“We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1956
Jewish Family Service (JFS) is a community resource for San Diegans that partners with people of all backgrounds to build stable and dignified lives. JFS’s work is rooted in the belief that each person deserves access to healthy food, stable housing, and dignified as well as compassionate support. The JFS mission is to lift up individuals and families, which in turn, strengthens our whole community. Marsha Berkson has been involved with Jewish Family Service for the past 25 years, witnessing firsthand the impact they make.
#1 Marsha Berkson a Mid-west gal who grew up in Chicago.
#2 Whether I am exploring a new culture, cooking up local flavors, or just soaking in the moment, travel is all about adventure, discovery, and making unbeatable memories. Next up on the bucket list is Japan.
#3 I love entertaining – it is my creative playground!! From obsessing over the perfect menu to setting a beautiful table, plating each dish just right, and even curating the ultimate Spotify soundtrack.
#4 Favorite movie: “Shaken, Not Stirred” – Bond, of course!
#5 Book Recommendations: I enjoy historical fiction by Kristina Hannah and Marie Benedict as well as witty, smart women’s fiction from authors like Emily Henry and Abbey Jimenez.
#6 As many as 1 in 4 San Diegans lack consistent access to enough nutritious food. Jewish Family Service is committed to offering dignified food assistance via the Hand Up Food Pantry, no-cost shopping at Lieber’s Corner Market, Foodmobile home-delivered meals, community food distributions, and congregate dining.
#7 Jewish Family Service operates six Safe Parking Lots for unhoused community members sheltering in their vehicles. The JFS Safe Parking Program focuses on basic needs assistance, employment, family wellness, school success, financial education, credit repair, and housing, with the goal of creating a pathway out of homelessness.
#8 The Balboa Avenue Older Adult Center is located on the JFS Joan & Irwin Jacobs Campus and provides a safe and uplifting environment for individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s and related forms of dementia. As one adult child of a participant states, “Every moment and every interaction is done with love, dignity, compassion and heartfelt support.”
#9 At Jewish Family Service, we share commitment and a responsibility to care for Holocaust Survivors in our community and to ensure they can age with dignity and maintain their health, independence, and connection to the community.
#10 I have seen the relief in parents receiving food, the gratitude of seniors no longer feeling alone, and hope restored in those who felt lost. Jewish Family Service is not just an organization, it is a lifeline, bringing dignity, support, and a hand up.
Jewish Family Service
“Heart & Soul Gala”
April 26, 2025
5:00 PM
The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
www.jfssd.org/gala
