New York Elderly Jews Reported Victims of Tangles in SSI Implementation
By BEN GALLOB
inequities in the new laws
that have emerged since im-
plementation started.
But, according to the New
York Metropolitan Coordinat-
ing Council on Jewish Pover-
ty and the Jewish Association
for Services to the Aged
(JASA), many elderly Jews
are suffering additional in-
equities stemming from their
lifestyles as Jews.
Reports on the inequities
and recommendations to cor-
rect them were made by
Rabbi Jack Simha Cohen, the
coordinating council execu-
tive director, and Bernard
Warach, the JASA executive
director, in testimony at a
public hearing in June of
the New York State As-
sembly standing committee
on social services.
Rabbi Cohen cited for the
state committee problems un-
covered during a 10-week SSI
Outreach Alert conducted
by the coordinating council to
find Jews eligible for SSI
benefits and to inform them
on procedures to get those
benefits.
In June, the Community
Council of Greater New York,
which sponsored and coordi-
nated the SSI Alert, in which
JASA, the coordinating coun-
cil and other Jewish organi-
zations participated, reported
that many of the estimated
100,000 elderly New York
A step Warach proposed ish Telegraphic Agency that it or because they are un-
Jews eligible for SSI aid that Congress take, was en- the transition from welfare able to apply, are still strug-
Elderly Jews in New York
might not be aware of their actment of an increase in the to SSI had probably affected gling with Medicaid prob-
basic federal level of SSI fewer elderly Jews than non- lems, as well as the food
City, like their non-Jewish
eligibility.
grants and a law for pass- Jews because Jews have al- stamp loss. Warach called
contemporaries, have been
The state committee was through of federal SSI cost- ways resisted the "stigma"
"the Medicaid mess' the
the victims of bureaucratic
told about difficulties en- of-living increases without of welfare. However, many
"most serious problem of
tangles in the implementation
countered by elderly Jews in penalty to state supplement- elderly Jews do apply for all."
of the new federal Supple-
initially applying for SSI and ing federal SSI. He proposed food stamps and for Medi-
mentary Security Income
then in receiving SSI checks legislation to provide eligi-
caid. As SSI beneficiaries,
(SSI) program, as well as of
regularly and promptly for bility for food stamps to all they lost the food stamps, a
the correct amounts; lack of SSI recipients and for a per- significant factor in their
provisions for funds to cover manent emergency system budgets.
emergencies during the tran- for non-receipt of checks, un-
Those who had to wait for
sition from welfare to SSI, derpayment of grants, lost or
and problems of receiving stolen checks and interim months because of delays in
Medicaid coverage, home- aid. He also said there should certification for SSI benefits,
maker aid and other social be legislation enabling the as well as those still await-
Americana Complex 1, 2, 3, 4
services; inadequate SSI ben- state to provide some flexi- ing certification, , have had
Greenfield Rd., N. of 9 Mile
559-2730
efits to cover loss of food bility for unusual living costs problems in getting Medicaid
Put your money where your
stamps, as well as rent in- and special requirements, coverage during the interim.
Wed. MATINEES ALL
heart is —
Presumably
those
elderly
THEATERS-1 Show only
creases; and "unrealistic" without the states having to
IN
AMERICA
at 1:15—$1
regulations on the amounts bear the whole burden of Jews who are qualified for
SSI but who have not ap-
of
permissable
assets.
such costs.
U.
AMERICANA I
plied either because they
Both Warach and Rabbi
"FOR PETE'S SAKE" (PG)
Rabbi Cohen told the Jew- have not been informed about
Cohen told the committee
AMERICANA II
that the state had the respon-
"THE STING" (PG)
sibility to supplement the fed-
eral effort by providing em-
AMERICANA III
ergency payments for non-re-
"BUSTER AND BILLIE" (R)
curring expenses, particular-
AMERICANA IV
ly when such problems were
"BLAZING SADDLES" (R)
caused by inadequacies in
the administration of SSI.
12 Mile-Coolidge
BERKLEY
LI 2-0330
Warach reported that JASA
Open at 7:00. Robert Redford
was frequently called on
and Paul Newman in "BUTCH
CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE
"even by SSI to help pre-
KID," at 7:15 and 9:15.
vent evictions for nonpay-
Saturday evening, open at 7:15.
ment of rent, to provide em-
"BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE
SUNDANCE KID." PG.
ergency funds for food for a
At 7:40 and 9:35. Sunday, open
period, to pay the utility bill,
at 1:30. "BUTCH CASSIDY AND
THE SUNDANCE KID" at 1:45,
because the Department of
3:45. 5:40, 7:35 and 9:30.
Social Services" of New
York City "has no mandate
to help."
Rabbi Cohen recommended
hiring of additional staff by
NOTHING SHORT OF A MASTERPIECE!
Social Security offices, which
STUNNING! SLEEPER HIT OF THE YEAR!
administer SSI, including
IT HAS TEN TIMES THE ENERGY OF
caseworkers able to speak
Yiddish and German for ap-
MOST CONTEMPORARY FILMS!"
plicants unfamiliar with En-
—Rex Reed, N. Y. Daily News
glish. He also proposed ad-
"FUNNY, FANTASTIC AND OFTEN
ditional staff workers to vis-
it the homebound.
MOVING! FRANTIC PACE!"
—Vincent Canby, New York Times
Persons who automatically
lost their food stamps when
removed from welfare when
"A STUNNING BRAVURA PERFORMANCE
the SSI act took effect should
BY RICHARD DREYFUSS!"
be compensated by the state,
—Paul D. Zimmerman, Newsweek
Rabbi Cohen said, adding
that the state should supple-.
"A STUNNING SAGA!"
—Gene Shalit. NBC-TV
ment federal measures to
cover escalating .food costs.
"A LIVELY, THOROUGHLY ENGROSSING
Rabbi Cohen also proposed
MOTION PICTURE WELL WORTH
that cost-of-living increases
SEEING!"
—Aaron Schindler. Family Circle
in Social Security payments
be disregarded in calculating
"A SIMPLY STUNNING PORTRAIT BY
SSI benefits, as did Warach.
RICHARD DREYFUSS, WHO DID SO WELL Currently, such increases are
figured as part of the indi-
IN 'AMERICAN GRAFFITI'!"
vidual's total income and can
—Judith Crist, New York Magazine
cost him or her SSI eligi-
"A FINE, FULL-TEXTURED
bility.
FILM! RANGES FROM
He also proposed that the
minimum level of income for
HILARITY TO
SSI eligibility be increased
POIGNANCE TO
and that the state urge the
PATHOS!"
Congress to increase the
—Kevin Sanders. ABC-TV
amount and kind of assets
an SSI applicant would be
entitled to have. He proposed
gearing SSI benefits to the
ATICOKOTCOOMPTF ■ im
cost of living "just as wel-
TIM APPIMENTIGROINIP OF
fare and Social Security pro-
grams are structured."
s,orrp-.3 IttelleARD DREYFUSSMKHa INE LANCTor
Warach said another area
RANDY QUAID JOSEPH m5E/MN DENI4OLM ELOOT r JOE SILVER
where JASA workers "have
and %SACK WARDEN a s'IMAX"
uncovered r e a 1 injustice
b, TED KOTCHEFIrp,...-.. a ./06194 KEMENY
since the institution of SSI,
b, MORDECAI RICHLER
relates to the previously al-
p, LIONIEL CHETWYND
N.. GERALD SCHNEIDER
lotted $25 a month spending
More than 6,000 guests attended the seventh annual communal Bar Mitzva fete
money provided to residents
in Kfar Chabad, the Lubavitcher village near Tel Aviv, for 63 boys orphaned by
■
of domiciliary homes, health-
the Six-Day War, the subsequent hostilities and Yom Kippur War. These celebrations
related facilities and nursing
were initiated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson. The boys
:SO44
homes." He said in most of
were received by President and Mrs. Ephraim Katzir, top photo, in Jerusalem.
wets,
—
these institutions such allow-
Premier Yitzhak Rabin addressed the crowd, right center, and recounted his
wow
imov
STARTS WED. AUG. 21st!
Waif, ai m
ances were no longer being
visit to the Rebbe while in the United States as ambassador, when the Rebbe spoke
Aim* wfwerse 1,0
•
made available to residents
of the uniqueness of the Jewish people its being a nation which dwells alone.
because the institutions often
Rabin said that Israel must be built on the firm foundations of Judaism. Young
became "the representative
Shalom Avner, left center, represented the boys in thanking the Rebbe for thinking
Kercheval at
Warren & Wayne Road
BIRMINGHAM
payees" and keep the allow-
of them. Bottom, some of the Bar Mitzva boys on the shoulders of young dancing
GA. 5-7700
Fisher Rd. TU. 5.7010
645-0777
ances "completely for them-
Chabadniks. The boys were presented with numerous gifts, and a pair of tefilin
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
for each from the Rebbe.
Friday, August 16, 1974-27 selve."
(Copyright 1974, JTA, Inc.)
MOVIE
GUIDE
"A MASTERPIECE!
A Poe onno.rit Reit.° se
In wro,00l C,nemeda Clni , ll,d Pr ese• ■ •••
IMODIVIr KRAVITZ
—
QV:A I leo. 't, b, PA,,,Au[tAll
PAokfA, ./ur IFlif
olo!!!!!
•
! ,
I
PUNCH & JUDY
QUO YAWS
STUDIO 4
enig
S. SAVINGS BONDS,
NEW FREEDOM SHARES
Mass Ear Miyzva for Sons of Heroes
miff