CLOSE-UV I
Building The JARC
From a small group of
concerned parents has
evolved a multi-million
dollar agency to care for
retarded Jews
Three of JARC's major
players: Norman Wachler,
Harry Berlin and Joyce
Keller.
Robert Sipher and Allan Schupack discuss the day's activities.
RONNA HALL
Special to the Jewish News
he time — the mid 1960s.
The place — the Jewish
Community Center on Mey-
ers Road.
Parents are gathered, in-
formally talking about their children.
Each Thursday night they bring their
children here to participate in a
special program. The concerns of
these parents are different from most,
however, because the program is a
social evening for Jewish mentally
retarded adults.
"A major concern of the parents
was security for their children in the
future," says Harry Berlin. "What if
they got sick or even worse, died. Who
would care for their children?"
From these concerns, and under
the direction of parents like Berlin,
Joe Tanzman and Sarah Mitteldorf,
the Parents Association for Jewish
Residential Care was formed in-1969.
The Parents Association wanted a
program run by responsible, profes-
sional personnel, a program that
would sustain itself far into the
future. They wanted to begin with a
group home. But they had no money.
Berlin, the first president of the
association, had been turned down
three times by the Jewish Welfare
Federation after making presenta-
24
FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 1987
tions appealing for funds. But Dr.
Sherman Kay, the father of a mental-
ly retarded son, knew someone who
might be able to help. He contacted
his friend Norman Wachler.
Wachler, served on the boards of
the Jewish Community Center and
the Fresh Air Society. He had been
quite active in Federation for more
than 20 years and was very successful
at fundraising.
"Dr. Kay called telling me about
this group of parents that were trying
to start a group home for their
children?' says Wachler. "We met at
Sarah Mitteldorf's house, Dr. Kay,
Harry and myself. I had remembered.
Sarah well from her impassioned
pleas for help for her daughter and
others at each annual Federation
meeting. She had such drive and
determination."
The parents did not know if they
wanted a house for six or sixteen peo-
ple or what the budget would be. It
was estimated that $50,000 would be
needed just to buy a house, and more
would be needed for staff and care of
the residents.
Wachler set about raising the
money. "I contacted people I knew
and some I didn't know," says Wachler.
"I tried to reach more peple, soliciting
fewer dollars from each in the hope of
getting more individuals involved?' In
three weeks, Wachler and the others
Dinner is served at a Haverim home.
Ivan Rossman prepares the salad.
raised $125,000.
But the group's first attempt at
buying a house failed because they
could not get the proper zoning. "We
found the perfect house on 5% acres
in West Bloomfield, across froth' what
is now the Jewish Center," said
Wachler. "It would easily have accom-
modated eleven people, but we could
not get the zoning."
In 1969, zoning for group homes
was a tough issue. It was not until
1977 that legislation was enacted in
Michigan permitting group homes in
residential areas occupied by six or
fewer persons.
After their initial disappoint-
ment, the parents learned about a
house owned by the United Jewish
Charities on Evergreen in Detroit. It
was already zoned for six people and
a staff. United Jewish Charities
decided to rent the house to the
association for $200 a month with the
idea that eventually they would be
able to purchase it. A year later, a
down payment was made with the
help of Sam Frankel and the parents
finally owned their first Haverim
(friendship) Home. Today, the home is
leased to Wayne County as a group
home.
The board of the association
selected the first six residents and
Wayne County Social Services helped
find houseparents. Basically, the
home was patterned after a pioneer-
ing program being run on a non-profit
basis by Mary Wagner. Four women
and two men were the first residents.