Sunday, Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Beth El Synagogue

Open to all!

REGISTER HERE

The Mental Health Education Conference is a welcoming day of learning, connection, and inspiration where every experience is respected and every voice matters. This conference is generously supported by community donors and partners – while the content is geared toward people facing mental health challenges and those who care about them, it is open to everyone.

>Register here and learn more about the 14 breakout sessions, keynote speaker Norman Ornstein, and more.

>Volunteer: We invite you to consider volunteering. Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like here. 

MHEC Lead Sponsors: Susan and Richard Goldman, Allan Stillerman

Keynote and Lunch Sponsor: Bruce Goodman

Presenting Sponsors: Stephanie, Bob and Jason Karon, Nancy and Kevin Rhein 

Resource Sponsor: Edie Smith

Holidays are at the heart of belonging. Through JFCS of Minnesota's Hag Sameach (“Happy Holidays”) program, families and individuals experiencing hardship can receive personalized Chanukah gifts, ritual items, and household necessities to help make the season brighter.

This year, we’re excited to expand our outreach across both the east and west metros. If you or someone you know could use support this Chanukah, please call JFCS for confidential support at 952-542-4843.

There are also many ways to help make the holidays meaningful for others. Volunteer, deliver gifts, visit with clients or make a donation to support Hag Sameach and help bring joy and connection to our community.

>Learn more about Hag Sameach and how to get involved

Hag Sameach Lead Sponsors: Clara Ruth Kaner Children’s Fund, a designated fund of the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation, Karen and Russ Rubin

Sponsor: Jacob Garber Endowment Fund of the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation 

This month’s question: “How much screen time is too much for a 7-year-old?”

Becca Hotchkiss, MSW, LICSW, Therapist:

Screen time might be the trickiest thing for parents in the modern age to navigate. For most of us, things like iPads and smartphones weren’t around when we were children, meaning there is no blueprint from our own experience on how to manage limits around screens. When in doubt, I turn to the experts! The American Academy of Pediatrics offers some guidance on how to discern what might be too much for your child using the “The Five C’s”.  

>Read more here about the 5 C’s The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends considering when making screen time decisions.  

The Advice Corner provides responses from a variety of staff, each with unique expertise, background and perspective. Please let us know if you have questions that you would like us to highlight. We want to hear from you! Questions will be posed anonymously. Please email questions to: acowan@jfcsmn.org.

JFCS, in partnership with the Minnetonka Community Center, will host a six-week class, “Powerful Tools for Caregivers.”

Mondays, Oct. 5 through Nov. 9

10-11:30 a.m.

In-person at the Minnetonka Community Center

If you have picked up a prescription, brought over dinner, given a ride to the doctor, taken care of an errand or made decisions big or small on behalf of a senior, you are a caregiver. The class is designed to provide you with a wealth of self-care tools that will help you take care of yourself while taking care of others. You will learn to reduce stress, improve your self-confidence, bring more balance to your life, better communicate your feelings, and increase your ability to make tough decisions. The class is open to people from the Jewish and broader community.

>Register here

Senior Services Lead Sponsor: The Oren and Sharron Steinfeldt Foundation

Friday, Sept. 25, from 4:30-6 p.m.

Minneapolis (RSVP for exact location)

Come together under the sukkah with other families raising Jewish children, ages 0-5 (siblings welcome)! We’ll sing a few Sukkot songs, shake the lulav, light the candles, enjoy the sandbox, chalk, and yard games, and celebrate with a yummy pizza dinner. We hope to see you at this festive, joyful event to welcome in Shabbat and the Sukkot holiday.

>Register here



Exact location will be emailed to registrants a few days before the event.

PJ Library Founding Sponsors: Harold Grinspoon Foundation, The Lerner Family

Lead Sponsors: Jacob Garber Endowment Fund of the Minnesota Jewish Community Foundation, Susie and Hart Kuller

Sponsors: Elyse Rabinowitz and Jim Porter, Lisa & Mark Ratner Family Foundation 

For 28 years, Beth Silverwater has shared her time and talents with JFCS, including her longtime involvement with the Mental Health Education Conference. Learn what inspires Beth to give back and why volunteering with JFCS continues to be so meaningful.

What can you tell us about yourself and your background?

I am 64 years old and grew up in Plainview, NY (Long Island). I studied at Cornell University where I earned a B.S. in food science and technology. After that, I took marketing and psychology courses at Nassau County Community College and then took graduate marketing courses in the business school at Pace University. 

I have volunteered for most of my life in a variety of organizations. As a kid, I was a candy striper. At college, I taught teens’ nutrition and cooking in a 4H class. In addition, I worked as the editor of the Nassau County Bicycle Suitability Map (NY). Since college, I have served on several organization boards, held many officer roles, and served on many committees. I worked professionally for some of the time. 

 >Learn more about Beth Silverwater here

Join JFCS as we partner with National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) Minnesota for Get Out the Vote Event

Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 5:15-7:30 p.m.

Location in west metro provided upon RSVP

Join us for an evening of laughter, discussion, and civic action!

>Click here for more information and to sign up. 

Volunteers in Action is a JFCS volunteer corps that supports organizations in the Jewish and broader communities. 

Looking for meaningful ways to get involved and stay up-to-date on volunteer opportunities? Read the latest edition of the Quarterly Volunteer newsletter and join the mailing list. Have questions or a volunteer experience you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you. Contact Dana Shapiro, Community and Volunteer Engagement Manager, at dshapiro@jfcsmn.org.

Women Connect is a JFCS of Minnesota program for women in their 40s, 50s and 60s in the Jewish community. Our purpose is to foster belonging and form connections in a fun, meaningful and engaging way. Subscribe to the monthly Women Connect Newsletter to learn about all of our upcoming events.

Women Connect Hag Sameach Event

Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 7-9 p.m.

JFCS St. Paul

Please join us for a meaningful opportunity to wrap gifts for families in need.

>Register here

Every day, staff recognize that JFCS donors bring their values to life by creating meaningful impact today and a lasting legacy for the future.

>Learn more here