COMMUNITY

Acculturation Is Communal Goa
For Soviet Jewish Immigrants

Staff Writer

A

Dr. George and Vivian Dean are presented a plaque on behalf of the
Lubavitch Foundation by Norman Allan, right. Looking on at the
recent event is Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel.

UJA And Federation
Start Cash Collection

In an effort to avoid borrow-
ing funds to meet its commit-
ment to the United Jewish
Appeal, a major cash collec-
tion drive has been mounted
for the final weeks of 1989 by
the Jewish Welfare
Federation.
Robert H. Naftaly and Mor-
ris Rochlin are cach collection
co-chairmen. "We have a
monthly commitment to
UJA," Naftaly said, "and it's
vital that we collect unpaid
pledges at this time?'
"If we don't, we'll have to
borrow money to keep our
commitment to UJA, and in
the long run that will cost us
more money," Rochlin said.
The situation in Detroit is
not unique. The national UJA
has also begun a major cash
drive.
"Settling thousands of new
immigrants from the Soviet
Union and integrating
theminto the fabric of Israeli
society will tax our resources
to the limit," said Vic Gelb of
Cleveland, national cash

Zionist Alliance
Holiday Program

Histadrut and the Labor
Zionist family, consisting of
the Labor Zionist Institute,
Na'amat USA and Habonim/
Dror, will host a Chanukah
festival brunch 11 a.m., Dec.
24, in the Morris L. Lieber-
man Hall.
In addition to the tradi-
tional foods, community sing-
ing and candle-lighting
ceremony, the program will
feature Naomi Blumenberg, a
member of Kibbutz Grofit. A
native Detroiter, Blumenberg
made aliyah in 1983 and has
been involved in research in
desert agriculture.
For information, call the
Histadrut office, 967-4720.
There is a charge.

chairmen, "but I'm confident
we'll succeed."
According to Naftaly there
are tax benefits for charitable
giving before Dec. 31.
The United Jewish Appeal/
Federation Campaign is the
primary instrument for the
support of humanitarian pro-
grams and social services for
Jews in the U.S., Israel and
worldwide.
About 60 percent of the
money collected locally goes
to the UJA for assistance in
33 countries around the world
and Israel. Aid for new Soviet
immigrants in Israel and the
United States includes hous-
ing, job retraining and basic
subsistence until the family is
settled and the adults find
jobs.

Group Forms
For Special Needs
S.O.S. - Special Oppor-

tunities and Support — is a
social group developed to pro-
vide social opportunities to
young ,adults with special
needs. The group will consist
of young adults (18-30) with
learning disabilities or mild
handicaps preventing them
from normal socialization.
S.O.S. is a parent-run
organization with no profes-
sional involvement other
than the facilitator, who is a
therapist with years of
experience.
The goal of the group is to
provide young adults with a
chance to meet new friends
and plan activities and events
that they can participate in
each month. At meetings, ac-
tivities are organized to en-
courage and stimulate
positive social interaction.
Appropriate social skills are
developed and reinforced.
Interested families are in-
vited 7:30 p.m., Jan. 11, at
Temple Israel.

s greater numbers of
Soviet emigres reset-
tle in the United
States, Detroit Jews are try-
ing to do more than just
welcome them to the com-
munity.
Although Detroit Jews have
been -welcoming Soviet
emigres to the area since
1971, getting them involved
in the Jewish community has
been a struggle.
Zvi Gitelman, University
of Michigan political science
professor, said American
Jews are incomparable at
getting Soviet refugees
resettled, but "we are not do-
ing nearly as well in Jewish
acculturation."
Gitelman, speaking last
week at Jewish Welfare
Federation forum about the
Detroit community's efforts
to help Soviet Jews, en-
couraged community leader
to be more understanding of
Soviet emigres, especially
with a record number of
refugees coming to America
next year.
About 60,000 Soviet Jews
are expected to arrive in the
next year which is higher
than the last large wave of
51,000 refugees in 1979.
Detroit has already experi-
enced the increase. In 1987,
Detroit welcomed 90
emigres. Last year another
160 refugees made Detroit
their home. By the end of
1989, the community ex-
pects 1,000 Soviet Jews to
settle here.
Gitelman called this new
influx of Soviet emigres "a
dual challenge. It is not
merely resettlement as this
is an opportunity for the
reunification of the Jewish
family."
"In 1971, had anyone
predicted the Soviet Union
would be the largest source
of emigration to Israel no
one would have believed it,"
he said. Some 300,000 Jews
have left the Soviet Union
since 1971.
Although Detroit Jews
have been providing shelter,
jobs, loans and medical care
to Soviet refugees for years,
giving them a positive
Jewish identity is the next
step, Gitelman said.
Soviet emigres have a
Jewish identity, he said.
After centuries of persecu-
tion and trying to keep Jews
separate from Russians,

Soviet leaders made sure
that Soviet Jews knew their
background.
"There is something
different about them. They
never felt part of the collec-
tive. A Russian is a Russian.
A Jew is a Jew," he said.
"They know who they are,
but they rather would not
have been born Jewish."
Today, the Detroit com-
munity has begun a wide
range of programs designed
to show Soviet refugees.
positive Jewish role models
and to ease them into the
Jewish community.
During a panel discussion
on acculturation following
Gitelman's speech, Rabbi
Yitschak Kagan said
without programs geared
toward Soviet Jews to

Incomparable at
resettlement, "we
are not doing
nearly as well in
Jewish
acculturation."

preserve their Judaism, all
the time and money spent on
their physical acculturation
will go to naught.
The Lubavitch Foundation
has distributed Haggadahs,
prayer books, and other ma-
terials to teach Soviet refu-
gees about Judaism, said
Rabbi Kagan, adding other
area synagagoues have also
opened their doors to Soviet
Jews.
"What's the goal? To try to
light that spark of religious
interest," he said.
The community must rec-
ognize the importance of br-
inging Judaism into the
lives of Soviet refugees,
Rabbi Kagan said. Other-
wise in 10 or 20 years Fed-
eration will wonder what
happened to those resettled
Jews and why they are not
involved in the community.
Other groups like Jewish
Experiences For Families,
the Jewish Agency for Edu-

Zvi Gitelman:
Not doing enough.

cation and National Council
of Jewish Women have
'started programs in an at-
tempt to acculturate Soviet
emigres to a Jewish lifestyle.
One of the first attempts .
was made 10 years ago when
the Resettlement Service
began a Russian language
newspaper, said Luba Ber-
ton, a resettlement staff
member. In addition to keep-
ing Soviet emigres in touch
with the community, the
newspaper is trying to teach
them about Judaism.
During this Chanukah
season, Jewish organiza-
tions have been sponsoring
parties for Soviet Jews.
But parties are not the
only way the community is
reaching out. Family to
Family, a program spon-
sored by NCJW and the
Women's Division of Federa-
tion, provides companion-
ship and Jewish experiences
by matching Soviet emigre
families with Detroit Jewish
families. About 200 Soviet
and American families are
participating.
Harlene Appelman, Fresh
Air Society director of
J.E.F.F. and family pro-
grams, said it's okay if ac-
culturation programs
overlap.
"We're not so concerned
about overlap. We fear there
are a great number of people
slipping through the
cracks," she said. ❑

Brandeis. Women
Host Gitelman

Brandeis University Na-
tional Women's Committee
will hold a luncheon at noon
Jan. 17 at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek. Guest
speaker will be University of
Michigan professor of
political science Dr. Zvi

Gitelman. His topic will be
"Caught in The Flood Tide:
Jews in the Soviet Union and
Eastern Europe Today."
There is a charge. For reser-
vations by Jan. 12, call Ruth
West, 569-7510; or Brandeis
answering service, 341-2461.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

45

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