From Francie Smith Saposnik: When Jenny Pincus, z’’l, moved to Madison to be near her son, she carried a deep sadness—especially when she learned she couldn’t light traditional Shabbat candles in her senior residence. That’s when Jewish Social Services (JSS) stepped in. As a JSS social worker, I began visiting Jenny weekly with battery-operated candles, grape juice, and challah. She brought the rest: her warmth, joy, and Yiddish songs. Her spirit was contagious, and soon, fellow residents joined her. The gathering outgrew her room, moved to the community space, and eventually inspired similar celebrations in other residences. Jenny’s longing for sacred light sparked what would become the JSS Jewish Spiritual Care Program. Today, that light continues to shine through hospital visits, holiday observances, and life-cycle support. What began with one woman’s devotion has grown into a citywide tradition of connection and comfort. As the founder of this program, I invite you to help sustain Jenny’s legacy. Thanks to a generous matching gift from Kathy and Tim Mazur, every contribution to the JSS Spiritual Care Program will be doubled—up to $55,000. Your support helps ensure that Jewish tradition and spiritual care reach those who need it most: https://tinyurl.com/ypx53dce. G'mar chatima tova to all! (fb)

Shanah Tovah! We hope everyone had a restorative and meaningful Rosh Hashanah holiday. As per usual, we celebrated the holiday by handing out over 100 gift bags to seniors across Dane County. They included a greeting card from JSS, apples and honey, brochure, and a few sweet treats, plus a couple of very small "loaves" of round challah. This program never fails to bring smiles and connection to our gift bag recipients. Thank you to our staff and amazing volunteers who make this work possible! If you're interested in supporting services like this one, there is still time to donate to our 2025 Spiritual Care Campaign! Remember, the impact of each gift will be doubled due to a generous matching grant from Kathy and Tim Mazur. Follow this link to support! https://tinyurl.com/ypx53dce (fb)