Jewish Family Service is a nonprofit organization that has served the community since 1915. It provides various counseling, education, financial assistance, and social services to individuals and families in need. These services include counseling, consulting, emergency financial aid, dental care, guardianship services for older adults, assistance for Holocaust survivors, educational programs, and support for older adults and families through services like meals on wheels and a kosher food pantry. The organization aims to enhance quality of life through professional social work and a mission of caring for those in need.

2. Established in 1915, Jewish Family Service is
a human service organization which reflects
the Jewish tradition of caring and compassion
for all people in need. Through professional
counseling, advocacy and educational
programming, our services seek to enhance
and strengthen the quality of individual, family
and community life.

3. Counseling
Consultation Services
Financial Aid and Holiday Assistance
DentalCare Center
Guardianship of Person
Holocaust Survivor Assistance Service
Jewish Family Life Education/Family Life Education
Grow Yourself
Mae S. Gelb Kosher Food Pantry
Kosher Meals on Wheels
Older Adult Services/Case Management
Volunteer Services

4. The Jewish Family Service offers
professional counseling for families,
couples, individuals and groups. Our staff is
professionally trained and our social
workers are licensed in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.

5. Other agencies and school programs may
utilize the expertise of our staff as consultants
for specific problems, issues or projects.

6. Short-term financial aid is provided for
individuals and families who qualify and
cannot afford food, shelter or other
emergency needs. Examples are payments
of utility bills to avoid shut off, emergency
medical bills and transportation.
The Holiday Assistance Program ensures
that the beauty of the Jewish holidays is
shared throughout the year.

7. Jewish Family Service , in partnership with
volunteer dentists from the Scranton District
Dental Society and a partnership with Fortis
Institute, administers the DentalCare Center
which provides professional dental services to
those who meet specific eligibility
requirements. All treatments are provided in
private dental offices, with initial examination
and diagnosis at Fortis Institute Dental
Hygiene Clinic, Scranton.

8. Guardianship is the court-appointed
responsibility of an organization to make a
combination of informed personal decisions
on behalf of an individual who has been
deemed incapacitated by the Court.
Decision-making authority is limited by the
court order and must be carried out in
accordance with state law.
The Coordinator of Older Adult Services is
certified as a National Certified Guardian
by the Center of Guardianship Certification.

9. Offers services which are designed to help
elderly survivors of the Holocaust live their
remaining years safely, with dignity, and as
independent as possible. Jews who resided in
European countries which were subject to
Nazi rule and control between 1933 and 1945
are eligible.
Financial assistance is available to those
survivors who qualify through grants received
from the Conference on Jewish Material
Claims Against Germany, Inc.
Our social worker provides these services in
Scranton, Wilkes Barre and also serves the
surrounding areas of Wayne, Pike and Monroe
counties.

10. Our agency offers education and enrichment
through lectures, guest speakers, and workshops
on topics relevant to family life, Jewish identity
and current issues.

11. A series of self-improvement and personal growth
workshops and seminars which provide tools,
strategies and experiences for living a more
empowered and fulfilling life.

12. The Kosher Food Pantry provides
assistance with food and other
necessary household items to families
and individuals during times of
significant financial stress.
All efforts are made to follow strict
kosher guidelines.

13. This program , in cooperation with the Meals
on Wheels Office of Lackawanna County and
the Jewish Home of Eastern Pennsylvania,
delivers kosher meals to those in need.

14. JFS has special concerns for older adults , 60 years
and older, in our local community and is ready to
counsel these individuals and their families around
issues of isolation, illness, dependency; as well as
needed services of in-home help, companions, friendly
visitors, and other vital needs to help maintain the
older person at home.

15. JFS volunteers act as drivers and runners for
Kosher Meals on Wheels , friendly visitors,
shoppers for our Kosher Food Pantry and
assist with preparing and delivering holiday
gift projects to the homebound.

20. Sheila Nudelman Abdo, ACSW, LCSW- Executive Director
Don Minkoff, LCSW – Social Worker
Marguerite Bushwick, LCSW, NCG – Coordinator Older Adult Services
Peter Dunford, LSW – Social Worker
Nicole Friedman, LSW – Social Worker
Danielle Shearin – Medical Billing & Scheduling Specialist
Susan Washko – Business Manager
Arthur E Levandoski – Marketing & Development
Marie McTiernan – Administrative Assistant
Anne Boland – Receptionist