WJCS News

Sarah and David are a young, married couple. Just two years ago they stood under the chuppah with their parents, repeated their vows. and broke the glass.  At the wedding reception Sarah’s father made a toast to the new bride and groom and wished them a long life filled with good health, happiness, and, of course, grandchildren.

It is 3:30 in the afternoon at Hamilton Elementary School in Mount Vernon and a teen volunteer reminds a small group of third graders at the WJCS Off the Street afterschool program to hurry up and finish snack.

We join the country in shock and sadness that in the course of two weeks we are once again facing a tragic and senseless loss of life in the Thousand Oaks, CA shooting at The Borderline yesterday. Our hearts are saddened for the families and friends of the victims.

We're all deeply saddened by the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the families of those who were killed and injured. 

October is Bullying Prevention Month, a topic that is very much on the minds of many schoolchildren. Statistics show that 35% of children have been bullied at school and 30% of young people have reported that they have bullied others.

The WJCS 26th Annual Edythe Kurz Conference scheduled for Thurday, November 1, 2018 will focus on Recovery-Oriented Approaches to Psychosis. The Keynote speaker will be Stephen Smith, PhD, Director of Training at MHA Westchester. Dr. Smith is a licensed psychologist with a special interest in psychological treatments for psychosis.

A young African American woman stood at the podium, bravely telling the story of her experience with domestic violence for the first time in public. Several in the audience wiped away tears as she spoke of how it took her almost getting killed before she was able to walk away from the relationship. “People tried to tell me, but I didn’t want to listen,” she said sadly, shaking her head.

Everyone wants to feel accepted for who they are and what they believe, feel and value. Most people look to belong, to be part of something larger than themselves, where there is a sense of community and “home”. Our synagogues and religious schools can and have provided a spiritual home for its members, a center where families can worship together and celebrate Shabbat and Jewish holidays.