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K’vod Connect is a Jewish Family Service program dedicated to linking older adults to the warmth of our Jewish community. And we are meeting an immense need: since our start in 2022, we already have exceeded all expectations, with over 1,000 participants. We meet our participants where they are; addressing their emotional, spiritual, and social needs, and connecting them with the broader Jewish community – and each other.
We help older adults and their families connect to Jewish life, celebrate tradition, and find meaning.
In March of 2025 K’vod Connect was honored to receive the Association for Professionals in Aging’s Outstanding Project in the Field of Aging Award.
Unlike many programs that wait for individuals to seek help, K’vod Connect proactively reaches out to older adults. We meet participants where they are. We partner with congregations, agencies, and medical professionals to identify those who might benefit from more social engagement. We also partner with local residential facilities in the Cincinnati area. We currently work with Cedar Village, The Seasons, The Summit of Blue Ash, The Kenwood, and Marjorie P. Lee, and are open to more.
According to AARP, isolation is a major risk factor for heart disease, high blood pressure, and early onset dementia in older adults. The health impact is as severe as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We know how important connection is.
We know that many seniors prefer to remain in familiar surroundings, so we see older adults where they live. We offer:
Thoughtful, regular visits from trained K’vod Connect staff and volunteers. We offer companionship, conversation, emotional support, and spiritual presence. These visits are often the highlight of our participants’ week.
Our experienced social workers help navigate complex systems and access vital services such as food delivery, healthcare, transportation, and housing support.
Our rabbis and chaplains provide compassionate spiritual support—whether through prayer, conversation, or simply being a calming presence.
Our group-based programming has been a natural next step. In independent K’vod groups, and in our partner facilities, we create robust spiritual, social, and educational programs that build community and connection.
We bring vibrant, accessible Jewish life into the heart of local neighborhoods all around Cincinnati. Our programs offer joyful, meaningful ways to gather, learn, and celebrate Jewish life together.
Join the fun for our lunch & learns, movie nights, coffee dates, field trips, guest speakers, and educational classes, including Jewish learning.
We offer group holiday and Shabbat services and more at our partner facilities.
This unique initiative pairs volunteers of any age with interested seniors. Volunteers receive careful training in areas such as active listening, aging, spiritual sensitivity, and Jewish values. With oversight and continued staff support, volunteers make home visits and phone calls, and participate in group programming.
These connections don’t just improve well-being—they build community, friendship, and dignity.
Find out more and/or sign up to be a volunteer, here.
K’vod Connect works with AgeWell Cincinnati, a central resource connecting older adults to more than sixty services available through its three partner organizations: the Mayerson JCC, the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and JVS Careers. As a part of Jewish Family Service, we also work with JFS’s Center for Holocaust Survivors, the Russian Jewish Cultural Center, Adult Day Services, and the counseling and care management programs.
For more information, please contact the K’vod Connect team at (513) 766-3333 or kvodconnect@jfscinti.org
To learn more about volunteering, contact Bethany Putnam, Support Services Manager for K’vod Connect, at (513) 766-3333 or bputnam@jfscinti.org, or click here.
These connections don’t just improve well-being—they build community, friendship, and dignity.
Find out more and/or sign up to be a volunteer, here.
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