SECOND CLASS POSTAGE
THE JEWISH NEWS
THIS ISSUE 60(
SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY
SEPTEMBER 1, 1989 / 1 ELUL 5749
Who's
Who in Israel's
next generation of
leaders, (Can you
name an Israeli
leader under the
age of 507
Detroit Expands
Soviet Absorption
KIMBERLY LIFTON
Staff Writer
Detroit's Jewish community is ex-
pecting 600 Soviet Jewish refugees to
settle here through June 1990 — dou-
ble the recent projections and three
times the number of initial estimates.
Detroit's resettlement costs are
estimated at $1.7 million, which will
come from Jewish Welfare Federation
allocations, unused funds from the
Allied Jewish Campaign, the Passage
to Freedom Soviet resettlement cam-
paign and reimbursements from the
federal government through pro-
grams administered by the Hebrew
Immigrant Aid Society and the Coun-
cil of Jewish Federations, the um-
brella organization for federations in
North America.
Federation officials estimate that
between $1,300 and $1,700 will be
budgeted for each incoming refugee —
with at least $500 a person coming
from the Passage For Freedom cam-
paign. Detroit raised $2.25 million
during its two-month campaign to
help Soviet Jewish emigration. The
National United Jewish Appeal goal
for the campaign is $75 million.
Passage to Freedom campaigns
throughout the country must be com-
pleted by December. At that time, half
the money raised will go toward
overseas resettlement services and
half will remain in the United States.
In Detroit, Jewish Vocational Ser-
vice and Resettlement Service provide
housing and other assistance for in-
coming refugees for their first 120
days. Afterward, the state's refugee
assistance program offers the same
services for up to 18 months.
Detroit's agencies which work
most directly with the refugees —
Resettlement Service and Jewish
Vocational Service — will receive ad-
ditional money from the Federation to
accommodate the influx of refugees.
Federation officials said this will not
diminish funding for other Jewish
agencies.
The federation board of governors
last week said it would accept 125
Soviet emigrees with no friends or
family here as part of a national ap-
peal by HIAS and CJF to make more
equitable the distribution of Soviet
refugees. HIAS is responsible for im-
migrant resettlement in the United
States.
The community also agreed to ab-
sorb 175 additional refugees who have
family or friends living in Detroit.
Continued on Page 14
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