programs and remain actively engaged with others in the community? Do you have a growing number of homebound clients? Are you worried about the growing impact of senior isolation and loneliness? Is this dynamic becoming a heavier and heavier burden for your staff and caregivers?
Learn about
about i
nnovative ways to re-connect older adults, helping them become more socially and physically active via smart and accessible tech. Discuss the challenge, a proven solution and together we will explore a range of possible funding options. Here is what
clients from JFSLA’s LIFE@Home
had to say and here is what the
staff had to say
.
Thursday, July 11th - 1pm ET
- Clinical Service Professionals Affinity Group Call
Monday, July 15th - 3pm ET
- Marketing & Communications Professionals Affinity Group Call
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**Recorded calls and presentations can be found in the Members Only section in Calls & Webinars or the Resource Library, respectively. **
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Affinity Groups are for designed for member agency professionals and lay leaders. Others interested are encouraged to contact
Megan
.
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JFNA Accepting Proposals for Holocaust Survivor Services
The Network is pleased to collaborate with the Jewish Federations of North America and its Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care on release of the following Request for Proposals.
JFNA's Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivor Care seeks funding proposals for the expansion of Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed services for Holocaust survivors throughout the United States. In order to reach more local agencies, the Center is only accepting applications from organizations that have never previously received direct funding from JFNA's federal grant program. Organizations that do or do not receive funding from the Claims Conference are eligible to apply.
Learn more here
.
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Open Season Announcement for Certified Designated Organizations
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is inviting organizations who would like to become Certified Application Counselor Designated Organizations (CDOs) to apply during CMS’s Open Season beginning June 12, 2019, and
ending September 16, 2019
. Certified Application Counselor Designated Organizations are a vital component of the assister community. In the Federally-facilitated Marketplace, CDOs oversee certified application counselors (CACs) who are trained and able to help consumers seeking health coverage options through the Marketplace.
Learn more here
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Working for a Jewish human service agency is a highly rewarding career.
A listing of open positions at member agencies can be found
here
.
Member agencies are welcome to post career opportunities with the Network
as a benefit of membership. Positions will be posted for 90 days.
Non-members may post positions for 60 days for a fee. Email
Megan
to learn more.
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Interested in featuring your agency in the June edition of MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS?
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