Refugee Resettlement and Émigré Programs

JFS SV provides resettlement support services, English and citizenship training, and community connection to hundreds of refugees and émigrés who have recently arrived in Silicon Valley.

Resettlement services for families and individuals
Extensive ESL and citizenship classes, including classes specifically designed for seniors, whose needs are different from their younger relatives
Bilingual health education and wellness workshops
Jewish holiday celebrations and social integration
Russian Jewish War Veterans connections and support

Victory Day Celebration

The photo, at left, of Russian Jewish World War II veterans was taken at an award ceremony commemorating the 65th anniversary of the end of the war. As Galina Chyorny, our Coordinator of Holocaust Survivor and Émigré Services puts it, “This is recognition of those who were part of the victorious Russian armed forces during World War II. Our local heroes - former soldiers, now American citizens - were honored on March 23, 2010 for their sacrifices by the current Russian Consul from the San Francisco Consulate. These veterans of World War II are the pride of our Russian-Jewish community.”

ESL Programs

A strong program of training in English as a Second Language (ESL) includes vocabulary development, job search skills (including resume development), conversation, and counseling. For more information about this extensive program, please contact

James Dinwiddie
Head Teacher
jamesd@jfssv.org
(408) 357-7448

For our Russian community

JFS SV offers ESL classes for Russian émigrés, with special classes designed to accommodate issues and needs specifically for seniors. The agency also produces a Russian Language newsletter to facilitate communication about JFS SV and to help Russian émigrés communicate with each other.

JFS SV staff also help facilitate many Russian social/cultural clubs, including those for World War II Russian Jewish War Veterans (see photo above).

For more information about our services for refugees and émigrés, please contact:

Resettlement Services:

Azita Eshagh
Resettlement Coordinator
azitae@jfssv.org
(408) 357-7457

Émigré Programs:

Galina Chyorny
Coordinator of Holocaust Survivor and Emigre Services
galinac@jfssv.org
(408) 357-7458