Ten Spins Around the Sun

Ten Spins Around the Sun

By Rabbi Will Berkovitz, CEO Ten years ago, I started as CEO of Jewish Family Service. When I think back on the past decade I think primarily of people. What better way to measure time than through relationships? Their ebb and flow seemingly pulled by the gravity of some unseen celestial object orbiting our lives….

Each of Us Has a Name

Each of Us Has a Name

By Rabbi Will Berkovitz, CEO “Each of us has a name given by God and given by our parents. Each of us has a name given by our stature and our smile…Each of us has a name given by the sea and given by our death.” – Zelda Michael* died at the end of December…

Writing Love Letters to Our Kids and Learning to Let Go

Writing Love Letters to Our Kids and Learning to Let Go

By Rabbi Will Berkovitz, CEO Our oldest son, Nativ, left for college last weekend. The house is quieter, somehow a bit bigger now. As a friend once shared, “The nights are long, but the years are short.” I feel that acutely today. I remember the day Nativ was born. The first words I said to…

Beyond a Grain of Sand

Beyond a Grain of Sand

By Rabbi Will Berkovitz, CEO The first image from NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope made me think of Bob Dylan. More precisely, it made me think of the lyrics to his song, “Every Grain of Sand,” which is like a prayer sung by a nail file. And then I thought of Psalm 147: “Who heals the…

The Stories We Tell

The Stories We Tell

The Jewish tradition is built on passing along our collective memories. Our hard-learned values encoded in the stories we tell are just as important.

We Must Not Stand Idly By: JFS Statement on Buffalo

We Must Not Stand Idly By: JFS Statement on Buffalo

While we feel sorrow and anger, we must also continue to stand united in opposition to bigotry in all forms and in support of common-sense gun laws.

Making the Choice to Turn Towards and Not Away

Making the Choice to Turn Towards and Not Away

We can never know what small kindness tips the scale towards hope and life for someone. And for that reason, what choice do we really have?

Walking the Path from Grief to Hope

Walking the Path from Grief to Hope

Today’s societal anger and divisiveness may be what it looks like when we collectively try and bury the pain of loss rather than address it.  

A Letter From the CEO: After Texas

A Letter From the CEO: After Texas

We need to call this hatred what it is and call on those who are not Jewish to do the same. As history has taught us, we do not have a choice.

A statement on Colleyville from our CEO

A statement on Colleyville from our CEO

As the assault on Congregation Beth Israel in Texas unfolds, we are once again left grappling with the reality of targeted hatred directed at Jews.

A November Message From Our CEO

A November Message From Our CEO

Dear Friends, Our son Nativ turned 18 the other day. He was nine months old when we moved back to Seattle after I graduated from Rabbinic school. Nine years old when I started at JFS. I have a distinct memory of teaching him how to ride a bike. I was running beside him down our…

A Message From Our Acting CEO

A Message From Our Acting CEO

Sharing that I work at JFS has led to unexpected and wonderful conversations with strangers and friends alike about their own connections to Judaism.

Jewish Family Service

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