For 22 years, Jewish Family & Career Services and the Trager Family JCC have teamed up for the Republic Bank Players Challenge. This year, there are two ways to play: Mahjong for a Mission on Sunday, August 30, and the Golf Scramble on Monday, August 31.
The Players Challenge began in 2004 when JFCS and the Trager Family JCC combined their separate golf fundraisers into one community event. Republic Bank soon joined as the title sponsor, helping it grow into an annual tradition that brings together golfers, volunteers, sponsors and friends.
The partnership between JFCS and the Trager Family JCC is an important part of what makes this event special. Both organizations have deep roots in Louisville’s Jewish community and are guided by Jewish values that call us to care for others, build connections and strengthen the world around us.
We are proud to serve Louisville’s Jewish community while also bringing those values into our work throughout the broader community. Serving people of all backgrounds is one of the ways we represent the Jewish community and put our shared values into action.
As Golf Committee Chair Mitch Greenfield shared, “It’s an opportunity to help two great organizations. What stands out for me is that they’re both such wide supporters of the community. And while they have Jewish affiliations, their support of Louisville goes far beyond the Jewish community.”
This year, we are excited to offer a new way to participate. Mahjong for a Mission will bring players together at the Trager Family JCC for a morning of open play for all levels, refreshments and prizes. Players of all skill levels are welcome, so gather your group and join us.
“With the excitement around Mahjong and its deep tradition within the Jewish community, this felt like the perfect time to add Mahjong for a Mission to the Republic Bank Players Challenge,” said Courtney Evans, JFCS Director of Advancement. “Thanks to increased support from Republic Bank, we were able to make it happen and create another way for people to come together in support of both organizations.”
Anyone who registers for Mahjong for a Mission by August 14 will be entered to win an Oh My Mahjong mat. During the week leading up to the event, we will also have an in-person silent auction in the Trager Family JCC lobby. Items include gift cards to local restaurants, an Oh My Mahjong bag and mat, Mahjong lessons, bourbon and more.
The following day, golfers will gather at the Standard Club for the Golf Scramble, featuring lunch, prizes, contests, a bourbon tasting and a post-golf “Taste of the World” celebration with food from five immigrant-owned restaurants, including MeeshMeesh, Vincenzo’s and more.
Even if you cannot play this year, you can still be part of the event by sponsoring a player who may not be able to cover the registration fee. This is a great option for anyone who cannot attend this year, or for anyone who wants to help another community member participate.
Whether you play Mahjong, join us on the golf course or sponsor someone else’s participation, your support helps two Jewish organizations continue serving Louisville.
Register to play or sponsor a player today at jfcslouisville.org. We hope to see you there!
April is National Volunteer Appreciation Month, and we’d love to take the time to express our gratitude to all the JFCS volunteers! We don’t know what we’d do without the help of volunteers. From volunteers keeping the Sonny & Janet Meyer Food Pantry running smoothly for those who shop there, to people providing telephone reassurance to older adult clients, to everyone who helps set up and take down events, to the committee members and board directors who provide invaluable guidance, our volunteers are essential to so many of the things we do. As our CEO, Dr. David Finke, has explained, “Our volunteers are not just supporting our mission; they are bringing it to life. Their dedication creates meaningful change for individuals and families across our community.”
We asked a few of our volunteers to speak about their experiences and why they choose to give back to the community through volunteering. Marty Snyder had the following remark: “There is much need in the world that we cannot impact, but we can spread a bit of kindness to a few people in our little orbits.”
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves; volunteers have the power to make a profound impact on those around them, changing the world, one individual at a time.
Another volunteer, Ann Farmer, explains that “JFCS helps us to put our words and thoughts into action for others…and we all win and improve.” Expanding on the role JFCS and its volunteers play in the Louisville community, Joan Epstein remarks, “I love the diversity of the clients. They are all so appreciative. It really makes volunteering fun.” An anonymous volunteer remarks that “volunteering in the food pantry brings me in contact with lots of people from other parts of Louisville and lets me see them as valuable members of our city, not just a statistic. Their appreciation makes the work so worthwhile.”
We are deeply grateful to our volunteers who have taken the time to share their reflections. Their words truly capture the spirit and values of JFCS and the impact of volunteering within our community. Louisville is a vibrant and diverse city, shaped by a wide range of people, experiences, and perspectives. When you volunteer, you play an essential role in strengthening that fabric, helping individuals and families from all backgrounds while contributing to something much larger than any one person. You are an important part of a collective effort that brings together unique stories, talents, and lives to build a stronger, more connected community.
We’d love to have your help volunteering! If you’re interested in assisting us, please email us at volunteer@jfcslouisville.org so we can work with you to find a way to help. Thanks again to all who have volunteered with us, and to anyone who’d like to start volunteering with us!
March is Women’s History Month, and JFCS is eager to celebrate!
We value the women and gender-diverse individuals who ensure success throughout our organization, as employees, clients, donors, volunteers, and community partners. As a majority-woman workplace, we are always mindful of the importance of supporting women and people of all gender identities in reaching their fullest potential. This month offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the values we uphold not just in March, but throughout the year.
March is also a time to reflect on the historical inequities that have limited recognition of women and marginalized gender identities, and to recommit ourselves to fostering greater awareness and inclusion moving forward. It invites younger generations to appreciate the achievements, resilience, and innovation of those who came before them, while encouraging women and gender-diverse individuals to lead boldly in spaces where they may once have felt unseen. Ultimately, communities are strongest when every person is acknowledged and celebrated. Observances like Women’s History Month help ensure that each individual’s contributions are recognized and valued, regardless of gender identity or background.
We invited JFCS staff to share quotes about women and gender equity that resonate with them and reflect their personal inspiration. Here are some quotes our staff chose:
- “As long as women are using class or race power to dominate other women, feminist sisterhood cannot be fully realized.”
-bell hooks - “A genuine feminist politics always brings us from bondage to freedom, from lovelessness to loving… There can be no love without justice.”
-bell hooks - “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
-Maya Angelou - “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”
-Margaret Thatcher - “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
-Lilla Watson - “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”
-Audre Lorde
Our Senior Crime Victim Advocate, Paul Troy, has his own thoughts about Women’s History Month:
“As I think about Women’s History Month, I am reminded of why I work at JFCS as a crime victim advocate. My mother is a survivor of domestic violence. In the mid-70’s, there were no domestic violence shelters, no emergency protective orders, and no victim advocates in Eastern Kentucky to help her get away from my abusive father. But my mom was strong and determined. Case management, family therapy, career counseling, and legal advocacy are all services that JFCS now offers that were unavailable when my mom was trying to escape an abusive relationship. This month I am thankful to be able to honor my mom and all of the other women who are working so hard to keep their children safe.”
Together, these reflections and stories from our staff serve as a powerful reminder that it is not just about looking back; it’s about continuing to uplift, support, and celebrate one another every day. We thank our staff for sharing so many powerful insights, and we are proud to know that our organization is guided throughout the year by our shared passion for women’s causes and all causes of justice.
“Because of JFCS and the Sonny & Janet Meyer Food Pantry, my family is able to have a good meal every day.”
– Nechelle, Food Pantry client
Since 1908, Jewish Family & Career Services has been guided by the Jewish values of Chesed, Kavod, Kehilah, Tzedek, and Avodah. These values are not abstract ideals. They come alive every time we place a bag of food into the hands of someone who doesn’t know where their next meal will come from.
As we enter the High Holidays, we are called not only to reflect, but also to act. The JFCS High Holidays Food Drive, is a powerful way we live out these values as a Jewish Community.
This year, our goal is to collect 8,000 pounds of food for the Sonny & Janet Meyer Food Pantry. This is a goal made necessary by the staggering increase in hunger across Louisville. Today, more than 186,000 of our neighbors face food insecurity—a 48% increase in just two years. Behind each number is a child, an older adult, or a family struggling to live with dignity.
The JFCS Food Pantry, including our satellite pantry at Shalom Towers, has become a vital safety net for our clients. Before the pandemic, we distributed just over 4,000 pounds of food each month. Today, demand has doubled to more than 8,000 pounds monthly, including kosher options and personal care items that preserve dignity as well as health.
Every can, every bag, every dollar matters. To keep shelves stocked at the Sonny & Janet Meyer food pantry, we need your support.
How You Can Get Involved in the High Holiday Food Drive
- Fill a bag at your congregation and return it by Yom Kippur.
- Drop off donations at JFCS, the Trager Family JCC, or participating congregations anytime between now and October 5th (drop off on October 5th at JFCS between 1pm and 3pm).
- Make a financial gift to JFCS through our 2026 End of Year Campaign.
- Invite others: friends, family, colleagues; to join in this mitzvah day on October 5th from 1pm to 3pm. RSVP Here!
On Sunday, October 5, families are invited to a Family Mitzvah Day at JFCS to sort food, and for children to create cards for clients and donors; a beautiful opportunity to have a service day as a family!
This Season, Let’s Work Together to Feed our Neighbors
The High Holidays remind us of our shared responsibility to repair the world. Together, we can ensure no parent sends a child to school hungry, no older adult chooses between food and medicine, and no family feels alone in their struggle.
This season of reflection can also be a season of action. Your gift, whether food or financial, turns Jewish values into daily sustenance and lasting dignity at Jewish Family & Career Services.