PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

By Marcy Feldman

As we approach the end of the year, I look
back at how quickly time has passed since I
became president of Resettlement Service.
We have accomplished a great deal and yet
there is so much more to be done.
Resettlement Service is the initial agency
welcomes and assists each new Jewish
American that comes to Detroit. We are their
primary connection to the Jewish community
and we work hand in hand with a network of
Jewish and governmental agencies that
provide them with services, information and
support.
This past year, we have met 765 new
Jewish Americans at the airport. We brought
them to apartments that are furnished with
donations from the community and stocked
with kosher food. Volunteers have reached
out in so many ways to assist each new
Jewish American family to feel welcome in
their new home. Unless you have personally
had the opportunity to get involved with a
family you cannot feel the excitement of the
resettlement process.
Families come with their own personalities,
strengths, weaknesses, talents, hopes and

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YOU CAN HELP!!
Please write or call to your
representatives to urge their
support for a restoration of
federal funding for the domestic
resettlement program. At this
critical juncture, it is extremely
important that congress people
hear this message from you!

dreams. Each one has a story to tell of
prejudice and fear, of leaving the former
Soviet Union and of survival through World
War Two and the Cold War. We cannot lose
sight of the fact that to be without friends,
family, belongings, mementos, language and
culture, creates a terribly emotional upheaval
for them. All of a sudden they are mute in a
new world—unable to have a simple
conversation with a person born in the
United States.
As so many new Jewish Americans arrive,
we cannot forget those waiting to emigrate.
What do we have to look forward to this
winter? The Bush administration wants to
cut back funding for refugee resettlement by
as much as $80 million. This could shut
down resettlement agencies across the
country or cut back the numbers of people
allowed to immigrate.
You can make a difference by getting
involved. Please write or call your Congres-
sional representatives regarding the impor-
tance of assistance to people who are trying
to flee persecution. What does America
stand for if not freedom and liberty for all
who seek it? Let's hope we can make a
difference so that we can continue this
mitzvah work for as long as is necessary.

Write or call to:
Senator Carl Levin
United States Senate
Washington,D.C.
20510

Rep. Carl D. Purcell
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Rep.

U.S. Capitol Switchboard
Senator Donald Riegle
for the Senate and House:
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510 1-202-224-3121

GROUP OFFERINGS AT JEWISH
FAMILY SERVICE
Jewish Family Service has a tradition of
offering quality group therapy and work-
shops. There are currently a variety of
groups that have openings for new partici-
pants.
MALE SURVIVORS OF CHILD
SEXUAL ABUSE The group will provide
an opportunity for male survivors of child
sexual abuse to interact with others who have
been hurt in similar ways, break the silence
that survivors of sexual abuse live with,
explore its impact on adult male functioning
and assist in each group member's recovery
process. The group will meet weekly for 15
weeks. It will begin when members have

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been recruited. For additional information,
please contact Perry Ohren, M.S.W. or Elissa
Driker, M.S.W. at 559-1500.
SIBLINGS OF CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS For children with a
brother or sister who may be physically or
mentally impaired. Please call Carol Plotkin,
M.S.W. at 559-1500 ext. 221.
MARITAL THERAPY GROUP Focuses
on communication and intimacy problems.
Please call Yvonne Bernstein, M.S.W. at
737-5055.
CHILDREN OF DIVORCE Coping with
divorce in the family. Please call Fay Rosen,
M.S.W. at 559-1500 ext. 217 or Karen
Rouff, M.S.W. at 737-5055.
INCEST SURVIVORS Women work

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ESTHER KRYSTAL NAMED 1991-92
STAFF PERSON OF THE YEAR

Each year, the agency designates a specific
staff person who meets the extensive criteria
established for this award. The honoree
should make a unique contribution to clients
and fellow employees through a positive and
helpful attitude; set an example to others for
high standards of professional practice and
be open to personal growth and develop-
ment; embrace innovation and make a
conscious contribution towards improving
systems in the agency and demonstrate a
commitment to the agency and add positively
to the atmosphere in the work place.
A committee made up of past honorees, the
Executive Director and Associate Executive

Esther Krystal, M.S.W. accepts 1991-92 staff
person of the year award form Alan
Goodman, Executive director at the Annual
Installation Meeting.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
REPORT

By Alan Goodman
The annual meeting and election of officers
marks the end of the program year, the
opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and
or disappointments and set new, achievable
goals for the future. Summers were always a
time when staff could catch up on all the
important tasks which they never quite had
time to complete during the extremely full
program year. These days, the summers seem
too short and the list of important tasks, too
long.
The challenge of maintaining essential
programs and high standards of professional
practice will be especially great in this coming
year. Last month both the Board and staff of
Jewish Family Service struggled with a budget
for 1993 which is leaner than any we have
experienced for some time. Our projections
indicate that we will, in effect experience a
reduction in available funds for program of
more than 20%. It was for this reason that the
budget process was so difficult. Our responsi-
bility was to determine which programs would
be cut back and in some cases eliminated, in
order to keep costs within budget limits. An
unenviable task, when we are all aware that the
need for services has grown even greater
during the economic downturn which we are
still experiencing.
In Resettlement we will soon face changes in
government policy that will influence the
extent and quality of services to Jewish
refugees for many years to come. Our
community's commitment to "Pikuach Nefesh"
will be sorely tested. Each one of us has a role

to play in determining the outcome of this
process which we believe can be influenced
by public pressure on the administration to
restore refugee funds.
I recently attended the Conference of
Jewish Communal Service which provided
me with an opportunity to meet with fellow
professionals and share new programs and
ideas. Throughout the country, Jewish
communities and their neighbors are hurting.
Yet, despite this, there is still a sense of
optimism and of hope. We can learn to use
the skills we have and the advances in
technology to use our resources more
effectively. We must set credible and
humane limits on services to ensure that
community funds are used wisely with an
emphasis on those areas where there are no
other resources available. We must challenge
volunteers to become educated about our
agencies and to give of their expertise and
time to help us professionals to reevaluate
community priorities. It is only through a
process of real corroboration between
professionals and informed volunteers that
we will succeed. Most important of all, we
must reinforce our mandate as Jewish
agencies, working within a context of Jewish
values to serve our community.
It is my hope that by next year's annual
meeting, our economy will be well on the
way to recovery and that both agencies will
have grown stronger through successfully
dealing with the difficult issues that face us
this year. With a strong, committed agency
leadership and professional staff and the
support of our community, I know that we
will succeed.

through the trauma of childhood incest and
sexual abuse. Please call Sandra Jaffa, or
Barbara Eisenberg, M.S.W. at 559-1500
MIXED ADULT LONG TERM TREAT-
MENT GROUPS Discussions on working
on relationships, defining ones' needs and
goals, and how to achieve them. Please call
Helen Samberg at 559-1500 ext. 204.
AIDS SUPPORT GROUP FOR FAMILY
OF AIDS PATIENTS For HIV positive or
AIDS patients and family members and
friends. Please call Janette Shallal, M.S.W. at
559-1500 ext. 210.
BOYS AND GIRLS ADOLESCENT
GROUP Dealing with topics such as:
parent/child relationships, peer issues, school
issues and independence. Please call Janette

Shallal, M.S.W. at 559-1500 ext. 210.
PERFECTION WORKSHOP Four
consecutive sessions on making choices about
being perfect. Please call Margaret Weiner,
M.S.W. at 559-1500 ext.238.
WOMENS THERAPY GROUP Working
on making reasonable choices. Six month
group, weekly sessions starting in the Fall.
Please call Margaret Weiner, M.S.W. at 559-
1500 ext. 238.
MENS TREATMENT GROUP Short term.
Please call Yvonne Bernstein, M.S.W. at 737-
5055.
CHILDRENS TREATMENT GROUPS -
For boys ages 7-10. Please call Perry Ohren,
M.S.W. or Carol Plotkin, M.S.W. at 559-1500.

Director carefully evaluated the eight
nominees against the stated criteria. Esther
Krystal, M.S.W., Coordinator of the
Adoption and Foster Care Program was
named as the Jewish Family Service 1991-92
Staff Person of the Year.
Mrs. Krystal began her career with J.F.S.
as a student intern over ten years ago and has
continued to serve the agency and her clients
with dedication and professionalism. She is
generous and compassionate, and strongly
committed to the agency's goals and high
standards for professional performance. For
the past two years she has been the Chairper-
son of the Bargaining Unit (AFSCME Local
1640) and serves as a senior group and
family therapist.
Congratulations Esther !

RESETTLEMENT OFFERS FREE
PICK-UP SERVICE?
Resettlement Service has a new "used"
delivery truck to accommodate furniture
donations to the agency. Free pick-up
service for furniture and household goods is
now available Monday through Friday.
If you are spring
cleaning, have
any leftovers
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from a garage
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sale, or would
like to donate any furniture or household
goods in good, usable condition, please call
Resettlement Service at 559-4566. Please
ask for Susan Ulanoff on Mondays, Wednes-
days and Thursday mornings.

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