Community Conversations - JFSSD

Moving Forward Together

Coping During Covid-19 banner

Jewish Family Service is hosting a series of free virtual Community Conversations to help San Diegans meet the many challenges of coping with the coronavirus pandemic. From maintaining your mental health, to caring for a parent with dementia, to supporting kids while schools are closed, these conversations will use our collective knowledge to learn techniques and tips to survive these challenging times. Together, we will make it through this.

Each conversation will feature panels of distinguished community leaders, doctors, clergy, educators, and therapists who will share their expertise. There will be time in each program for participants to submit questions.

If you would like to participate, please register for each Community Conversation and you will receive unique access information to enter the virtual meeting room.

Learn more about our upcoming Community Conversations and watch past Community Conversations below.

If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call (858) 637-3210.

Past Conversations

Aging With Resilience: Combating Loneliness and Enhancing Your Mental Health

Speaker:
Dr. Dara Bliss Schwartz, Lead Clinical Psychologist at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital

Description:
The science and data are very clear: social isolation is one of the most dangerous risk factors affecting older adults. But as we age, maintaining social connections and prioritizing our mental wellness can often get put on the backburner. Taking care of our mental health is even more important during these unprecedented times. Join us for an inspiring discussion to discover how we can age with resilience and combat loneliness during the pandemic and beyond.

We’ll discuss:

Common myths about aging
How loneliness and dementia affect the aging process
The impact of COVID-19 on social isolation
Easy tips on how to stay mentally strong as we get older

Watch Conversation Recording

Rebuilding Our Immigration System
Frontline Accounts: Welcoming the Stranger and Prioritizing Public Health

Speakers:
Norma Chávez-Peterson, Executive Director, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties
Kate Clark, Esq., Senior Director of Immigration Service & Lead Immigration Attorney, Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Mark Hetfield, President and CEO, HIAS

Moderator: Michael Hopkins, CEO, Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Description:
Since President Biden took office in January, he has taken steps to reverse the unwelcoming immigration policies of the previous administration. Every day, Jewish Family Service of San Diego and our partners at the San Diego Rapid Response Network, HIAS, and ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, are working together on the frontlines to support and advocate for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in our community. United, we are focused on ensuring our region Welcomes the Stranger with dignity and respect while prioritizing public health during the pandemic. From sheltering asylum seekers to legal and travel assistance, our combined immigration teams are providing vital help for the most vulnerable families and individuals fleeing violence and persecution in their own countries. Join us for an in-depth discussion on what the current changes mean for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers today, and our role as a community in preserving their right to seek asylum.

Watch Conversation Recording

Community Conversation: Holocaust Survivors in San Diego: Our Commitment and Our Responsibility

Holocaust Survivors in San Diego: Our Commitment and Our Responsibility

Speakers:
Michael Hopkins, CEO, Jewish Family Service
Michael Jeser, CEO, Jewish Federation of San Diego County
Hedy Dalin, Director of Care Management/Supporting Older Survivors, Jewish Family Service
Darren Schwartz, CPSO, Jewish Federation of San Diego County

Description:
In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, join Jewish Family Service of San Diego and Jewish Federation of San Diego County as we explore the unique and dynamic needs of the 500 Holocaust Survivors who call our community home. The recent pandemic and stay-at-home orders have only deepened the needs of this vulnerable population, especially as they trigger memories of isolation and helplessness. After enduring one of the darkest periods in human history, our community has a responsibility and a commitment to ensure Survivors age with dignity. Join our discussion to learn more about what we can do individually and as a community.

Watch Conversation Recording

Cultivating Calm and Resilience in Challenging Time graphic

Cultivating Calm and Resilience in Challenging Times

Facilitators:
Dr. Rachel Goldenhar, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Co-Chair JFS Behavioral Health Committee
Julie Potiker, Mindfulness Expert, Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher, Author of Life Falls Apart, But You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos

Description:
Does 2020 have you feeling stressed? You are not alone. Between the impacts of the pandemic, the contentious election cycle, racial injustice, and natural disasters, stress and anxiety levels are up, and mental health is down. A recent study reported that 44% of Californians are experiencing clinical levels of anxiety and depression. Chronic stress not only impacts our emotions and sleep, it can also be detrimental to our physical health.

Join JFS and local experts in this workshop to learn and practice coping strategies to alleviate your stress and anxiety. You will be guided through several exercises to adopt in your daily routine such as mindfulness, meditation, and rewiring your brain for more happiness and resilience. Finally, learn to recognize when self-coping mechanisms are not enough and understand when to go for professional support.

Watch Conversation Recording

Community Conversation: Homelessness, Housing, and Measure A banner

Homelessness, Housing, and Measure A

Panelists:
Tamera Kohler, Chief Executive Officer, Regional Task Force on the Homeless
Sue Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer, Community Housing Works
Stephen Russell, President and Chief Executive Officer, San Diego Housing Federation

Moderator:
Chris Olsen, JFS Director of Public Policy & External Affair

Description:
In January 2020, 7,619 persons were identified as homeless in San Diego County during the annual Point-in-Time Count. Of those individuals, 4,887 live within the City of San Diego. At the same time, San Diego continues to be one of the least affordable metro areas in the country. Here at JFS, we have found innovative ways of serving our unsheltered neighbors, including the Safe Parking Program. But what more can we do? And how can we respond in the midst of a pandemic?

This Community Conversation brings together experts from the fields of homelessness, affordable and supportive housing, and the Yes on A – Homes for San Diegans campaign, an affordable housing bond that will be on the November 3 ballot and which JFS has endorsed.

Watch Conversation Recording

The Impact of Covid-19 in the Latinx and Middle Eastern Communities graphic

The Impact of COVID-19 in the Latinx and Middle Eastern Communities

Participants:
Aous Al-Habbar, Trainer at the National Conflict Resolution Center and Director at San Diego Islamic Center East County
Laura Gonzalez Garcia, Parent Liaison Bilingual, Valley Elementary School – Poway Unified School District
Liliana Osorio, MPH, Director at Health Initiative of the Americas, University of California Berkley, School of Public Health
Nadia Zamani, Marriage and Family Therapist, Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialist, Downtown Impact (Community Research Foundation)
Wael Al-Delaimy MD PhD, Professor of Public Health, UC San Diego

Moderator:
Fernando Parra Chong, Outreach Coordinator for Latinx Community, Jewish Family Service
Lily Mojdehi, Outreach Coordinator for Middle Eastern Community, Jewish Family Services

This Community Conversation will bring together providers from across the Latinx and Middle Eastern communities to discuss the emotional, economic, and public health impact COVID-19 has had in these communities and how these two immigrant communities have maintained resiliency and hope during this pandemic.

Watch Conversation Recording

Community hunger briefing graphic

JFS Community Hunger Briefing

Participants:
Michael Hopkins – CEO, Jewish Family Service
Anahid Brakke – Executive Director, San Diego Hunger Coalition
Sasha Escue – Director of Nutrition Services, Jewish Family Service

Please join us to learn about our response to the hunger crisis during COVID-19 and discover how you can take action to ensure that our neighbors are healthy during these difficult times.

Watch Conversation Recording

Becoming an Anti-Racist Jewish Community graphic

Becoming an Anti-Racist Jewish Community

Moderator:
Nate Looney, Jews of Color Recruiter, Avodah

Panelists:
Rabbi Yael Ridberg, Congregation Dor Hadash
Kelsey Greenberg Young, Education Director, ADL San Diego
Micah Parzen, CEO, Museum of Man

JFS invites the Jewish community to come together to learn about implicit bias, how to recognize covert racism and microaggressions, and to understand the role of becoming an ally in this work. Our speakers will provide tools on how to become an anti-racist and take actions to create meaningful and transformative action.

Watch Conversation Recording

Understanding the Supreme Court Decision on DACA graphic

Understanding the Supreme Court Decision On DACA: What Happens Next?

Panelists:
Leah Chavarria, Esq., Director of Immigration Services Immigration Attorney, Jewish Family Service
Jairo Castañeda, Esq., Lead Attorney, Higher Education Legal Services, Jewish Family Service
Claudia Cuevas, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Cynthia Torres, Coordinator of Undocumented Resource Area (URA) at SDSU
Leticia A. Díaz, M.A., Director of EOPS and Special Programs, San Diego Mesa College
Daniel Alfaro, Program Manager of Undocumented Student Services, UCSD

Moderator: Vanessa Piñeda, Outreach Manager for Breaking Down Barriers, Jewish Family Service

In this Community Conversation, our panel of immigration experts and advocates will summarize the court ruling and the immediate effects it has on DACA recipients, discuss the emotional impact of the decision, and connect participants to helpful immigration resources.

Watch Conversation Recording

Positive Parenting in Uncertain Times graphic

Positive Parenting During Uncertain Times

Panelists:
Margo Gonzalez, Lead Parent Educator, Jewish Family Service
Julio Ramos, Parent Educator, Jewish Family Service
Jennifer Martin, Military Family Specialist, Jewish Family Service

Moderators:
Autumn Weidman, Director of Positive Parenting Program, Jewish Family Service

This Community Conversation features our team of Positive Parenting educators and will focus on finding positive strategies for maintaining a healthy family life during quarantine, managing challenging behaviors, and helping our children cope during these difficult times.

Watch Conversation Recording

Supporting the Mental Health of APAC Communities During Covid-19 graphic

Supporting The Mental Health Of Asian/Pacific Islander Communities During COVID-19

Panelists:
Amanda Lee, Division Dir. of Adult/Older Adult Mental Health, UPAC
Heeyoung Kim, Counseling & Treatment Ctr Program Manager, UPAC
Jashneel Singh, Doctoral Student, Alliant International University
Michelle Ly, Division Dir. of Children & Adolescent Mental Health, UPAC

Moderators:
Gabby Masuda, Outreach Coordinator for Asian Pacific Islander Community, Jewish Family Service

This Community Conversation will bring together mental health experts from across the API community to discuss common mental health issues, identify the social barriers that prevent API individuals from seeking help, and offer tips on coping during the increased stress and uncertainty of our current public health crisis.

Watch Conversation Recording

Teen Talk: Finding Connection, Coping Strategies, and Hope for the Future graphic

Teen Talk: Finding Connection, Coping Strategies, and Hope for the Future

Panelists:
Sarah Greenstein, Guidance Counselor, San Diego Jewish Academy
Ashley McGuire, Professional Peacemaker and Restorative Justice Practitioner
Ali Shapiro and Ilana Goldklang, Teen Leaders, Jewish Family Service

Moderators:
Daria Tomsky, Teen Leadership Coordinator, Jewish Family Service
Matthew Ewing, Teen Leader, Jewish Family Service

This Community Conversation focuses on how to find connection, motivation, and a sense of belonging during these challenging times. From accessing mental health resources to creating daily routines, we’ll talk about our collective anxiety, find creative ways to stay connected, and learn how to navigate this crisis together.

Watch Conversation Recording

Prevención Durante la Pandemia: Una Conversación para Padres graphic

Prevención Durante la Pandemia: Una Conversación para Padres

Panelistas:
Ariane Porras, Consultant & Trainer for Partner in Prevention, Strengthening Families Department, YMCA
Saribe Perez, Mental Health & Disabilities Manager, MAAC Child Development
Gisella Gomez, MSW, Family Developer, Casey Family Programs – San Diego

Moderadora: Margot González, Lead Parent Educator, Jewish Family Service

Esta conversación comunitaria, se centrará en encontrar estrategias positivas para mantener una vida familiar saludable durante la cuarentena, administrar nuestros nuevos roles como maestros y ayudar a nuestros hijos a sobrellevar estos tiempos difíciles.

Watch Conversation Recording

How Collective Trauma, Self-Care, and COVID-19 Varies Across Communities graphic

How Collective Trauma, Self-Care, and COVID-19 Varies Across Communities

Panelists: JFS Breaking Down Barriers Team
Fernando Parra Chong, Outreach Coordinator for Latinx Community
Spshelle Rutledge, Outreach Coordinator for African American/Black Community
Gabriela Masuda, Outreach Coordinator for Asian Pacific Islander Community
Vanessa Pineda, Outreach Coordinator for LGBTQ+ Community
Lily Mojdehi, Outreach Coordinator for Middle Eastern Community

Moderator: Kim Lesnau, Director of Learning & Development at JFS

This Community Conversation focuses on understanding the community impact of COVID-19 from a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed lens. We’ll provide techniques for maintaining your physical and mental wellbeing, tips on normalizing emotions that are often ignored, and advice on accessing helpful community resources.

Watch Conversation Recording

Dementia Caregiving During the Covid-19 Outbreak graphic

Dementia Caregiving in the COVID-19 Outbreak

Panelists:
Tracey Truscott, Clinical Social Worker, Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UCSD
Amy Abrams, Director of Education, Alzheimer’s San Diego
Colleen Cook, Dementia Specialist, Jewish Family Service

Moderator: Meredith Morgenroth, Sr. Director of Social & Wellness Services at Jewish Family Service

This Community Conversation focuses on finding emotional support and stress management for care partners, staying connected to isolated loved ones, creating a safety plan, and accessing local resources for additional support

Watch Conversation Recording

Self-care Strategies for Adjusting to a New Normal graphic

Self-Care Strategies for Adjusting to a New Normal

Panelists:
Ken Druck, Ph.D., Resilience Expert, founder of Jenna Druck Center
Dr. Bruce Sachs, Clinician, Jewish Family Service
Rabbi Yael Ridbeg, Congregation Dor Hadash

Moderator: Michael Hopkins, CEO of Jewish Family Service

This program, moderated by Michael Hopkins, CEO of Jewish Family Service, and featuring panelists Ken Druck, Ph.D., Rabbi Yael Ridberg, and Dr. Bruce Sachs, will focus on how to meet these challenges by upgrading, innovating and putting our self-care and caregiving skills and abilities to work.

Watch Conversation Recording

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