Pintsize volunteers deliver food to the JFS Kosher Food Pantry.

By Cindy Mindell ~

WEST HARTFORD – In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as Eastern European emigration increased the Jewish population in Hartford from 1,500 to nearly 20,000, there was already a rich network of Jewish communal organizations.
Hartford Jews established the Adas Israel Synagogue in 1884, the Agudas Achim Synagogue in 1887, and six other Orthodox synagogues in the ensuing years. Other Jewish institutions and organizations were created over the next decade: the Hartford Sick Benefit Association and the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society in 1898; the B’nai Zion Society, which sponsored a group of 12 Zionist clubs, also in 1898; the Hebrew Institute Talmud Torah in 1901; the Hebrew Home for the Aged, the Hebrew Home for Children, and a communal mikvah, all in 1907; the Council of Jewish Women in 1910; and in 1914, a chapter of the Labor Zionist Farband and a chapter of Hadassah, the latter set up by organization founder Henrietta Szold.
But one of the first communal organizations founded was the local Hebrew Benevolent Association (or Society), already listed in an 1866 directory as “reorganized,” and focusing on the needs of new Jewish immigrants.
On June 30, 1912, some 30 Jewish charitable organizations met at Temple Beth Israel and agreed to merge, forming what was then called United Jewish Charities (UJC). The organization initially focused on providing financial assistance and guided by its commitment to provide “The greatest good for the largest number with the least waste,” UJC sought to promote greater efficiency in the distribution of charity and services, and to provide a focal point for better cooperation within the Jewish community.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of that merger, which eventually produced Jewish Family Services. The agency is celebrating the milestone all year, highlighted by a gala evening on Sunday, June 10. The event will honor four Hartford-area families who have made a difference in the community.
Since 1912, the agency has provided a window onto the changing physical and social conditions of Hartford. UJC’s 1919 Annual Report lists the causes of distress among poorer Jews in descending order of importance as: illness, with tuberculosis posing the greatest threat; widowhood; orphaned children; old age; insufficient earning or temporary unemployment; desertion and non-support;  juvenile delinquency; adult  delinquency. A year later, the account was similar: “Our greatest single cause of dependence and distress is sickness,” the report states. “Hard times are here, and are here to stay for a while, new cases of distress on account of unemployment are coming more frequently with each day that passes.” In the ‘20s, the organization’s appeal to donors reflected the suffering of urban dwellers: “As long as there are Slums in Your City, We will need your Help!” Reports from that decade document the involvement of UJC in all phases of urban life, from the distribution of milk, glasses, coal, and shoes, to loans, scholarships, and transportation funds.
Over the next three decades, UJC spun off several groups to focus on specific needs in the community. In the 1930s, it created the Hartford Jewish Council to coordinate existing fundraising campaigns among various institutions. In 1938, it established the Hartford Jewish Welfare Fund to organize a unified fundraising campaign for local, national, and overseas causes. In 1940, the UJC launched the Jewish Community Council to address problems facing the local community. That same year, United Jewish Charities changed its name to United Jewish Social Service Agency to reflect its main focus. By the ‘50s, the agency was known formally as Jewish Family Services  (JFS) and had expanded its mission to helping anyone in need.

JFS walks for autism

JFS has served all populations, from children to seniors, with everything from basic needs to refugee resettlement and acculturation to camp scholarships and adoption. Today, the agency has three main areas of focus, says executive director Anne Danaher: general mental health-related issues, children’s mental health and special needs, and unemployment and related stress. JFS also provides many services to older adults.
Since 2008, the agency’s Jewish Employment Transition Services (JETS) and kosher food pantry have seen a significant increase in demand. “It has become a lot more acceptable to ask for some support in this economy,” Danaher says. “People don’t feel that they’re alone in their struggle or the only one who has lost a job. For example, in a JETS workshop, there are 100 other unemployed people in the room with you.” In fact, there are some 1,100 participants currently enrolled in the program, which is often an entry point to other JFS services like counseling and basic human needs.
“The loss of a job causes incredible stress on a family and leads to significant issues in the family system,” Danaher says. “While we have made great progress in raising awareness, there’s still a stigma attached to mental-health services. Some people find it very difficult and perhaps are ashamed to admit that they need counseling. But I think that people understand that unemployment has become a widespread problem, and so are more willing to ask for assistance.”
As more people live longer and want to “age in place,” JFS has expanded its ongoing work with older adults. “We see a lot of older adults who are dealing with significant losses in their life: the loss of a spouse or child; a decline in health,” she says. One of the agency’s most successful recent programs, Danaher says, is JFS Care at Home, which provides in-home services to older adults, allowing them to remain in their home environment and in the community.
To mark its centennial and kick off its next hundred years, JFS has established three funds for donations, designated for children’s needs, first responders, and a “Future Fund.”
“When we look forward to the next 100 years, we consider that our role is to really respond to changing community conditions and needs,” Danaher says. “We may not be able to predict what those are, but we believe that it’s our responsibility to provide a safety net of services to anyone in need.”
For more information on the June 10 gala and other community celebrations: www.jfshartford.org / (860) 236-1927