About Us

About Us Image

Jewish Family Services of Greenwich is a non-profit social services agency serving the greater Greenwich community. We provide mental health therapy, Jewish-themed programming, senior assistance, and immigration counseling. JFS of Greenwich is a refugee resettlement agency through HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) and actively partners with local social services agencies to help families with economic challenges. Our counseling services accept most insurance plans. All other services rely on donations from individuals, businesses, foundations, and government grants.

Our staff working with donation goods.
  • Counseling for individuals and families, and neuro-psych educational testing of children — in-network with most health insurance companies
  • Therapeutic support groups
  • Programs to strengthen the Jewish identity and connection
  • Grocery shopping and friendly visits for senior citizens in Greenwich
  • Refugee Resettlement
  • Community-integration services for immigrants
  • Volunteer and community service opportunities
Our mission image

Founded in 1983, Jewish Family Services of Greenwich exists to improve the lives of families and individuals of all ages living in the greater-Greenwich, CT community. We embrace Jewish wisdom, tradition, and compassion while providing effective, affordable, and high-quality social services to people of all backgrounds, economics, and affiliations.

History image

Jewish Family Services of Greenwich was founded in 1983 when Greenwich Jewish Federation (now known as UJA-JCC), identified a need for social services especially in the areas of counseling as well as for elder care and services. In 1989, with seed-funding support from Federation, JFS of Greenwich started providing resettlement and social services to assist Russian Jewish families who began immigrating to our community in the early 1990s.

Over the past years, JFS of Greenwich has greatly expanded its services in the areas of counseling, group therapy, friendly visits to senior citizens, and immigration services for people of all backgrounds.

Rachel Kornfeld Staff Picture

Rachel Kornfeld, LCSW SBL

Chief Executive Officer

A licensed clinical social worker and certified school administrator, Rachel Kornfeld has been providing quality mental health and education services in New York and Connecticut for over 20 years. Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, a master’s degree in clinical social work from Columbia University, and second master’s degree in school building leadership from Mercy College.

Rachel began her career as a social worker in the New York City foster care system, and worked in both inpatient and outpatient mental health and hospital settings. Rachel assisted with the start-up of The New LIFE School, a non-public special education setting, part of Lutheran Social Services of New York, where functioned as the Director of Clinical Services, Principal, and Executive Director. Rachel has years of post-masters training in various therapeutic modalities, and vast experience in the field of mental health and education services.

Kimberly Wolfson-Lisack Staff Image

Kimberly Wolfson-Lisack, LCSW

Chief Program Officer

Kimberly Wolfson-Lisack is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families.

Kimberly previously served as Clinical Director of Safe Haven, a therapeutic respite program for children 0-18 yrs. at Kids In Crisis. She is an adjunct professor in the Human Services Department of Norwalk Community College, and in the MSW program at Sacred Heart University.  She is trained in both DBT and EMDR.

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Melanie Zamenhof, Esq.

Director of Immigration and Legal Services

Melanie Zamenhof is the Director of Immigration Services. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of California at Berkeley, and her Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School with an emphasis in International Law.

Her practice focuses on the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and all who flee oppression to achieve human dignity and pursue a path to citizenship. She is a member of the Minnesota state bar, the federal Northern District of New York, the Westchester County Bar Association, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

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Melissa Knee, MBA

Director of Operations

Melissa brings to JFS 18 years of experience as an accountant, private business owner and human resources manager. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from SUNY Binghamton and an MBA from Pace University.

Sharon Franklin

Director of Marketing and Development

Sharon Franklin is the Director of Marketing and Development at JFS of Greenwich, with over nine years of experience in the Jewish non-profit world. She is a graduate of University of Cincinnati, where she studied design and fine art.

Sharon, a long time resident of Stamford, previously worked for the Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien.

Lala Addeo

Director of Volunteer Services

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, Lala immigrated to the U.S. with the help of HIAS, JFS, UJA/JCC and Temple Sholom in 1990 and brings a unique perspective to the resettlement volunteer effort at JFS. Prior to joining the Resettlement team, Lala played an active role as a JFS volunteer and translator for the United for Ukraine program and was also on the Board of Directors at JFS. 

Previously, Lala was Director of Rewards for RecycleBank, an ESG-focused rewards and loyalty program, and before that was a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting where she focused on strategy and operations engagements for financial services clients. Lala graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from Bucknell University and is fluent in Russian and French.

Mike Garcia

Assistant Director of Community Integration

A lifelong resident of Westchester County, Michael is a graduate of Fordham University with a Masters in Social Work Administration.

Michael’s career spans over 30 years in the non-profit world, primarily serving youth and families in the New York foster care system.  During his career he has developed and managed the full spectrum of therapeutic residential services for at risk youth, as well as provided oversight of community recreation centers and home based waiver services in New York City.

Frohar Ahmadi

Case Manager- Afghan Resettlement Program

Frohar and her family immigrated to United States from Afghanistan in 2022. She holds a degree in management, which she earned in 2019 from Kardan University. Frohar is enthusiastic about being a part of the APA program at JFS and looking Forward to contributing her skills and expertise as a Case Manager.

Natalya Parker

Case Manager – Ukraine Resettlement Program

Natalya is thrilled to be a part of the JFS of Greenwich team, where she can dedicate her full-time efforts to helping Ukrainian refugees and contribute to their successful resettlement journey. A native Ukrainian, Natalya has been living in the U.S. for 20 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Kherson State University in Ukraine. In addition to her role as a Case Manager, Natalya is also a real estate agent in Fairfield County. Both roles allow her to assist families with all aspects of their transition to a new life in the U.S.

Semen Antoniuk

Community Integration Assistant

Semen immigrated from Ukraine to the U.S. in September of 2022. Before leaving his home country, Semen became a member of a student organization dedicated to assisting refugees from other cities in Ukraine. In his current role at JFS of Greenwich, he has gained a wealth of experience and knowledge working on Community Integration.
Semen believes that even a small contribution can change the world and improve the lives of those in need.

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Melissa Basile-Reolon

Program Manager FACTS and Supermarketing for Seniors

Melissa Basile-Reolon graduated from University of Connecticut with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for the last 12 years, at Kids in Crisis and Children’s Learning Center of Fairfield County.  Melissa was a Fairfield County winner of the prestigious Forty Under 40 Award.

Jessica Berger

Director of Jewish Health and Healing

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Jessica enjoyed building Jewish community from a young age. She got her undergraduate degree from Savannah College of Art and Design and received her MSW from NYU. Her previous work focused on original Judaic programming for Jewish youth groups, synagogues, and community organizations. Jessica is thrilled be a part of the team at JFS of Greenwich where she can combine her skills in Jewish engagement and mental health support.

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Valerie Boucard

Case Manager Afghan Resettlement Program

Valerie has a B.S in Psychology and is working towards a Master’s degree in Social Work. Currently she is a Language Instructor at Yale University and a professional Interpreter working in courts, prisons, and DCF offices in Connecticut.

She has previous experience as a crisis counselor for client with mental health and substance abuse disorders, at Family and Children’s Agency.

Katie Cervantes

Intensive Case Manager, Bi-lingual

Katie received her bachelor’s degree in human development and Family Sciences from the University of Connecticut and received her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Sacred Heart University. Katie first joined JFS as a therapy intern and continues to provide therapy services along with case management for the PC-ICM program.

Irina Degtyur

Intensive Case Manager Ukraine Resettlement Program

Ukraine is Irina’s homeland where she was born and raised until she and her family decided to reunite with their family and immigrate to the United States. Irina holds a BA degree in Graphic Design and Advertising from the School Of Visual Arts.

Her passion for personal transformation, empowered Irina to pursue a new career in health and wellness space as an Integrative Nutritionist and a Health Coach. Irina prides herself on being a member of JFS community, and the opportunity to work in U4U resettlement program is a personal and meaningful mission for her

Jasmine Ford

Health and Benefits Coordinator

Jasmine has eight years of experience in Human Services. Prior to joining JFS of Greenwich, Jasmine was a Resident Services Coordinator for an affordable housing agency where she assisted residents with their health and wellness needs, as well as coordinated educational events such as health care seminars, food pantries, and life skills training.  She graduated with a BS from Post University, and is currently working on her Master’s degree. Jasmine brings a wealth of experience and passion for making a positive impact in the lives of others and is excited to join the JFS team.

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Jessica Greenwald, MSW

Associate Operations Coordinator

Graduating with a BS in Human Development from (SUNY) Binghamton University and a Master of Social Work at Columbia University, Jessica is thrilled to be a part of JFS Greenwich as the associate operations coordinator and therapist.

Johnson Napoleon

Case Manager

Johnson was born and raised in Petion-Ville, Haiti, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Tele-Communications. He moved to Chile and spent five years assisting Haitian Refugees, teaching them Spanish. Johnson has an affinity for language, and can speak Creole, French, Spanish, and English. He is passionate about helping others and is excited to make a difference in his new position at JFS of Greenwich, where he can give support on a larger scale.

Iryna Kuzmyn

Case Manager Ukrainian Resettlement Program

Iryna immigrated to the U.S. with her family in 2012 from Ukraine. She graduated with a BS in accounting from National University in Ivano-Frankivsk. Iryna is thrilled to be a part of the U4U team at JFS of Greenwich as a case manager.

Dino Morrell

Intensive Case Manager

Dino Morrell has a BS in accounting from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, and an associate degree from PPC Panama Canal College in La Boca, Panama. He began his journey as a JFS of Greenwich client and then became a volunteer. Dino feels privileged to be a part of the JFS team as Intensive Case Manager and is happy to be able to pay it forward helping immigrant clients.

Ahmed Muktar Naziry

Assistant Case Manager- Afghan Resettlement Program

Ahmad Mukhtar immigrated to the U.S with his family in 2021 from Afghanistan. He graduated with a BS in electrical power engineering from Kabul polytechnic university and he has a certificate in financial literacy from JFS. Ahmad Mukhtar is thrilled to be a part of the APA team at JFS of Greenwich as a case manager.

Tania Priatka

Ukrainian Lead Case Manager

Before joining JFS as a case manager for Ukrainian Refugee Resettlement, Tania worked for Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich, CT. She graduated with a master’s degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Fairleigh Dickinson University and holds a degree in International Relations with a concentration in Eastern European Studies from Syracuse University. As an active member of the Ukrainian community in Stamford, Tania previously served as the Director of the School of Ukrainian Studies for 6 years as well as, a founding member of the Stamford branch of the Ukrainian American Youth Association. She continues to volunteer extensively within the community and speaks Ukrainian fluently.

Courtney Roe

Assistant Director of Refugee Resettlement

Courtney has a B.A in Political Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and has a background in U.S. History and Law. She has volunteered with various institutions for many years and is excited to join the JFS team as a Case Manager for the APA Program.

Suzanne Selzer

Housing Specialist

Suzanne earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brandeis University and a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. Previously, Suzanne worked as a behavioral health case manager for over 10 years in New York City helping clients connect to appropriate mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Suzanne is thrilled to be working at JFS Greenwich as the housing specialist and to be a part of a team that helps others.

Jayme Schneider

Assistant Volunteer Coordinator

Jayme joins JFS of Greenwich as the Assistant Volunteer Coordinator, bringing over ten years of customer relations, marketing, and project management experience. She has a BS in Marketing from the University of Maryland.

Anduela Alla

Paralegal

Anduela is a dedicated and passionate legal professional with a deep commitment to helping immigrants navigate their path towards successful integration into life in the United States. Her journey in the field of law began in her home country, Albania, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from the University of Tirana. After working for four years in private practice, Anduela is thrilled to be part of the staff at JFS of Greenwich.

Jorge Gallego

Financial and Digital Coordinator

Jorge Gallego is from Ecuador. He has a bachelor’s degree from Pace University and MBA with concentration in Finance from Mercy University. Previously, he has worked for nonprofit organizations in New York City where he has helped low-income families with financial and immigration counseling. Besides helping others, he enjoys the outdoors and looks forward to exploring new hiking trails throughout the Hudson Valley.