"Strengthening lives, building community..." JFS/MW does not stand alone! Collaborations and partnerships with other agencies greatly enhance the scope, quality, and delivery of services. We work closely with many agencies and have formal relationships with several. Our partnerships include:

MetroWest Jewish Day School (MWJDS)

A community school which welcomes and respects all Jewish denominations and traditions, MWJDS features an excellent academic program including secular studies and Judaic text, ritual, culture, and Hebrew language. Its mission is to help shape a generation of proud and learned Jews. MWJDS opened its doors in September 2003 for grades K-2. It will add one grade each year through grade 8.

For more information, contact Carolyn Keller, Head of School (508) 875-3100 info[at]mwjds.org Or visit their website: www.mwjds.org

Jewish Family Service of Metrowest is proud to have shared space at our agency with the founding staff of the Metrowest Jewish Day School. We wish them great success!

The GBJCL, a social justice program of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), heads a regional effort in partnership with JFS/MW to support literacy in Framingham public elementary schools (grades K-3). Through the Coalition, volunteers tutor reading one-on-one, donate books, and participate in advocacy efforts to improve public education. The GBJCL forges partnerships between "teams" of volunteers from Metrowest synagogues and Jewish organizations with local elementary schools. The Coalition partners with seven of the eight elementary schools in Framingham.

In addition to being a community partner, JFS/MW has formed its own literacy team and will partner with Woodrow Wilson Elementary School this fall. Each week, volunteers from the JFS/MW team tutor reading to students in grades 1-3; other volunteers help children with homework before or after school. Tutors work individually with beginning readers once a week for half an hour; some tutors volunteer with up to four students. You do not have to be a member of JFS/MW to join this team! Metrowest synagogue teams include: Temple Israel of Natick, Temple Beth Sholom (Framingham), Congregation Beth El (Sudbury), Temple Beth Am (Framingham), Temple Beth Elohim (Wellesley Hills), Temple Shir Tikva (Wayland) and Temple Beth David (Westwood).

For more information, please call JCRC at (617) 457-8669 or visit their website: www.jcrcboston.org/literacy/index.htm

The Doorways to Health Care Workforce Development Project is JFS/MW's answer to a chronic shortage in entry level health care workers. After observing that linguistic and cultural minorities often encounter obstacles to entering the healthcare workforce, JFS/MW took action to break down these barriers. In a new and innovative collaboration, JFS/MW works with the Metrowest Latin American Center, Marlborough Community Services, Inc., and Keefe Technical School in Framingham. Together we identify, recruit, screen, train, hire, mentor, and provide ongoing support to three categories of healthcare workers: new homemakers, personal care assistants, and certified nursing assistants. These professionals will eventually work with elderly and disabled clients throughout Metrowest. Doorways is funded by a grant from the Metrowest Community Healthcare Foundation.

For more information, call Geri Spina (508) 875-3100 GSpina[at]jfsmw.org

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"Yes!" was our immediate response when Natick asked us if we would design and run the parent education programming. Together we envisioned an inclusive, comprehensive, high-quality family service program to families with children aged 0-3. In late January 2000 the Natick Public Schools applied for a competitive grant from the Massachusetts Family Network Program--and received it! We have since developed and implemented a full range of parent education services, including a "Mom and Tots" group, a "Mom and Infants" group, a series of workshops titled "Fathers Building Families," and classes on infant massage and limit-setting with toddlers.

For more information, contact Diana O'Brien, M.Ed., (508) 875-3100 DObrien[at]jfsmw.org

JFS/MW partners with Fham School Departmentin Framingham to promote early literacy skills in preschool-age children. The two-part plan aims to increase parental involvement in children's education and enhance children's coping skills. The JFS/MW team, along with a Wilson School teacher, created an eight-week curriculum that teaches second-graders a wide scope of coping skills. An outreach effort was organized to promote early literacy skills in preschool-age children at home. Education workshops, designed to enhance parenting skills, are also provided throughout the year to the second-graders' families.

For more information, call Diana O'brien (508) 875-3100 DObrien@jfsmw.org.

Hakalah ("easing" in Hebrew) provides confidential assistance to Holocaust survivors and their families. Social work visits are provided in home or at our office at no charge. After assessing an individual's needs, the social worker can help with emergency financial assistance, assistance in filing for reparations, homecare, referrals to community services, and case management. The program works with an advisory committee that includes area Holocaust survivors. Halakah is a collaborative program of Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Boston, and Jewish Family Service of the North Shore. It is funded by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, Inc.

For more information, please visit the Holocaust Services webpage of Jewish Family and Children's Service of Boston.