Jewish poverty is not often spoken about, however for hundreds of families living in Massachusetts it is a stark and persistent reality.
Every day, with the help of generous donors and partners like CJP, JFS of Metrowest (JFS) works with families living in Metrowest who are in crisis – unable to put food on the table, desperate to find a job, on the verge of eviction – and JFS provides emotional, practical and financial support to help them move toward a better future.
While these families face many stressors, perhaps most devastating are the shame and failure felt when parents cannot afford to celebrate the milestones important in a child’s life, like a girl’s Bat Mitzvah when she marks her passage into young adulthood.
For one 6th grader, the privilege and joy of a wearing a beautiful dress on Bat Mitzvah day was something she wanted to share with those less fortunate. For her Bat Mitzvah project, she reached out to friends and family and collected over fifty new and gently used formal and casual dresses and accessories, then donated them to JFS’s Clothing Closet so that girls in need could experience the thrill of selecting from finery that would otherwise be out of reach.
The JFS Clothing Closet, launched in June 2016, is an initiative of the JFS Family Assistance program and offers the basic need of clothing so that families in crisis can better focus on handling other stressors in their lives. The Closet features a pop-up service that brings clothes to select locations and includes a boutique “Clothing Closet” onsite.
The dresses are a welcome addition to the Closet and will bring joy to many underprivileged girls in the Metrowest area as they celebrate their special day!
To learn more about the JFS Clothing Closet, please contact Rina Wagman at 508-875-3100 x420 or via email at: rwagman@jfsmw.org
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