JFS Perspectives

Although Passover officially starts tonight, we feel like it's been going on for weeks around our office. Through the Community Passover Program, Jewish Family Service and the Synagogue Council of Greater Denver provide families in need with all the kosher-for-Passover items they need to prepare a Seder. We start the process of getting things ready for this program many months in advance, including collecting food and monetary donations from the community.

Unloading donations from La Vie Catering.

Our community really came together again this year to support this program! We’re happy to report that, with your help, we raised more than $5,200. In addition to the money we received, many community members generously contributed Passover food, and Grand Hyatt Denver, La Vie Catering, and Rocky Mountain Spice Company collectively donated more than 1,700 pounds of apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, walnuts, and cinnamon.


Loading donations from Grand Hyatt Denver onto the JFS truck.

This project also couldn't be a success without the help of our volunteers. Last week, about 10 people came to pack the Passover boxes and make sure everything was organized for distribution day.


Nancy Benyamin and Rivka Miriam Reiffman.

One of these volunteers, 12-year-old Rivka Miriam Reiffman, a student at Denver Academy of Torah who is preparing for her Bat Mitzvah, organized a group of six classmates to help out on this day. "I was so impressed with Rivka Miriam for the way she handled herself during her mitzvah project," said Nancy Benyamin, director of volunteer services. "She initiated the phone calls to get the project started and coordinated all the details with her friends and me every step of the way. I couldn't be happier with the way it all turned out!"


The volunteers from Denver Academy of Torah.

This Monday, with the help of more volunteers, we distributed kosher-for-Passover food to 167 individuals from 60 households. A handful of volunteers worked in the pantry while 10 others delivered the boxes to homebound clients who couldn't pick them up from the pantry. Thank you to our Family Safety Net program staff for working hard to make the day go smoothly and to ensure we could help everyone celebrate the holiday!


Volunteers working hard on Passover distribution day.

And if that's not enough, over the next couple weeks, our volunteer para-chaplains are helping isolated seniors celebrate Passover for conducting Seders in 20 retirement communities and nursing homes in Denver and Boulder.

Last, but not least, when Passover is over on April 14th, how delicious will fresh pita bread taste after a week of eating matzah? Give yourself a break from cooking and eat at Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill while supporting JFS! See what we're talking about...

Phew, that's a lot of Passover! We hope we enjoy the holiday...and for all you non-Jews out there, happy Easter or anything else you may be celebrating this weekend!!!

-Alaina Green and Kari Alpen, JFS Marketing Department

As part of a class project, first graders at Denver Academy of Torah (DAT) created "Cooking up a Mitzvah," an original cookbook full of their moms' favorite recipes. They sold the cookbooks to family and friends for $5 each and donated the money to the Weinberg Food Pantry at JFS! They have sold 130 cookbooks to date - $650 in sales plus additional donations, which the class brought to JFS earlier this month.



In addition to donating the proceeds from the cookbooks, the kids got to see where their money was going. They learned about the Food Pantry by playing a game that our Family Safety Net department developed and took a tour of the Pantry. Not only that, but they helped stock the Pantry shelves and break down boxes!

Debbie Foster, the first grade teacher, said, "The project integrated many aspects of the 1st Grade Curriculum; our Unit on Money, tzedakah, community. They had a wonderful time and felt great about their contribution!"



Thank you to all the students and to DAT for this meaningful and creative donation and volunteer experience.

-Alaina Green and Kari Alpen, JFS Marketing Department