I can safely say that finding a job would have been nearly impossible without the help of Ometz, as well as my counselor, Stephanie Steinman. For five months, I went through the highs and lows of the ...

I can safely say that finding a job would have been nearly impossible without the help of Ometz, as well as my counselor, Stephanie Steinman. For five months, I went through the highs and lows of the job hunt, getting so close, yet so far. During this time, it was hard to maintain a positive attitude with the constant interviewing, waiting, and rejection. I found out about Ometz because some friends of mine mentioned it to me a few years ago while I was still in school. In the end, it was the people at this very organization, specifically Stephanie, who helped keep my spirits up and assisted me in moving on to the next application or interview.

A lot of employers were hesitant or even turned off by my education, a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Despite my valuable work experience in a number of fields, and reference letters to back up my performance, I was turned down many times. Stephanie was able to get to know my strengths and interests through my resume and a handful of meetings. I believe this was an important benefit for me, as she was able to get to know me as more than just a resume.

Perhaps the most important aspect is the fact that Ometz helps keep young people in Montreal. Everybody that I know over the age of 30 insisted I move to Calgary or Toronto or Ottawa, to which I replied with a chuckle. It seems that according to everyone in Montreal, there is no future here; the future is everywhere else in Canada, but Montreal is where I want to be and leaving was never an option for me.

Thanks to Ometz, many local job seekers have found or will find jobs in Montreal, which helps develop and support the local community. For that reason, Ometz does a lot more than simply find jobs for people. As a Sociology Major, I can attest to this. They help develop relationships and assure that the community remains intact and strong. I can go on for hours recounting stories about cousins, friends or various other individuals from the Jewish community, as well as Montreal community, who had to take their families elsewhere because they were too frustrated with the job market in Montreal. I truly believe that the organization’s recent graduate program is vital for the well-being of the Jewish community because, as I have been told since I was a child, young people are the future. hide

Many Montrealers know Tommy Schnurmacher as a journalist, a radio talk-show host and a political commentator. Since 1996, he has been host of The Tommy Schnurmacher Show, a talk show airing weekday m...

Many Montrealers know Tommy Schnurmacher as a journalist, a radio talk-show host and a political commentator. Since 1996, he has been host of The Tommy Schnurmacher Show, a talk show airing weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon on CJAD 800. He is smart and well-informed and opinionated: The tagline on the station’s website describing his show calls it controversial and compelling – and it’s decidedly both.

What many do not know about Tommy, though, is that he was born in Budapest, Hungary – and that when he arrived in Montreal with his parents in 1957, following the revolution in that country, they were helped by Jewish Immigrant Aid Services. “We left in 1956 after the confusion of the revolution,” Tommy recalled. “We left in the middle of the night, drove to the countryside and were taken across the border into Austria,” he recounted.

The family had left with few possessions. “We figured there was no point in bringing gold or silver because the streets were paved with them,” he recalled, tongue in cheek. Tommy, a small boy at the time, said he was was given the choice of two toys: his little toy mandolin or his wooden streetcar. “I chose the mandolin – and started to play it when we were crossing the border,” he recounted. “So they broke the mandolin over my head – and I had a headache and no toys.” The family traveled to Montreal from Vienna, arriving in 1957. “And JIAS was nice enough to provide us with blankets,” he said.

He said he did not remember details of the blankets, such as the colour. He was, after all, a small child. “But I am sure my mother still has them since she throws nothing out,” he quipped. In 2008, JIAS, Jewish Family Services and Jewish Employment Montreal merged to become a single agency known as Ometz. But the agencies brought to the merger their own stories and histories: The forerunner of JFS was established in Montreal by community leaders 150 years ago, for instance. And JIAS, established in 1922, has helped hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants to establish new lives in Canada – Tommy and his parents were among them.

Tommy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University and a journalism degree from Carleton University. For more than 15 years, he wrote a daily entertainment column for the The Montreal Gazette and, for a time, was the paper’s society editor. He has written a book on Quebec politics, Canada is not a Real Country, published in 1996. He got his start in radio at CHOM-FM, doing reviews of movies and plays. Tommy has several other notches in his professional belt: As his bio at cjad.com states, he hosted a cross-country radio show with former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, for instance, and played the part of an orchestra conductor in a 2000 sci-fi comedy starring Leslie Nielsen. Tommy was master of ceremonies at a JFS/JIAS fundraiser in 2005 – the screening of a film called Gloomy Sunday, a romantic melodrama set in Budapest before and during the Holocaust. The event raised $100,000. That evening, he described to the more than 750 people in attendance his family’s journey from Hungary – and talked about how JIAS and the Jewish community had helped his family when they arrived in Montreal. hide

Dear Agence Ometz, Thank you very much for being such a good friend! Particularly many thanks to Galina - for all her help and care! I remember the first day I met with Galina very well. She embra...

Dear Agence Ometz, Thank you very much for being such a good friend! Particularly many thanks to Galina - for all her help and care! I remember the first day I met with Galina very well. She embraced me as though she was my mother. She listened to me very attentively and provided me with her advice and support. Being new to Canada, I had plenty of questions: - How to integrate better into Quebec and Canadian society? - What is required in order to find a first workplace in Canada? - Where to go to improve my language skills (both French and English)? - Where to study to pursue my dreams in career and professional development? Galina personally took care of my CV. I attended Galina's Resume Preparation Courses at Agence Ometz, which were the unique courses on the subject I have ever taken in my life. Galina provided me with the detailed Resume Preparation booklets. She corrected my resume and supporting letters and explained in detail which points are better to emphasize in order to be selected for a job interview. From my experience I am convinced that a thoroughly prepared resume and supporting letters play the most important role in finding a workplace of our dream. After sending a CV to my first workplace in Canada - to the position of a production manager in the medium-size high-tech company, the HR representative called me in half an hour. And later, when I was looking for even higher position in the industry, the owner of the firm invited me to the interview the next day, saying: "After reading your resume, I decided to call you right away ". I attended a lot of interesting courses, lectures, and workshops with great lecturers at Agence Ometz. Particularly, I enjoyed the following courses and workshops: CV Writing & Interview Skills, Accessing the Hidden Job Market, French Conversation Club, Women's Club, Quebec Tax System Information Session, Buying Your First House in Canada, Investing In Your Family's Future, Smart Shopping Montreal (with Sandra Phillips) All the services and programs offered by Agence Ometz are absolutely vital and interesting for everyone. And those services are created by the most precious asset that Agence Ometz has - the people, the family that we are looking for here in Canada, our home. *The author of this testimonial is using a pseudonym to protect her privacy* hide

I was first seen at Jewish Vocational Services at the end of 2002. For somebody who was used to wake up every morning and go to work unemployment was not an easy pill to swallow. It was hard not only ...

I was first seen at Jewish Vocational Services at the end of 2002. For somebody who was used to wake up every morning and go to work unemployment was not an easy pill to swallow. It was hard not only financially but also mentally. I am sure most new immigrants are going through the same experience. After 6 months without employment I was about to give up. I don’t remember exactly how I learnt about JVS but it was a turning point of my career. I was fortunate to have Galina as my Employment Counsellor. She helped me tremendously to get my lost self confidence back. Galina taught me job search skills that have been helping me in my career in Canada. She became my Mentor. Then on top of everything I was offered a job at JVS. My first job in Canada! It was 6 months contract. From day one I felt like I’ve known all these wonderful people at JVS for years. It felt like a family to me. Though I don’t live in Montreal Galina and I have been in touch for 10 years. Congratulations to OMETZ! hide

Let me take you back a couple of years to explain how Ometz came into my life. I have three beautiful children, Baruch Hashem. They have struggled with various needs since they began daycare. I have h...

Let me take you back a couple of years to explain how Ometz came into my life. I have three beautiful children, Baruch Hashem. They have struggled with various needs since they began daycare. I have had shadows, psychoeducators, speech and occupational therapist and, of course, social workers working with them to overcome their many hurdles. Ometz has been there for me from the start. Unless a person has experienced what I have, one could not imagine the fear or the pain that a parent has to deal with throughout. It is thanks to your team of specialists that I can deal with these negative feelings and transform them into positive ones. The help my children received from Ometz came in various forms: from support that was crucial for giving them the opportunity to attend Tell-It Dire Speech Camp, to the vital visits from the Occupational and Speech Therapists who have come to know my children well. Moreover and in particular, I want to take the time to mention Ms. Deborah Groper who has helped me tremendously by taking the time and effort to talk to me when I needed to be heard. The Ometz team has allowed my three kids to appreciate what it means to learn: to love it and to seek it. What more could a parent ask for? Yes, it is true that they have had to struggle in school and socially, and that they continue to do so. However, I like to look into the future, not the past, and not even the present. As I look ahead towards the long and winding road, stretching far behind me, every turn means discovery, old hope, new laughter and shared happy tears. With Hashem’s help I feel confident that my children will always be healthy and successful, and will grow into accomplished adults. I will have Ometz to thank for helping to get them there. Ometz has become part of my family and Hashem has blessed us with the opportunity to be associated with such an amazing organization. The depth of words can never really capture the emotions that are ingrained within them. I hope that my message rings loud and clear in support of Ometz and its dedicated staff. *The author of this testimonial is using a pseudonym to protect her privacy* hide

I am writing to the team at Ometz, for the exemplary help, guidance and warmth I received in embarking on a new start in my career. Your professionalism and wisdom were completely effective in navigat...

I am writing to the team at Ometz, for the exemplary help, guidance and warmth I received in embarking on a new start in my career. Your professionalism and wisdom were completely effective in navigating me through the often stormy waters encountered in finding a new job. I was amazed at how quickly you created highly effective improvements for each CV I prepared, as well as each cover letter. You helped me to understand the importance of including the specific experience I had that was relative to each job description. You guided me through each step, from the initial search and CV writing, to the role playing of an interview, follow-up thank you letters, and ultimately—the job acceptance!

You enabled me to make the right decision, by providing valuable information to me and telling me to follow my gut instinct. You were instrumental in helping me finding the right job, which I did, with your assistance, in three weeks.

The computer classes I took: Excel, LinkedIn and Your Space, allowed me to learn new skills and connect with others, who like me, were turning their lives around in a new direction, and seeking the right career. What I was able to learn from the Ometz team was so effective that I felt confident and in charge of my destiny as I walked into each interview. With the two jobs that I was asked to interview for, I received second interviews for both, which resulted in two job offers! I happily chose the one best suited to me right now.

I have found that Ometz was highly respected in the community and marketplace, and that you offered not just expertise, but care. hide

I am a mother to three healthy growing boys ranging from 8 to 14 years old. Each of my children has some type of learning disability which we have dealt with as they appeared. Max, our youngest, se...

I am a mother to three healthy growing boys ranging from 8 to 14 years old. Each of my children has some type of learning disability which we have dealt with as they appeared. Max, our youngest, seems to be the biggest challenge; he has a speech and language problem that is impairing his reading. This is affecting his learning in school.

Having the chance to send Max to camp at the “Friendly Faces” at the YM-YMHA has been a great benefit to my family. Max is getting a great camp to go to. He was happy and content at the end of the day. He is getting help when taken out to work with a skilled speech therapist. It is reasonably priced which is helpful in a big way. It is hard enough trying to afford therapy during the year for us.

All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving my child this opportunity. We, as parents, try our best to give our kids all the help they need but sometimes we need assistance. Thanks for all the Tikun Olum! Hoping next year will be just as amazing. hide

I was first seen at Contact ProMontreal after graduating from Special Care Counselling. I needed a job and I needed one quickly. I remember being interviewed by Alice Ohayon, my very first contact in ...

I was first seen at Contact ProMontreal after graduating from Special Care Counselling. I needed a job and I needed one quickly. I remember being interviewed by Alice Ohayon, my very first contact in terms of an employment agency. She made me feel at ease, and promised to do all she could for me. I left that day thinking my future would be bright and successful and Contact ProMontreal would be the ones to help me.

I remember a lot of special times, and special people (staff and clients). I went on from Contact ProMontreal to Jewish Vocational Service where I worked as a job development professional and then to become a young adult employment counselor. The biggest accomplishment was helping people find work just like I was helped when I entered the agency years before.

Today I am giving back by working with the most vulnerable of our community. I have been at the JEM Workshop Inc. since 2002. I have learned many things from my employees. One of the strongest lessons has been acceptance. All 82 of our employees accept each others strengths and weaknesses and remain devoted to each other no matter what. It has taught me to listen, learn and accept individuals as well as myself without judgment. We are all productive members of society - and should be proud of what we do.

Continuing to help the vulnerable, making a difference in people's lives so that one day when they are in a position to help - they give it back. hide