PATH TO FREEDOM
ternal) passport to see if you
are Jewish or Russian. They
don't like to employ Jews."
Simona adds: "Here, it's
what can you do for the corn-
pany and the company for
you."
The Alexandrovs are anx-
ious to make the transition to
American society as quickly
as possible; they are hungry
for contact with American
things and people.
"I feel comfortable here,"
Felix says. "It is the troubles
we expected here. They are
not only ours. I am not
discouraged."
As for their hopes for the
future, Inna responds, "We
already have it. We are
here." ❑
The Lost Generation
T
he topic was immigra-
tion. The small group
of students in Joanna
Berger's English lan-
guage class were
discussing the merits of an ar-
ticle detailing the problem of
the declining U.S. population,
its impact on the work force
and what role certain types of
immigration could play in
alleviating the problem.
The discussion eventually
moved to a recent change in
U.S. immigration law that
makes it more difficult for
Soviet emigres to get refugee
status. The students' conclu-
sion: Soviet immigrants have
much to offer, should be per-
mitted entry and allowed to
work.
The class is composed of
Soviet emigres — all educated,
`The culture shock
is enormous. We
have to teach them
cross-cultural
references —
reading, grammar,
survival skills.
skilled, and by many
American employment stan-
dards, too old.
Berger, who directs the
Jewish Community Center's
English language program,
calls this group "the lost
generation" — Soviet im-
migrants in their 50s and 60s,
professionals who have not
found a place where they can
contribute to their new
society.
"They're not accepted by
employers," Berger says. "No
one wants them. The young
adults are OK after about a
year. The kids go to school.
What do they do? They want
to be productive, but many are
doing nothing more produc-
tive than babysitting for their
grandchildren."
The older immigrants' pro-
blems extend to skills and
language barriers. For those
with specialized skills, says
Roger Goodenough, general
placement supervisor at
Jewish Vocational Service,
"age is not a barrier. In fact,
it's a help. They have to be in
a field for a while before
things happen?'
Yet Goodenough adds that
many in this displaced group
did not have highly
transferable or in-demand
skills, such as engineering or
computers, where a transition
could be easily made.
Goodenough says only 15 per-
cent of the people he sees are
in the 50-plus age group and
many of them already had
retired in the Soviet Union.
Tanya Polskaya, 70, wanted
to continue teaching Russian
language and literature when
she arrived nine years ago in
Detroit, but could not find a
paying position.
"In the beginning, I was
frustrated because I have
something concrete to offer
and no place to do it. It was
difficult to become accustom-
ed (to the fact) that no one
needs us. Now, I just take it
easy. I made an adjustment to
the situation. I understand I
am too old for America to
become a teacher, so I became
a student."
A small group of the seniors
attend Berger's class at the
JCC's Jimmy Prentis Morris
branch four days a week,
though they don't really need
the tutelage. They come for in-
tellectual stimulation, to
socialize, share memories and
anecdotes, and have congenial
company.
Alexander Aleshkev, 66, a
psychiatrist from Leningrad,
could not get the proper cer-
tification to work in his field.
He admits'now that he, too, is
"a perpetual student."
Lev Kuperstein, 66,
departed Kiev seven years ago,
leaving behind his career as a
lawyer. When he tried to find
work as a translator in the
United States, he was told his
skill was not needed. Then he
tried to get written works
published. Now, he dabbles
JACKIE
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NEXT WEEK
In Limbo
In Ladispoli
More and more Jews are leav-
ing the USSR, but fewer and fewer
are being allowed into the U.S.
Why has U.S. policy changed?
What is happening to the
thousands of Soviet Jews waiting
for U.S. visas in the Rome suburb
of Ladispoli?
Why aren't more Soviet Jews
going to Israel, and what can be
done to reverse that pattern?
The Vienna train station is the first stop for this
mother and child from the USSR.
Editor Gary Rosenblatt went to
Vienna, Rome and Ladispoli with
a Federation leadership delegation
from Detroit to explore that human
dimension of this international
drama. Read his account next week
in The Jewish News.
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