SINGLE LIFE
From Russia
Continued from preceding page
94
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1989
their time to their studies,
thereby restricting social ac-
tivities. When they do go out
with friends, they go to par-
ties or movies.
"But we do not go often to
parties;' said. "It is dif-
ficult, because we must
always study. We cannot go to
restaurants, because we do
not have the money!'
Yaacov Khanuk, 34, arrived
in Detroit over 18 months ago
from Moscow. He is working
as a computer programmer
for an insurance company.
But his experience has been
similar.
"When I go out, I often go
with my workmates, Khanuk
said. "They are all American,
but not Jewish — and most of
them are guys. One barrier is
my language!'
Khanuk's concern about-his
English has made him stop
going to singles events at the
Center, he said.
Single people meet in the
Soviet Union much the way
they do in the U.S. They meet
at work, at college, at parties,
through relatives and friends,
Khanuk said. Jewish people
also meet in the streets
surrounding the Moscow
Synagogue, he added.
Yuri Kalish recently began
a job as a mechanical
engineer. He also attends
classes at Wayne State
University and hopes to earn
a doctorate in his field.
Although he has daily con-
tact with Americans, he, too,
has found it hard to make
new friends. He socializes
mainly with other Soviet im-
migrants and is trying to get
more infolved in the Jewish
community.
"At the university, I didn't
make friends," Kalish said.
"The people who meet in lec-
tures in the evening almost
don't even talk to each other.
"But I am having fun get-
ting to know a new style of
life. I am trying to participate
in everything, such as going
to the JCC, concerts and
meetings at synagogues.
Maybe then I will meet some
young ladies?'
people living apart from their
families requires a major
change in the thinking of
Soviet immigrants, according
to the JCC's Berger.
"There are simply not
enough apartments," she
said. "The Soviet Jewish peo-
ple who come here cannot
understand why kids go away
to college, or why seniors live
alone. They can't believe we
have senior citizen housing.
This is a major cultural dif-
ference!'
One recent arrival who is
having less trouble adjusting
to her new life is Simona
Alexandrov, 25, who has been
in the Detroit area for a year.
She is working on a master's
degree in fine arts at the
Cranbrook Art Academy and
teaches ceramics at the
Maple/Drake JCC.
"I think it's not very dif-
ficult for me; I have very nice
people around me," Alexan-
drov said. "At Cranbrook, I
enjoy it verymuch. The people
are very nice — it's un-
believable how nice!'
Alexandrov said that
singles in the Soviet Union
usually "do not go to bars or
restaurants the way they do
here. It is more expensive in
the Soviet Union to do those
things!'
Being an artist has helped
her adjust to life in the
United States, Alexandrov
believes.
"Artists are different from
other people, both in the
United States and in the
Soviet Union," Alexandrov
said. "I think life as an artist
is very similar, with only the
language barrier. But I can
understand almost
everything.
"American men seem to be
less anxious about hard life
problems than Soviet men.
Men here are more into hav-
ing fun and going out.
"But the truth is, all people
are a little bit different — and
a little bit similar!" ❑
One of the major differences
in the lifestyles of young Rus-
sians and Americans is the
fact that in the Soviet Union,
young adults are not able to
move away from their parents
when they are single, and
often not even after they
marry.
"It is practically impossible
in the Soviet Union to live
separately," Kalish sqd. "A
lot of young married people
live with their parents., Some
have the chance to have their
own room somewhere. Before
marriage, for sure, they live
with their parents."
The idea of young working
The Social Singles (40-60)
will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 28 for
dinner at Bill Knapps follow-
ed by a movie at The Old Or-
chard Theater.
Reservations are due Nov.
25. Call Fern Fine at
356-2265.
- The Social Singles will at-
tend a performance of
William Shakespeare's A
Winter's Tale, 8 p.m. Dec. 2 at
The Hilberry Theater.
There is a ticket charge.
Reservations deadline is
Nov. 25. Carpools will meet at
the Jewish Community
Center Jimmy Prentis Morris
Building at 7:15 p.m.
Social Singles
Set Dinner, Movie
For information and reser-
vations, call the JCC,
661-1000, Ext. 347.
Havdalah Service
Slated For Singles
The Jewish Community
Center Social Singles and
Congregation B'nai Israel
will conduct a Havdalah ser-
vice for all Jewish singles
8 p.m. Nov. 18.
The service, led by Rabbi
Sherman P. Kirshner, will be
followed by story teller Cor-
inne Stavish, refreshments
and a sing-a-long.
For reservations, call the
JCC, 661-1000, Ext. 347.
Correction
The Kesherdsrael Connec-
tion Center telephone
number listed Nov. 3 for the
North American Jewish
singles tour to Israel Dec.
20-Jan. 1 was incomplete. The
full number for information
and reservations is
1-800-888-KESH
(or
1-800-888-5374).
Folk Dancing
Is Scheduled
All Jewish singles are in-
vited to participate in Israeli
and international folk danc-
ing at The Birmingham Thm-
ple, 7-9 p.m. Nov. 19.
Dances will be taught. For
many of the dances, no part-
ner is required.
There is a nominal admis-
sion charge. For more infor-
mation, call Allen Reed at
443-0419.
Single Parents,
Kids To Bowl
The Jewish Community
Center's Single Parent Fami-
ly Club will hold a bowling
and pizza party, 1 p.m. Nov. 19
at Langan's.
Single parents and their
children who are ages 5-16
are invited. There is a charge,
and reservations are due Nov.
17. Call the Center, 661-100,
Ext. 347.
ACS Celebration
Slated Tuesday
Area singles will have a
chance to help the American
Cancer Society and at the
same time enjoy Clubland,
Detroit's newest nightspot,
during the ACS Celebration
of Giving, 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Nov.
21, according to chairman
Bob Levy. There is a cash
donation. For information,
call the ACS offices, 425-6830;
or 758-7800.