The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco recently gave 1,500 postcards offering free admission to Jewish Vocational Service to hand out to clients seeking assistance from the S.F.-based job-help agency.
Each card is redeemable for two adult admissions on any day the museum is open.
“Coming to a museum gives people the chance to reflect, dream, create, ask questions and have a good time together,” said Connie Wolf, the museum’s director and CEO. “This is a great opportunity to nurture their souls and restore a sense of dignity.”
She continued: “We have to take care of the whole person, in addition to shelter, food, good health and jobs. Part of what it means to be human is to have a creative mind and be part of a society that creates and inspires.”
About a month ago, JVS Executive Director Abby Snay sent an e-mail to local Jewish organizations detailing the high demand for career counseling and other services at JVS during the current financial crisis.
“We got a really lovely call from the staff at CJM,” Snay said. “They said, ‘People are looking for work to feed their bodies, and we want to do something to feed their souls during the long search for jobs.’ “
Though the initiative is relatively new, Wolf said she’s hoping to extend this opportunity to more Jewish agencies throughout the Bay Area, including Jewish Family and Children’s Services. She said that partnerships are critical in allowing agencies to share resources to make a difference in their clients’ lives.
“In these tough times, we need to come together as a community and recognize that we all could do a little bit more,” Wolf said. “We need to keep hope alive and make sure there are places where people can explore, be excited and engaged, and think about Jewish life in a different way.”