Birmingham Jewish fertility group holds Nov. 4 kickoff

Also see: Expanding nationally, Jewish fertility group opening Birmingham office

The Birmingham location of the Jewish Fertility Foundation will have its official launch party on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., at Chabad of Alabama.

The women-only reception will include wine and cheese, and desserts. Speakers will talk about the goals of the organization, along with their personal journeys with infertility.

Founded in Atlanta in 2015, JFF has the goal of expanding nationally, and Birmingham is the first small Jewish community to offer its services. Other offices are in Tampa and Cincinnati. The organization’s Birmingham presence is made possible by a partnership between JFF, Collat Jewish Family Services and the Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

The foundation offers confidential support groups, “relationship-based support” through Fertility Buddies, and financial assistance for seeking fertility treatments.

Julie Cohen, city manager for the foundation, said she and her husband “went through many years of infertility treatments to grow our family, and I don’t want anyone to feel isolated or alone while navigating the rollercoaster of infertility.”

When she was navigating the process, friends would invite her to Christian support groups, “but that did not feel comfortable for my husband or me,” and she desired a network for Jewish families.

She now has a 4-year-old and twin toddlers.

Elana Frank and Lynn Goldman founded the organization in Atlanta. Goldman had attended a church-based group before deciding to start a support group at her synagogue.

It is estimated that one in eight women ages 21 to 44 nationally suffers from infertility, in the Jewish community it is one in six.

Attendees are requested to be fully vaccinated, and masks are required. Reserve here.