JFS of Metrowest

06/23/2026

What does Pride Month call us to do?

This Pride Month, JFS of Metrowest CEO Lino Covarrubias reflects on the enduring legacy of David Passer—a pioneer of LGBTQ+ inclusion in Jewish life whose commitment to justice, compassion, and community continues to inspire us today.

Drawing on his recent keynote at Temple Shir Tikva's annual David Passer Memorial Social Justice Lecture, Lino explores how Pride is about more than celebration. It's about belonging, standing with vulnerable members of our community, and turning our shared values into action.

Read the full reflection:
https://jfsmw.org/2026/06/23/pride-month-carrying-forward-a-legacy-of-justice-and-belonging/

06/22/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Daniel Kaploun!

Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Metrowest is proud to announce Daniel Kaploun as the recipient of the 2025–2026 Paul Rosenberg Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship honors Paul Rosenberg's legacy of leadership, financial stewardship, and commitment to helping others by supporting students pursuing degrees in accounting or finance. Daniel's achievement reflects the scholarship's mission of investing in future leaders who will make a positive impact in their communities.

Read Daniel's story and learn more:
https://jfsmw.org/2026/06/18/jfs-announces-daniel-kaploun-as-recipient-of-the-2025-2026-paul-rosenberg-memorial-scholarship/

06/19/2026

Today, we honor Juneteenth—a day that commemorates freedom, celebrates the resilience of Black Americans, and reminds us that the pursuit of equity and justice continues.

At JFS, our commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging is central to our mission of helping people of all backgrounds live with dignity, stability, and opportunity. This Juneteenth, we invite you to reflect on our shared responsibility to build a more compassionate and inclusive community for all.

Read our full Juneteenth reflection:
https://jfsmw.org/2026/06/19/commemorating-juneteenth-2026/

06/17/2026

🎒 Save the Date! Join JFS of Metrowest's 15th Annual Build-A-Backpack Event on Monday, August 24, 2026!

Help local students start the school year with confidence by assembling backpacks filled with essential school supplies. Simply bring a new, empty backpack—JFS will provide the supplies! This family-friendly volunteer opportunity is a meaningful way to make a direct impact in our community. Registration is required so we can have enough supplies for everyone.

A special thank you to our community partners, Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland and Morse Institute Library Natick, for helping make this event possible!

Learn more and register today:
https://jfsmw.org/2026/06/17/save-the-date-15th-annual-jfs-build-a-backpack-event-monday-8-24-26/

06/16/2026

🎉 Celebrate Juneteenth in Framingham! 🎉

Join our friends at the City of Framingham for Juneteenth Fest 2026: History Never to Be Forgotten—an afternoon of community, culture, food, music, and celebration.

Enjoy:
🍔 Food and beverages
🛍️ Local vendors
🎯 Games and activities
🎨 Arts & crafts
📸 Picture booth
🎶 Live music and performances
🎓 Scholarship awards
🎟️ Raffle giveaways

Bring your lawn chair and/or blanket and come enjoy time with family, friends, and neighbors!

📅 Saturday, June 20, 2026
⏰ 1:00–6:00 PM
📍 Farm Pond Park, 100 Dudley Street, Framingham

✅ Free admission
✅ No cost for food, beverages, or activities

Learn more:
https://www.framinghamma.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=40259&month=6&year=2026&day=10&calType=0

Tag: City of Framingham

06/16/2026

📣 The 2026 Community Health Assessment Survey is Now Open!

Our friends at the MetroWest Health Foundation want to hear from you.

Your voice helps shape health programs, services, and resources across the MetroWest region. By taking just 10 minutes to complete this anonymous survey, you'll help identify the community's most important health needs and priorities.

✅ Anonymous
✅ Takes about 10 minutes
✅ Open through June 30, 2026

Take the survey today:
🔗 https://hria.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9XOgskoaq7Ask5g

Learn more:
🔗 mwhealth.org/stories/cha2026-resources

06/12/2026

Looking for practical tools to help address the housing crisis in your community?

Join Citizens' Housing and Planning Association, Inc. CHAPA this fall for CHAPA's Virtual Housing Summit: Tools for Increasing Housing Production in Your Community. This three-part virtual conference will bring together planning and zoning board members, municipal officials, housing advocates, developers, and community leaders to explore strategies for creating more housing opportunities and promoting affordability.

Topics include:
🏠 Inclusionary zoning
🏠 Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
🏠 Missing middle housing
🏠 Fair housing strategies
🏠 Local solutions and case studies
🏠 Affordable housing development tools

Sessions will be held on September 17, September 24, and October 1.

Learn more and register:
https://mailchi.mp/chapa/2026-virtual-summits-and-tools-conference?e=db5b8241ba

06/12/2026

Congratulations to Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action (JALSA) on a major legislative victory!

Through advocacy, coalition-building, education, and grassroots organizing, The Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action helped advance two critical priorities in Massachusetts: landmark data privacy legislation and legislation to combat book bans. The House passed the book ban bill by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 153-3, and the data privacy bill also passed while defeating efforts to weaken its protections.

These important measures now move one step closer to becoming law.

Thank you to JALSA and its supporters for championing privacy rights, protecting intellectual freedom, and strengthening our communities.

Learn more: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Data-Privacy-and-Book-Ban-Bills-Both-Pass-House--YIGBY-Clergy-Sign-On-Letter--Annual-Meeting-12-Days-Out--and-more.html?soid=1141932857761&aid=mUU8RlQ0_RY

Email from JALSA Action Alerts JALSA Action Alert Donate Here! Take Action! Clergy & Faith Organizational Sign-on Letter in Support of YIGBY - Yes In G-d's Back Yard - to Combat Massachusetts' Housing

06/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 JFS Annual Meeting at Temple Aliyah in Needham!

The evening celebrated the remarkable volunteers, staff members, youth leaders, and community partners who help make our work possible every day. We were also honored to welcome Senator Becca Rausch, who shared inspiring remarks about community, civic engagement, and the importance of supporting vulnerable populations.

The event included the installation of new Board leadership, recognition of award recipients, and a celebration of the impact JFS has on thousands of individuals and families throughout MetroWest each year.

Read more about the evening and see photos from the event:
https://jfsmw.org/2026/06/11/jfs-celebrates-new-leadership-honors-volunteers-staff-2026-annual-meeting/

Thank you to Temple Aliyah and Senator Rebecca Rausch for helping make this special evening possible.

06/08/2026

Advocacy matters.

Recently, JFS of Metrowest CEO Lino Covarrubias joined more than 400 Jewish communal leaders in Washington, D.C., as part of a national advocacy mission organized by Jewish Federations of North America. Representing JFS through the Combined Jewish Philanthropies delegation, Lino met with lawmakers to advocate for increased funding and resources to help protect vulnerable nonprofit organizations and strengthen community safety.

At JFS, we know that security is about more than protecting buildings—it’s about protecting people. Every day, we serve older adults, families facing food insecurity, immigrants and refugees, and individuals seeking support during difficult times. Everyone deserves to access essential services in a safe and welcoming environment.

Read more about this important advocacy effort and why community safety benefits us all:

https://jfsmw.org/2026/06/05/advocating-for-safety-security-and-community-in-washington-d-c/

JFS of Metrowest CJP - Combined Jewish Philanthropies Jewish Federations of North America