'AROUND TOWN

FINDING THEMSELVES IN A

NEW WOPLI)

SUSAN GRANT

Staff Writer

lowly moving her
hands to keep time
with the music, Lusy
Kuprstein's eyes
cloud with tears
while she smiles and softly
sings the words to "My Kiev."
The music reminds her of the
friendship she shared with
the song's composer, Igor
Nanmovich Shamo, a Ukrain-
ian musician who died in
1983.

As the last notes of the
song fade away, so do her
memories. While a musician
continues to perform a series
of Israeli and Soviet tunes in
the background, Mrs. Kupr-
stein and her friends nibble
on tangerines, poppyseed
hamantashen, drink kosher
wine and watch couples on
the dance floor. Between
bites of food, they talk and
make jokes. Although most
speak English fluently, the
language of choice is Rus-
sian.
Mrs. Kuprstein and her
husband, Lev, emigrated to
the United States nine years
ago from Kiev. While they
love the freedom they found
in Detroit, the couple cannot
forget their ties to the Soviet
Union. They soon discovered
they didn't have to.
Not when the New World
Club offers parties that corn-
bine Judaism and Soviet cul-
ture. A March 7 Purim
celebration featured music,
wine, food and carnations

handed to those celebrating
birthdays.
The New World Club,
founded 11 years ago by
Soviet Jews, allows new
Americans to socialize in
their native language and,
at the same time, learn
about Judaism.
"We wanted to help people
adapt to a new life in
America," said Fanny
Shienker, who has been a
member for 10 years.
While most immigrants
are happy to be in the
United States, it wasn't easy
picking up everything and
starting a new life and lang-
uage, Ms. Shienker said.
The New World Club pro-
vides a chance to socialize
without worrying about
language becoming a barrier
as it so often is with their
American friends.
"It's a wonderful organiza-
tion because you know it is
possible to communicate and
to celebrate a lot of impor-
tant events in our lives,"
said Vera Aleshker, who
arrived in the United States
almost 10 years ago. "It
keeps us all together.
"We talk about every-
thing," Mrs. Aleshker said.
While she knows Jewish in-
stitutions can help when
there is a problem, members
of the New World Club have
become her friends and sup-
port team when she needs
them.
"It's difficult to start a new
life in a new society," she
said. "It's very important to
make friends and very

Photos by G lenn Triest

The New World Club
allows Soviets to
celebrate life in
America and keep
their ties to the past.

Top:
Sherman Moshe
celebrates Purim

Above left:
Vera Aleshker

Above:
Sigal Yakov dances in
celebration.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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