Jewish Fertility Foundation Adds New Birmingham Office

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The Jewish Fertility Foundation has partnered with Collat Jewish Family Services to bring fertility support to Birmingham families.

Founded in Atlanta in 2015, JFF is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance, emotional support and educational programs for people experiencing infertility. JFF has the goal of expanding nationally, and Birmingham is the first small Jewish community to offer its services.

The organization’s Birmingham presence is made possible by a partnership between JFF and CJFS with support from the Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

CJFS Executive Director Lauren Schwartz said the partnership is a perfect fit for CJFS, which works to strengthen families and improve mental health and wellness.

"CJFS is always evolving to meet community needs, and we’re thrilled to be bringing JFF’s successful model of education, support and connection for families experiencing infertility to Birmingham," Schwartz said.

The JFF-Birmingham Manager is Julie Cohen, who had her own experiences with infertility when starting her family.

"I like to think that we’ve gone through that so that I can help others," Cohen said.

"People would invite me to Christian support groups, but that did not feel comfortable for my husband or me," Cohen added. "I personally have reached out to others who I knew were going through it, but there has never been a formal network for Jewish families. Family and friends want to be supportive, but it’s difficult if they don’t have firsthand experience with the roller coaster of emotions that goes along with infertility. JFF’s programming addresses all of these issues and also assists with the high cost of fertility treatment for those eligible. I can’t wait to build this resource for our community."

To learn more, contact Julie Cohen at julie@cjfsbham.org or 205-879-3438.