Back in 2001 in the midst of the Intifada, my son David (now a past President of Federation CJA) asked me to join him on a Federation CJA solidarity mission to Israel. This mission was my first ever c...

Back in 2001 in the midst of the Intifada, my son David (now a past President of Federation CJA) asked me to join him on a Federation CJA solidarity mission to Israel. This mission was my first ever connection with Federation CJA since 1976, and it was the first time I’d been back in Israel since taking part in a family mission at that time – my only previous visit. Because of that trip, I came back with a strong emotional attachment to Israel that I hadn’t had before and an even stronger connection to the Montreal Jewish Community. I returned with the feeling that I wanted to get involved.

Over the next couple of years, Marilyn Blumer, one of the mission leaders, took me up on my expression of interest, and in no short order started plunking me on several different committees – one of which was JVS. At the time, JVS was working to create a new employment agency. I participated in that committee as well, and the ultimate outcome was JEM. To my surprise, they asked me to become its first President. The Workshop also fell under the JEM umbrella and working with Howard Berger, we restructured the Workshop, brought in a whole new group of young leaders, and raise two million dollars to totally renovate the premises. It was a very rewarding experience.

Fast-forward a couple of years and I’m on the committee to merge JEM, JIAS, and JFS into a mega social agency of Federation CJA. We pulled off the merger with great success and Ometz was born. We were so very proud of our achievement and the governance we set up. So many said it couldn’t be done and that it wouldn’t work, yet with everyone from the three former agencies building trust in one another, we pulled it off. We built up the trust that allowed everyone to move forward. Being an integral part of such basic changes was a very rewarding feeling. We truly felt like we helped our community organization, made a positive contribution, and left a permanent imprint. In doing that, you get back more than you give.

Looking back, I see my time at JVS, JEM, and Ometz as a collective of my experiences at Federation CJA that have been so personally rewarding. Could I have ever believed that in 2007 I would be asked to be Chairman of the Annual CJA Campaign? It was such an honor to be the face of the Montreal Jewish community, and it was an experience I’ll never forget.

I’ve always looked at it this way: Ometz is really the guts of Federation CJA. Without Ometz, Federation CJA would not exist the way it does now – it is its heart and soul. I love the community and wherever they’ve asked me to lend a hand, I have not hesitated, and hopefully, I never will. hide

I had been out of the workforce for 7-8 years, and a couple years ago someone I knew went to Ometz to find work. I couldn’t go back to work full-time, but I hoped there would be a compromise to be f...

I had been out of the workforce for 7-8 years, and a couple years ago someone I knew went to Ometz to find work. I couldn’t go back to work full-time, but I hoped there would be a compromise to be found. Due to this limitation, I expected maybe 1 of 10 people would be interested in hiring me, and that was good enough. I persevered until I found something that was suitable for me. It was thanks to Natalie Lang and Stephanie Steinman who vouched for me.

I participated in presentations in front of potential employers, and I distinctly remember Stephanie’s positive attitude and spin on the situation. When I would get discouraged, Stephanie and Natalie were always turning it around and showing me the bright side of every situation. “You’re not the only one in this boat. Hang in there!” They made me feel good about myself.

I would tell new graduates to go to Ometz, and even people who want to re-enter the workforce. The workshop I did really helped and gave me such confidence. I don’t know many people my age (in their mid-30s) that would actually do what I did, but I felt well-prepared, and it was such a valuable experience. It’s good for both professional and personal growth. The counselors never tell you you’re terrible; they’re just positive and help as much as they can.

Ometz is a great organization to have and I’m so grateful for it. hide

Mon premier contact avec l’Agence Ometz qui s’appelait à l’époque JFS, remonte à environ 15 ans. J’avais entendu parler d’un soutien aux familles juives qu’apportait l’Agence JFS gr�...

Mon premier contact avec l’Agence Ometz qui s’appelait à l’époque JFS, remonte à environ 15 ans. J’avais entendu parler d’un soutien aux familles juives qu’apportait l’Agence JFS grâce à la Communauté Sépharade, que j’avais elle-même connue lorsque j’enseignais dans des écoles juives peu après mon arrivée au Canada.

L’Agence Ometz-JFS-m’a toujours soutenue de façon concrète, efficace, immédiate, discrète et aussi bien matériellement que moralement. Les assistantes sociales ont toujours été dévouées, compétentes, et humaines. Elles font leur possible pour répondre à nos besoins urgents selon toutes les ressources dont elles disposent, que ce soit avec des cartes cadeaux à utiliser dans des supermarchés, des paiements de facture et dons d’argent si possible ainsi que des références utiles (médicales, administratives, professionnelles, etc.) adaptées aux besoins spécifiques.

Jamais je n’oublierai la présence constante de l’Agence Ometz-JFS et leur aide précieuse lors d’une longue convalescence pendant laquelle je ne pouvais travailler. Mon assurance chômage ne suffisait pas à pourvoir aux besoins essentiels de ma famille avec 5 enfants, un loyer, etc... Bonnie, ma chère assistante sociale, a pris les choses en main et après avoir bien examiné ma situation, elle a veillé à ce que nous ayons de quoi bien manger et régler nos factures importantes. Elle m’a toujours respectée, encouragée, guidée, en communiquant avec moi aussi souvent que j’en avais besoin. Ainsi, dès quelques périodes éprouvantes que j’ai vécues ici au Canada, je conserve le souvenir précieux de cette présence inconditionnelle et active de l’Agence Ometz , de son personnel et aussi un profond sentiment de reconnaissance envers tous les chers donateurs anonymes et généreux de notre communauté sans lesquels tout cela n’aurait été possible.

Si mes moyens et le temps me le permettaient, j’aimerais pouvoir manifester concrètement ma reconnaissance en faisant un don ou du bénévolat pour l’Agence Ometz. Par contre, dans l’ombre et en mon coeur rempli de fierté et de joie, je prie toujours pour notre communauté juive, pour l’Agence Ometz, pour nos donateurs et pour ceux qui ont besoin d’aide et même à ce niveau, aussi minuscule et insignifiant soit-il, je me sens faire partie de cette formidable chaine d’amour et de soutien que représente l’Agence Ometz.

Je pense que l’Agence Ometz joue un rôle clé dans le bien-être et le sentiment d'adhésion de toute la communauté juive locale dans son ensemble. Et je ne doute pas qu'elle continuera, grâce à D.ieu, à affronter avec succès toutes les difficultés – d'ordre économique, social ou autre – afin de répondre adéquatement à la demande d'aide aux familles et ainsi leur permettre de se relever avec dignité et de mener une vie active et accomplie. hide

Bill Kirsch is personable, outgoing, funny - and fond of the sorts of puns that make people groan. He occasionally plays the piano during holiday celebrations at an Agence Ometz program in which he p...

Bill Kirsch is personable, outgoing, funny - and fond of the sorts of puns that make people groan. He occasionally plays the piano during holiday celebrations at an Agence Ometz program in which he participates. "But I have to be keyed up to play the piano," he said, smiling broadly as he delivered the line. His musicality extends to whistling: He's a great whistler.

Kirsch, 57, has lived with serious mental illness for most of his life. He is followed by a team in the psychiatry department of the Jewish General Hospital and he lives in a group home. He is also a client of the mental-health support services team at Agence Ometz - a team working to promote the social integration of people with mental ilnesses.Through the team, Kirsch participates in adult education classes, community programs and outings - activities he says have taught him skills, helped him to make friends and stay busy, and generally enriched his life.

"It is a burden all your life to have to cope with mental illness," he said during an interview in the office of Marcie Klein, manager of the mental-health support services team. "Ometz has helped me to learn important skills." Members of the multi-disciplinary team, who include social workers, special-care counsellors and an adult education teacher/drama therapist, work with about 130 clients, and their work is wide-ranging. As Klein explained, they do everything from organize activities with clients and help those able to live on their own to find apartments - some clients are homeless when they are referred to the service - to assist clients in accessing benefits such as welfare, counselling and employment services. Referrals come from Montreal's network of local health and community service centres, or CLSCs, from hospitals, and internally from within Agence Ometz, a social-service agency. Some of the activities in which Kirsch participates are in collaboration with other organizations, including the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the YM-YWHA. Each week, for instance, he visits the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, where he works with facilitators. The museum is "a priceless gem," he said.

Kirsch enjoys not just viewing artwork but also creating it. He paints, enjoying mediums including oil, acrylic and pastel, and he's part of an art group organized through Klein's team. He has high praise for the volunteer art teacher who runs the group, Cristina Boiles, for how she puts on soft music as they work and provides coffee and cookies. "She tries to bring out our creativity," he said. He takes adult-education classes, given by Dimitra Barnard, a teacher contracted to the service through the EMSB, in topics including stress, anger management, wellness and recovery. Friday mornings, he participates in a cooking class in a community kitchen at a Côte des Neiges Rd. community centre run by Ometz.. "We make dishes like salad and chicken stir-fry with vegetables," Kirsch said. "We also learn budgeting. Then we eat together and take the leftovers home." He has made friends through these programs and, for him, that's huge. "I don't like to feel lonely," he said. "I have to be busy. It is not good for me not to be busy: To stay home and go into my shell makes me isolated. "Going to the programs Ometz organizes has helped me very much - has enriched me so much."

Kirsch has a family connection to Ometz: His late father, Martin Kirsch, was president of Jewish Vocational Services during the 1980s; JVS was the forerunner of Jewish Employment Montreal, which merged with Jewish Family Services and Jewish Immigrant Aid Services in 2009 to form Agence Ometz. "My father did a lot of community work," said Kirsch. "He was an an inspiration for my life. "He said, 'Bill, it is important to have interests in life, bcause then you can talk about anything.'" Seems that Bill Kirsch, musician, student, lover of art, good friend and more, heeded his father's advice. hide

Having recently graduated, I was aware that landing a job today isn’t as easy as it may seem. I felt that the process of looking for a position would be much easier if I contacted a recruitment agen...

Having recently graduated, I was aware that landing a job today isn’t as easy as it may seem. I felt that the process of looking for a position would be much easier if I contacted a recruitment agency. A friend of mine put me in contact with Stephanie Steinman from Ometz and the very next day, Stephanie and I were on the phone working on finding me the right position and hopefully, a career.

My relationship with Stephanie was amazing. She was my helping hand throughout the whole process. She helped me with my resume, my interview skills, and put me in contact with the right people. She listened to my needs and wants and presented me with multiple options. What I admired most about Stephanie is that she was always available. Stephanie and I spoke a few times a week and built a very friendly and ongoing relationship.

One of the highlights working with Ometz was their recruitment cocktail event. At my very first meeting, I didn’t know what to expect and was slightly intimidated, but was easily swayed by the warmth in the room and amazing Ometz staff. They made the experience a very comfortable one and I was able to participate and actually enjoyed myself. Following several meetings, we had the official cocktail where candidates had the opportunity to meet and greet with several representatives from very diverse organizations and companies. I felt that Ometz did an amazing job and made sure that all candidates’ needs were met.

In the past, I have worked with other recruitment agencies, but overall, I feel like Ometz has the best approach. It isn’t as bureaucratic as it was in my other experiences. On the contrary, at Ometz I felt like I was going to a family meeting or community activity. I also felt that Ometz’s staff cares about your future and are really passionate in what they do.

Thank you Ometz and especially to Stephanie who made this incredibly painful process, absolutely amazing! hide

I felt compelled to share this note of appreciation, as it seems that so often we only reach out in times of need. Through terrible circumstances, both my wife and I ended up on Ometz’s doorstep, un...

I felt compelled to share this note of appreciation, as it seems that so often we only reach out in times of need. Through terrible circumstances, both my wife and I ended up on Ometz’s doorstep, unemployed and desperately in need of help. The Ometz team surrounded us with the compassion and attention with which that most difficult time required. Quickly our despair turned to from doom to hope and Ometz managed to refocus our attention to the task at hand, finding the right situation for both of us.

The amount of attention, and the professional manner in which it was accorded to us, went well beyond our expectations. The phone calls of support and leads from the counsellors, and the many programs at Ometz that we took advantage of were invaluable in helping us to re-enter a job market whose landscape had changed so dramatically since our previous experiences. Without the encouragement, education, and expertise in what Ometz does, I do believe that our successful conclusion to this journey which we have reached, would never have happened.

We thank Ometz and the counselors, for all that they did for us. hide

I am a Past-President of Jewish Vocational Services & the JVS Sheltered Workshop and was involved with the agency for over thirteen years. My first involvement came in 1987 when I was asked to join as...

I am a Past-President of Jewish Vocational Services & the JVS Sheltered Workshop and was involved with the agency for over thirteen years. My first involvement came in 1987 when I was asked to join as a mentor of the Entrepreneurial Advisory Program (EAP), which led to chairing committees and being nominated to the Board of Directors, where eventually I became President. Interestingly, I was the youngest President, and only the third woman at that time in JVS’ fifty-year history. It was a different time back in the late 1990s, and I feel like I broke a bit of a glass ceiling and encouraged other women to join the board.

As part of my leadership work as President I headed a team responsible for the 50th anniversary celebration of the agency, during which we rebranded, launching new materials including brochures, logos, and the first website. We also hosted a special anniversary celebration in Ogilvy’s Tudor Hall that was very well-received. Another one of my contributions to the agency was that I took a 53-member board that existed at that time and brought it down to 32 members in the span of my presidential term. Restructuring the board and executive made for a much more effective and involved management team of Jewish volunteers, and the agency benefited greatly from it.

A personal benefit from being President was that I was nominated and accepted into the first Montreal Wexner Heritage Programme group, which took place from 1998-2000. It was a life-changing experience because it propelled me into the business that I currently run. My work and travel schedules do not permit me to do board volunteerism at this time, however when I am in town I volunteer at the YM-YWHA to help small groups of new immigrants perfect their English skills. In the future, if my travels lessen, I will be happy to rejoin a board—perhaps even Ometz! I strongly believe in “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”—giving people the guidance, empowerment and opportunity to lead the life they desire.

One of the agency’s most important functions was that we received a large amount of government funding and grants. Employment and vocational services are a cornerstone of Jewish community life, and this is still the case for Ometz today. Whether they are less fortunate, unemployed, or newly arrived: we need all our constituents to thrive in order for the community to prosper. Mazel tov to Ometz’s continued success in these endeavours.

Above photo: During my presidency we moved the JVS Sheltered Workshop from Royden Street to its current location on Mountain Sights. I was the President during the Mezuzah Dedication Ceremony, and coincidentally, Rabbi Shoham, well known in our community, dedicated both the Royden and Mountain Sights buildings. hide

My mom was the President of Jewish Family Services in the early 2000s and it was her connection to JFS that contributed to my desire to become involved with this organization. Once she no longer was ...

My mom was the President of Jewish Family Services in the early 2000s and it was her connection to JFS that contributed to my desire to become involved with this organization. Once she no longer was President, I was nominated to the Board of Directors. I eventually became President. In fact, I was the last president of JFS before it merged with JEM and JIAS to become Ometz.

One of my primary projects during my presidency was to oversee the merger of the agencies, which was very difficult and emotional, as each agency had its own culture, history and identity. Ultimately it was the right thing to do as it helped to better serve the clients. The main goals were to have central intake and for the agencies to share resources in order to be more efficient and minimize duplication.

There was nothing better than to have the opportunity to help those in need as well as to work with professionals and lay leaders who were committed to tikkun olam. I learned a tremendous amount as President of JFS. I learned about social services offered within Ometz and within the public sector. I learned about the special needs of some members of our community as well as resources that are available and lacking in the social system.

Today, I am on the Board of Federation CJA and Chair the Allocation Committee. My previous involvement at the agency level allows me to contribute from this perspective. When I am at the table with other committee members, I bring forward my experience at JFS and emphasize the importance of supporting the agencies.

To be honest, I would be happy if we didn’t need Ometz, but unfortunately, we do. To understand the need of families in crisis touches you in places you didn’t know you could be touched. Ometz helps families navigate the system and work through crisis. An organization such as Ometz is essential in our community. hide

I first came to Ometz as a recent graduate of University, in 2011. I had heard of Ometz through word of mouth, from friends who had used their services. As a recent University graduate several years a...

I first came to Ometz as a recent graduate of University, in 2011. I had heard of Ometz through word of mouth, from friends who had used their services. As a recent University graduate several years after the economic crisis, finding work was a daunting task. The competition in my field of finance and accounting was pretty fierce, and I needed help to appear marketable and professional to employers.

The employment specialist I saw at Ometz, Cathy Grundman, was extremely helpful. She took the time to really get to know me, and assess my qualities, experience, strengths and difficulties in matching me with employers. She coached me on how to organize my CV, helped prepare me for an interview, and set me up with employers that were hiring in my field.

Several weeks after our meeting, I had a job interview at an accounting firm - Perreault, Wolman, Gryzwacz & Co., and I landed the job. 2 years later I am still working at the firm, as a senior auditor. Ometz is a vital part of the Montreal Community. I want to share my story and thank Ometz for their support in helping young adults like myself find work. The professional world can be an intimidating place for recent grads, and without your support, I don’t know where I would be today. hide

Bonjour, mon nom est Eva Ohnouna, et je suis immigrante. Ma famille et moi -même avons immigré à Montréal en août 2010. Notre cheminement pour s’installer au Canada n’aurait pu se faire sans ...

Bonjour, mon nom est Eva Ohnouna, et je suis immigrante. Ma famille et moi -même avons immigré à Montréal en août 2010. Notre cheminement pour s’installer au Canada n’aurait pu se faire sans l’aide précieuse de L’Agence Ometz qui nous a suivi tout au long de ce processus, et qui jusqu'à aujourd’hui nous accompagne

Lors de notre démarche pour s’installer au Canada, nous avons contacté L’Agence Ometz qui nous a mis en relation avec un de leur conseillère en pré-migration. Après avoir reçu nos papiers de résidents permanents et lorsque nous avons préparé concrètement notre départ, c’est encore L’Agence Ometz qui nous a mis en contact avec la personne qui nous a aidé à nous établir. Quand est arrivé le moment pour chercher du travail, nous nous sommes tournés vers L’Agence Ometz, et par le biais de leurs services d’emplois, mon époux a trouve un travail. Pour ma part, j’ai démarré ma vie professionnelle au Québec, dans l’enseignement, et petit a petit je me suis fait une place au sein de la communauté juive de Montréal

Aujourd’hui, je suis coordinatrice du département des services académiques et orthopédagogique à l’école Herzliah. Je suis également consultante bénévole à l’AJDS depuis le début de cette année scolaire. Je travaille ponctuellement avec BJEC. A titre de bénévole, je fais également partie du comité pédagogique de l'école Maimonide, qui est l'école de mes enfants. La place que j’ai aujourd’hui au sein de la communauté juive de Montréal, et dans le milieu de l'éducation s’est faite en partie grâce au support de l’Agence Ometz, et notamment de Ruth Najman, qui a toujours cru en moi et que je remercie du fond du coeur pour tout son soutien.

En 2012 je me suis retrouvée au chômage, avec l’angoisse de ne pas trouver un poste correspondant à mes habiletés, j’ai donc envoyé mon CV à Ruth Najman et il a été acheminé à l’école Herzliah, où je travaille actuellement.

Je me suis réorientée car en travaillant en tant qu'enseignante, j’ai réalisé les enjeux des enfants qui sont en difficulté d’apprentissage au sein de notre communauté. J’ai donc décidé de me dédier à cette cause et j’ai entamé un doctorat en Psychopédagogie à l'Université de Montréal. Ma recherche porte essentiellement sur la conception d’un outil d'évaluation qui permettrait d'élaborer des plans d’intervention de façon plus optimal. Grâce à l’obtention de la bourse d'étude pour immigrant de l’Agence Ometz, je peux payer une partie de mes frais de scolarité et cela m’aide considérablement. hide