"It's a way for us to help girls who just need a little bit more support in life to have a positive interaction and be cared for, to know they're special, and to know they have a group of loving women who are paying attention to their needs."

Marcie Marcovitz, Current JBS president.

What Is Jewish Big Sisters (JBS)?

Founded in 1916, Jewish Big Sisters (JBS) is the oldest Big Sister organization in Metropolitan Chicago. Jewish Big Sisters is a volunteer program providing Jewish women a great opportunity to mentor, support and work closely with young Jewish girls. As an independent group of women, JBS has provided mentoring and friendship to some 9,000 Jewish girls in Chicagoland.

Meeting a Need

Jewish Big Sisters fulfills emotional and interpersonal needs of girls ages 8 - 19 by providing social acceptance, warm understanding, guidance and recreational activities.

The group's services focus on two basic programs:

  1. Group activities
  2. One-to-one matched relationship between the Little Sister and her volunteer Big Sister