Mission/Vision

Mission

The Association of Jewish Family & Children's Agencies fosters the work of its member agencies' professional and volunteer leadership in serving their clients and communities.Through advocacy, consultation, education and networking, the Association promotes services and policies that assist Jews in need, sustains healthy Jewish individuals and families, and strengthens individual and family connections to the Jewish and general communities.

Vision

AJFCA is an organization that:

  • Provides leadership on major human services issues of concern to Jewish communities.
  • Strengthens the skills and knowledge of member agencies' staff and lay leaders through education and training.
  • Fosters excellence in Jewish social service delivery and management.
  • Advocates to legislators, media, and national organizations and acts as a resource on issues regarding human services under Jewish auspices.
  • Promotes communication and partnerships among Jewish human service organizations.
  • Exemplifies best practices in nonprofit management.
  • Represents a model of effective collaboration on human service issues between a faith-oriented network and secular service providers.
  • Develops dynamic, well-informed leaders to represent the Jewish Family Service movement at the local and national levels.

Values

We are grounded in fundamental Jewish values, especially:

  • Tzedakah - taking care of the disadvantaged by providing for basic human and social needs
  • Tikkun Olam - repairing the world
  • Chesed, Rachamin - compassion, especially for those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable
  • Arevut - special bond to other Jews; mutual aid and devotion
  • Derech Eretz - respectful conduct toward other human beings
  • K'vod ha-B'riot - honor for all human beings
  • Pidyon Sh'vuyim - "redemption of captives," the obligation to do everything in one's power to help release people who are trapped or suffering in some way
  • The belief that the Jewish community has unique human service needs that can best be met through a human service network of agencies that are both dedicated and sensitive to issues of Jewish identity and communal change
  • The conviction that everyone should receive a basic level of communal care and concern
  • Respect and admiration for all who engage in Jewish communal work