Shards of Light

Tracing the 120-plus years of Seattle’s Jewish Family Service (JFS) to the current day, Carolee Danz shows its uninterrupted history of giving and sharing. From its beginning as the Ladies’ Hebrew Benevolent Society in 1892 to the current day, Seattle’s JFS has taken the lead in helping those less fortunate. Pushing the definition of community beyond the close and familiar, JFS has served many outside its religious borders—immigrants from around the world struggling to understand their new home in the United States, people dealing with gender issues, Puget Sound residents seeking the expert counseling services of JFS staff, and more.

JFS also offers unique services to the Jewish community. Here, they find counselors who understand their religious heritage, its various forms, and how each can affect the course of action to be taken. Individuals seeking help from JFS know they will find respect for them as individuals, as well as for their beliefs and practices.

Shards of Light provides a thorough review of JFS’s invaluable contribution to the community as it has grown in membership, funds disbursed, programs offered, and expertise provided. Despite many changes over the decades, JFS proudly remains true to its mission: “We deliver essential human services to alleviate suffering, sustain healthy relationships, and support people in times of need.”