In the 1830s Richmond welcomed a new wave of German Jewish immigrants. By 1841, on the outskirts of Richmond, these new immigrants founded Beth Ahabah to continue their traditions from the old country, such as including German and English in worship. As the Richmond Jewish population continued to grow, encouraged by Rabbi Maximillian Michelbacher, the […]

When an aging parent’s medical condition becomes more complicated, the family needs all types of support.  That is what happened to Martha F. when her 90+ year old seemingly healthy father had a fall. “I didn’t know anything about JFS until I had something horrible happen.  We didn’t realize how forgetful he had become and […]

Richmond’s Jewish Care Line, Responding with Care to those in Need. In 2017, all Richmond’s Jewish organizations, Rabbis, and Synagogues, and committed individuals came together to understand and respond to the number of Jewish individuals and families in crisis.  What they learned is that across the U.S., many Jewish families or individuals live in or […]

Wow!  That was fast!  Yes, I say that every year.  So how did we do with our 2018 goals? Did anyone succeed in starting a positive new habit? How about initially making progress only to abandon efforts when it became too overwhelming?  Yeah, me too. Change can be hard, life can be fast and sometimes […]

The holiday season is a time full of joy, cheer, parties, and family gatherings. For many it is also a time of self-evaluation, loneliness, and anxiety about the future. Struggling with negative feelings during the holidays is referred to as the ‘Holiday Blues.’ What are some of the causes of Holiday Blues? There as many […]

Happy Halloween! By: JFS Adoption Some kids begin to brainstorm what they would like to be for Halloween months in advance and cannot wait until it is finally October 31st. But for a lot of children, Halloween can be either really confusing or really scary. Why do you have to dress up to get candy? […]