Precious space
On behalf of Jewish Family Service of MetroWest (JFS of MetroWest), it is a special pleasure to thank Johanna Ginsberg and New Jersey Jewish News for their coverage of the recent gathering of the JFS of MetroWest-sponsored Jewish Adoptive Families Support Group held in cooperation with Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex (“Adoptive families create a sense of community”, April 14). As your article notes, this group meets every other month and was developed by Wendy Sabin, LCSW, JFS synagogue social work consultant at Congregation Agudath Israel.
Wendy wears many hats in her role as JFS synagogue social work consultant. She provides individual consultations and facilitates support groups and workshops. She provides crisis intervention and helps congregants to connect to a wide array of community resources. Her primary role is to assess and respond to the social service and mental health needs of the CAI synagogue community.
In providing a venue at the synagogue for Jewish adoptive families to come together, Wendy has created a safe and precious space for mutual support, problem solving, and community building.
Wendy’s position at Congregation Agudath Israel represents a dynamic partnership between JFS of MetroWest and the synagogue, with philanthropic support provided by the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey. Wendy is part of a network of JFS synagogue social work consultants presently on-site at a total of 8 MetroWest area synagogues. Through this affiliation, JFS is able to extend its professional resources to help synagogues respond to an array of lifecycle needs expressed by their membership. We thank you again for your partnership in helping to promote the many aspects of this important community program.
Reuben D. Rotman, executive director
Jewish Family Service of MetroWest
Florham Park
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