Financial independence and meaningful employment are key to a fulfilling life. This Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), CJP is proud to recognize organizations that help individuals build careers and achieve their goals. Every year, CJP provides grants and funding to our partners in this space, helping to ensure that they can continue to transform lives and foster inclusion and belonging for everyone.
JVS Boston has been a leader in workforce development for over 80 years, providing job training, career coaching, and employment opportunities to people of all backgrounds. Their work supports individuals to develop skills for in-demand jobs and careers, and build brighter futures.
Alex, a JVS participant, found a career he loves at Boston Children’s Hospital. With the right support and training, he not only built a successful career but also gained the confidence to start the next chapter of his life—planning for a family of his own. His story is a powerful example of how opportunity and support can change lives.
Watch the video above and continue reading to learn how JVS Boston empowers people with disabilities to grow their careers.
JVS Boston
As one of the largest workforce development organizations in Greater Boston, Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) Boston is transforming how adults with disabilities access meaningful employment opportunities through their comprehensive, client-centered approach.
“We don’t do special work,” emphasizes Jeff Gentry, senior director of disability services. “We do career development work. The barrier a client with disabilities navigates may relate to their disability, but it is just as likely to relate to challenges related to other factors like poverty. Our work is to help every client we serve access employment and pursue growing careers.”
This philosophy underlies their innovative programming, including the Transitions to Work program, which has provided employer-based internships for young adults with disabilities for the past 12 years. Recently, JVS expanded their commitment to early intervention by launching a pilot program for 14- to 16-year-olds focused on industry exploration, navigating common barriers like accessing transportation, and working while managing other benefits. The pilot program also partners with parents to support their efforts to encourage their child’s success.
“Until 18 months ago, we didn’t have this program,” Gentry explains. “Working here means committing to constantly getting better. We know our disability history: Programs that don’t evolve end up oppressing people with disabilities.”
The organization’s success stories demonstrate their impact. One graduate of the Transitions to Work program, who completed the program nearly a decade ago, now mentors current participants and recently celebrated his wedding. For Joanna Levenson, senior manager of disability services and Jewish career services, such outcomes reflect their individualized approach to career development.
“We meet our clients where they are, whether they’re living with a mental health challenge, housing insecurity, or otherwise, in order to best understand what kind of support they need to find a job that fits their skills and interests,” Levenson says.
JVS maintains high standards of accountability while remaining flexible to meet individual needs. Their programs typically have a one-year time limit, which helps drive progress while managing high demand for services. At any given time, they serve around 340 clients who are a part of the disability and/or the Jewish community.
The Jewish ReEmployment Program (JREP), which started during the pandemic, provides focused support through six coaching sessions covering essentials like resume writing, LinkedIn profiles, and interview preparation. This program often serves as an entry point to other JVS and Anti-Poverty Initiative services.
“If you’re Jewish and you want a job, Joanna’s team is your team,” notes Gentry, emphasizing their inclusive approach that treats disability as just one of many factors that might affect employment, no different from immigration status or a recent layoff.
Through their unwavering commitment to dignity, opportunity, and growth, JVS Boston isn’t just finding jobs—they’re transforming lives and challenging long-held assumptions about disability employment. Their success stories speak to the power of believing in every individual’s potential: parents seeing their children thrive in meaningful careers, clients becoming mentors to others, and workplaces becoming more inclusive and stronger through diversity. As each client discovers their professional path, JVS Boston proves that with the right training, support, and partnership, there are no limits to what people with disabilities can achieve in the workplace.