Dear Friend,

As we move further into 5786, we are reminded that our resilience grows when we show up for one another across generations and experiences.

The Hebrew phrase l’dor v’dor (“from generation to generation”) calls us to care for those who came before us. During April, we honor Holocaust Remembrance Day. For the 23rd year, JFCS East Bay partnered with the City of Berkeley to hold a special program. The event included a moving testimony, live music, and a candle-lighting ceremony. If you would like to watch the program, please click here.

We feel privileged to serve the community and work toward a more peaceful world where everyone can flourish with dignity.

With hope and gratitude,

Rita Clancy

Director of Adult Services

Karen Bird joined JFCS East Bay in 2019 as an immigration attorney. She has over 20 years of experience practicing immigration law, representing hundreds of clients before USCIS, Immigration Courts, Courts of Appeals, and supervising law student immigration clinics.


She is inspired by her clients and is motivated by JFCS East Bay’s values of welcoming the stranger and pursuing justice. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she has worked extensively with Ukrainians fleeing the war. She also participates in community Know Your Rights presentations, and the Concord Immigration Court’s Attorney of the Day program, assisting unrepresented immigrants facing deportation by providing same-day legal consultations and guidance on possible forms of relief.


Prior to joining Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay, she worked as a Staff Attorney at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and as an Attorney Advisor at the San Francisco Immigration Court.

We are excited and honored to introduce the Micah D. Bycel Scholarship Fund, a new educational opportunity for East Bay students.

The Micah D. Bycel Scholarship Fund supports individuals from the East Bay region who are pursuing higher education or vocational training and who face financial hardship in accessing these opportunities. Grants will be awarded in the range of $500 to $2,000.

Applicants must have applied and been accepted to a 2- or 4-year accredited public college or university program, accredited technical college, or trade school.

Applications close May 15. Learn more here.

On April 1, JFCS East Bay staff and volunteers successfully completed another Passover Meal Delivery!

We had more than 40 volunteers hand-delivering 225 meals to more than 130 addresses across Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Each meal contained a dinner plus a box of matzah, a jar of matzo ball soup, horseradish, macaroons, kosher grape juice, a box of tea, and sweet treats. The meal bags were brightly decorated by children from our local Jewish community, who also created Passover cards to include with the meals.

Volunteer Services Coordinator Zoe Pollock emphasized the power of community effort in this success. "This program is a such an incredible feat of kindness and generosity each year, and our volunteers and community partners are instrumental in making this possible!" 

Opportunity Junction has been providing training, support, work experience, and placement assistance to job seekers in Contra Costa County since 2000, helping to launch careers with financial security.

To learn more, visit their website.

Volunteers, please join us at JFCS East Bay's annual Volunteer Appreciation event and let us celebrate you for all the ways that you've shown up for our community this past year! There will be food, games, prizes, a chance to get to meet our staff & other volunteers, and to tour our new office. We hope to see you there!

WHEN: Sunday, May 17, 1pm-3pm

WHERE: 2300 Clayton Rd, Concord CA 94520

RSVP by clicking here

Protect Trans Kids

This campaign to protect trans kids is part of Trans Day of Visibility (March 31), an effort we support and believe in.

We are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ refugees and youth mental health services and believe everyone should be able to flourish with dignity. Tell your representatives to take action to protect trans kids and the LGBTQ+ community!

Tell Congress to Stop Lawless Immigration Enforcement

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been shut down for more than a month. Congress and the White House continue to debate whether to provide additional funding for DHS.

Lawmakers need to hear their communities demand that ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) abuses end and real guardrails are immediately put in place. Urge Congress to block any new funding for ICE and CBP and insist on guardrails that rein in abuses!

Denounce Wrongful, Discriminatory Refugee Arrests, Detainment, and Attempts at Removal

The Trump administration has upended decades of protection and eroded the U.S. resettlement program.

Contact your Members of Congress today and urge them to uphold refugee protections guaranteed by U.S. law and ensure that the final FY26 DHS funding bill rescinds funding for ICE and ends Operation PARRIS.

Jewish California (formerly JPAC) Capitol Summit

May 11 - 12

Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel

Join us to hear from some of the state’s most powerful lawmakers and activists, practice and participate in direct lobbying, and have access to exclusive networking opportunities with elected officials, Jewish organizational leaders, and lay leaders from across the state.

Come and support our community!

Communicating for Policy

Aspen Academy

June 10, 9am-10am



Learn the basics of communicating your ideas for policy impact. This program will teach you broad principles for communicating to policymakers, as well as tips on how to more effectively communicate – both in writing and orally – in order to achieve policy change on the issues you care about.