THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, July 13, 1919 31
United Israel Appeal Campaign to Oversee Special
Needs of the 'Mountain Jews' From Caucasus Area
By JOEL WEINER
and
SUSAN EISENSTAT
United Israel Appeal
In the last decade, large
numbers of Jews in the
fields of science, medicine,
engineering and math-
ematics have traveled the
hard road from oppression
in Russia to transit camps
in Vienna and then on to
new lives in Israel.
A substantial number of
immigrants from the Soviet
'Tnion, however, do not
_we these special skills or
sophistication. They are
simple people from remote
and undeveloped parts of
the USSR. For them and
-
ALUMINUM SIDING
custom Trim
5464110
Try My Prices!
ash
of PETER
E BOsiC
\I \
I HE 6\_U G000
t\\\iD \I \ 0000
\\_1_
i\NO
-6644
00 00
651
their families, aliya is not
merely an escape to free-
dom. It also marks the start
of a painful adjustment to a
relatively modern and ad-
vanced society, a process ul-
timately crowned by suc-
cess.
Over the last six years,
about 7,500 immigrants
from the Caucasus, an area
named after the mountain
range which stretches from
the Black Sea to the Cas-
pian, have settled in Israel
— most in the northern dis-
trict, a few in Natanya, and
the remainder in the south
near Beersheva.
These people are
known as mountain or
Tati Jews, and come from
the republics of Daghes-
tan, Azerbaidzhan,
Kabardine-Balkar, Uze-
bekistan and Georgia.
"The problems of absorp-
tion are enormous for im-
migrants from the
Caucasus," says Ora Donio,
acting head of the social
services division of the
Jewish Agency's depart-
ment of immigration and
absorption. "One measure
of the challenge is that most
of our projects are currently
concentrated in this sector.
In fact, about 70 percent of
the mountain Jews need our
help — compared to just
one-third of the rest of Is-
rael's newcomers."
r DUE TO AN ERROR
ONLY CANVAS HANDBAGS
WILL BE
20% OFF
AS WELL AS HIGH-FASHION WATCHES,
COSTUME JEWELRY & BAMBOO BASKETS
WE ALSO CARRY 14K GOLD, LUCITE, LEATHER-LIKE
PURSES AND ADULT & CHILDREN'S GAMES
25900
GREENFIELD AT LINCOLN
Suite 140 Kirsten Towers (Landmark)
I
968-1770
CLEAN SWEEP SALE!
1/2
All New Fall Goods Included!
STOCK MUST
BE TURNED
INTO CASH!
Every
_ Item
Reduced!
ALL SALES
FINAL!
Limited Time
Only.
OFF!
of original
prices
Open Thurs.
til 9
SUNDAY
12 to 5
BURTON'S
PRICES
SLASHED
LOW!
Every
Item
Reduced! •
ALL SALES
FINAL!
Limited Time
Only!
gag*
GLAMOUR & LEISURE FEMININE FASHIONS
HARVARD ROW MALL
11 Mile & Lahser, Southfield
The division's social
workers operate at all levels
of the generation spectrum
when dealing with the
mountain Jews. It is vital to
motivate the fathers, many
of whom are illiterate, to
join the labor force. Mothers
need advice in home
maintenance, nutrition and
child care. School-age
youngsters need remedial
programs which will help
them cope with the educa-
tional system.
The social services di-
vision sets up group tutor-
ing projects stressing in-
formal pedagogical methods
and intensive, individual
guidance. Over a period of
five months, children get
almost daily assistance to
improve their ability to con-
centrate, think and express
themselves. The projects
are often carried out in the
homes so the social workers
have the opportunity to deal
with the parents as well.
In fact, understanding
the family situation is a
major element in helping
the mountain Jews adapt
to a new environment. In
their traditional, pat-
riarchal culture, the
father occupies an espe-
cially honored place. But
as the children start to
integrate into the school
system, the father's posi-
tion as teacher and fam-
ily head is threatened.
Unequipped to help his
youngsters aca-
demically, he also finds
his own development fast
outpaced by theirs. Bit-
terness and resentment
set in — unless corrective
measures are taken.
"We have a multi-
pronged task when dealing
with the fathers," Mrs.
Donio points out. "We must
help them appreciate the
changes their children are
undergoing so they will
understand and encourage
them. We have to motivate
them to seek jobs, which is
something new for Russians
who are used to being as-
signed work by the state
employment service. We
also have to help them de-
velop self confidence. Our
social workers need special
sensitivity, patience and de-
termination to accomplish
all this."
Pre-schoolers are another
target category for the so-
cial services division.
Where there are large num-
bers of mountain Jews, the
division arranges for day-
care centers for their
toddlers, thus bringing the
children into the educa-
tional stream as early as
possible compensating for
the lack of stimulation at
home. The special activities
provide a basis for later
academic development.
Skilled instructors or-
ganize learning activities
for the four and five year
olds after school hours.
Educational games are
usually played right in the
home, thereby involving
unsophisticated mothers in
modern child development.
"Much of the money to
M LTER
operate our projects rent in Russia, adjusting to
comes from American an economic system in
Jewry," Mrs. Donio which nearly one-third of
OF HARVARD ROW
points out. The funds are one's income must be spent
raised in the United on housing is particularly
Designers of Fine Furs
States by UJA and allo- difficult.
Complete Fur Service
cated to the Jewish
1 1 MILE & LAHSER
A wise son gathereth in
Agency by United Israel
Phone: 358-0850
summer; but a son that
Appeal, Inc."
doeth
shamefully
sleepeth
If middle-aged men do not
find work due to lack of in harvest.
skills and job opportunities,
the social services division
provides a welfare
allowance for their families.
It is often difficult to con-
vince these men to attend
ulpanim where they can
learn enough Hebrew to
improve their employment
chances. And, since the
GIRLS FASHIONS
mountain Jews spent be-
4-14 &
tween only three and five
PRE TEEN
percent of their incomes on
e
ew
eketittiott
Refresher Class
Planned in Israel
Is Open With
A COMPLETE LINE OF
BACK TO SCHOOL and FALL
FASHIONS
1-4
JERUSALEM — The
Hayim Greenberg Hebrew
College in Jerusalem is de-
veloping a special program
for veteran U.S. Hebrew
teachers whose knowledge
of Hebrew and Judaic
studies is below standard.
Plans are under way to
persuade American Jewish
communities to offer sab-
baticals to their teachers for
study purposes in Israel.
The Israel Department of
Education. and Culture
plans to share the financial
burden of the sabbaticals.
•
APPLEGATE SQUARE
2980,7 Northwestern Hwy.
at Inkster
357-1123
M-S 10-5
ACO
JEWELERS
'MBeitgki.,.9 Ana& ( 14/446-sais4,
N orman Man
1. mf/qqj/-
• N TV/P
\e/
tIR
\e/
AP: .
WV"
J
LAWRENCE M. ALLAN President
inc, /1/-/T/J/
IAMONDS
OUR SPECIALTY
INVENTORY CLEARANCE
SALE
30% to 45% OFF EVERYTHING
IN STOCK
ALL DIAMONDS, WATCHES
AND GOLD JEWELRY
Sale good thru Fri, 7-20
642-5575
30400 TELEGRAPH • BIRMINGHAM
LOCATED AT 121/2 MILE SUITES 104/134
Awarded Certificate by GIA
in Grading & Evaluation
.
• Mf 11//
\ 4/