Each year Jewish Scholarship Service (JSS) holds the official “Disbursing of the Checks” event where awardees pick up their financial aid checks. We’ll be hosting this year’s event next Wednesday evening, July 24th, 6 to 8 pm, at the JCC in Squirrel Hill. Previous attendees will be happy to know that this year’s event is all new, a party with ice cream and fun!
On a recent visit to JFCS, Jacqueline Radin shared her Jewish Scholarship Service (JSS) experience with us. After graduating with her Masters in Education last May, she has just landed her first teaching job in Fairfax, VA where she will be moving shortly to fulfill her professional dream. Jac has wanted to be a teacher all of her post-high school years, and JSS helped her get there.
“When I went to college I had no parental assistance, so I had loans and I worked full time,” she says. “I was so grateful for the JSS assistance. Every dollar of financial aid I received from JSS meant fewer work hours I had to waitress and more time to study.”
Through college, a professional gap year to gain her teaching certification, and her masters – a total of seven years — Jewish Scholarship Service helped Jacqueline along. In her final year, the award was increased enough to make it possible not to borrow any more money. She said she actually cried.
JSS is a scholarship program for Jewish students that helps them continue their education, but its mission includes promoting Jewish life and values among young people. Jacqueline said several of her supervisors have been Jewish women, so the reminder from JSS to value her Jewish background resonated.
“I did participate in many Jewish activities at school,” she said. “I’m all about Jewish women in leadership roles!”
Once again we are indebted to the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh for this program, to the committee that reads every single applicant’s request and allocates the funds, to the Co-chairs of that committee Cheryl Cohen and Marc Silverman for their leadership, and to the 40+ family philanthropic funds that together make it possible to distribute around $400,000 every year! JFCS is proud to be the administrator of this great effort!
Applications for the 2020-2021 school year will open in November. For more information, contact Alayne at alowenberger@jfcspgh.org, or visit our website.
Photo: Jacqueline Radin