It is indeed a Happy New Year for more than 60 people in the Jewish community who have been able to find jobs thanks, in part, to the efforts of Jewish Employment Services.
Celebrating its first anniversary, JES is a joint program of Jewish Family Services and Jewish Vocational Service. It was the brainchild of a handful of local Jewish business leaders that now comprise the JES Advisory Council. Its members include Larry Arlan, Pete Cabell, Bernie Fried, Michael Halpern, Alan Jacobson, Lou Kram and David Kroll. This group, along with Bill Lowenstein, saw a need to expand the services that were being provided to members of the Jewish community who had lost their jobs. The program has been funded by The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, the Jewish Heritage Foundation of Greater Kansas City and the Lowenstein Brothers Foundation.
In its first year, JES has worked with as many as 229 job seekers and currently has about 150 in the program.
Job seekers work closely with Gayl Reinsch, JES director, who assists them directly or refers them to the appropriate JES resource staff for help. Counselors Cheryl Intrater and Joyce Hill help with career assessment and coaching, resume assistance and interview skills.
“JES was created to respond to a real need in our community — helping connect Jewish job seekers with actual employment,” said Don Goldman, JFS executive director. “This program is accomplishing that and more.”
“Developing JES has enabled Jewish Family Services and Jewish Vocational Service to leverage the strengths of both organizations in helping members of our community find jobs,” said Joy Foster, JVS executive director. While the career coaching service JVS had provided since 2001 helped many find employment, the new economic environment required stronger measures.
“In one way or another, JES helped more than 60 people find employment over the last year,” said Reinsch. “In addition to wonderful career coaches, JES offers a bi-monthly job club, intensive job search skills workshops and a job development service that connects job seekers directly to open positions.”
Among those JES and its staff has assisted in their job search is Debbie Snitz.
“I enjoyed the discussions which Joyce conducted at Job Club,” Snitz said. “Being part of a club also gave me support, assurance and the tips needed to keep me on my toes in my career search.”
The JES Job Club meets from 4 to 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month in the Multi Activity Center at the Jewish Community Campus. The Job Club explores topics of interest in the employment arena with presentations by employers and experts. It also provides a great networking opportunity.
JES also uses volunteers to mentor and network with participants. If you are interested in helping in this area please contact Reinsch.
Employers have also been pleased with the work of JES. Jim McNeile, a partner in the law firm of Cohen McNeile & Pappas, P.C., met with Reinsch to fill a key position at the firm.
“We had been looking for more mature workers to help round out our team of paralegals,” McNeile said. “It just so happened that she had a candidate in mind that turned out to be a great fit for us.”
The firm hired Alexis Rothenberg.
“The job is working out very well.... I really enjoy the people and the work,” Rothenberg said. She has since been promoted to a law clerk’s position.
Funders of JES have been pleased with the program’s efforts.
“The Jewish Federation has been behind the development and implementation of the Jewish Employment Services from the beginning, which is why we, along with the Lowenstein Brothers Foundation, have funded it since its inception,” said Todd Stettner, Federation executive vice president and CEO. “Thanks to the terrific teamwork of JFS and JVS, Jewish Employment Services got off the ground quickly to meet a groundswell of demand for the services it provides,”.
“We are delighted to be a part of this project,” said Ellen Kort, Jewish Heritage Foundation’s executive director. “The synergy between JVS, JFS and the volunteers who created the concept has been extraordinary, and it is a joy to see the fruits of this labor.”
The JES team continues to work hard to help job seekers; those wishing to connect directly with JES should email Reinsch at , attaching a resume, if they have one. For more information about the program in general, visit www.jvskc.org or www.jfskc.org/JES.