PRESIDENT'S
MESSAGE.
Marcy Feldman, President
Resettlement Service
The Russians are coming! The Russians are
coming! Contrary to popular belief, we are
still working on the resettlement of Jews
from the former Soviet Union. In the last
four years, we have welcomed over 2,700
people to our local community. In the last
12 months, 520 newcomers arrived! People
are always surprised when I mention these
figures. They think the influx has stopped.
Not so!
It may not be as "fashionable" to aid in the
resettlement of Jews as it is to help the
homeless, but truly these are both vital
needs. We expect hundreds more in the
coming year.
I can report all the successes . . . the people
who found employment, the children who
receive a Jewish education and camping
experience, the people who volunteer for
others and contribute to the Allied Jewish
Campaign. But that is not telling the whole
story.
On the international scene, a delegation
from HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid
Society) recently visited the former Soviet
Union. They report that anti-Semitism is
very much alive. In Moscow, the delegation
saw anti-Semitic literature in 15 anti-
Semitic, ultra-right wing publications on
various newsstands.
Locally, what has happened to some of our
arrivals of years past? People who are
between the ages of 55-64 who have diffi-
culty learning the language as a result of
their age, are no longer able to receive
General Assistance. The General Assistance
program has been eliminated in Michigan.
Our Jewish community dollars cannot go to
aid in someone's existence for the rest of
their lives. Will these people become home-
less also? There are daily crises with indi-
viduals who have grave health, emotional
and family problems. We have a small, ded-
icated professional staff to handle day-to-
day work and emergencies.
Can you help us? Yes! Thanks for asking!
We are desperate for volunteers to help
practice English, tutor children with school
work, drive to the doctor, be a friend. Are
you a physician (or is your daughter or son?)
We have emergency cases where our clients
do not have medical insurance. It is not fair
always to ask the same doctors who are cur-
rently donating their time, to do so in excess.
If you have no time . . . maybe you have
household items in good condition that you
can donate to the people arriving next week!
Our Resettlement Service Warehouse (locat-
ed at Northland Center in Southfield) is
open Wednesdays (noon - 2:00 pm) and is
always in need of quality donations.
We need you in the picture of this page of
Jewish history! It may not be as fashionable
as the opera or ballet, but it is our Jewish
history. Please join us in this most impor-
tant chapter.
To volunteer, please call Elina Zilberberg,
Coordinator, Volunteer Services
Department, at 559-1500.
To donate household items,
please call Susan UlanofT, Donations
Liaison at 559-4566.
ANNUAL VOLUNTEER
RECOGNITION EVENING
n October 11, 1993 Jewish
Family Service and Resettlement
Service hosted their joint annual
volunteer recognition evening. This year
it was held at the beautiful new
Congregation B'nai Moshe in West
Bloomfield.
Grocery Shoppers
Nursing Home Visiting
Sinai Hospital Liaison
Librarian
Attorneys
Jewish Connections
Volunteer Advisory Committee
Carol Fogel, chairperson of the
Volunteer Services Steering Committee,
and moderator for the evening, along
with Janice Shatzman, JFS President
and Marcy Feldman, RS President,
remarked on the inestimable value of
our many enthusiastic volunteers.
Volunteers were honored for their par-
ticipation in the following programs:
Entertainment was
provided by the stu-
dents of the
Community Jewish
High School. A heart-
warming performance
of "Keshet, the Token
of the Covenant" was
presented. The play is
a compilation of song,
personal remem-
brances, jokes and
stories relating to the
Jewish experience.
The play was created
and directed by
Corrine Stavish, with
music by Scott Stern. Every one of the
nearly 100 volunteers who attended the
evening was delighted with the
presentation.
Project Opportunity
Translators
Conversational English Tutors
Resettlement Warehouse
Doctors and Dentists
Office Assistants
Transportation Department
Tutors
Group Apartment for the Elderly
Program
Meals on Wheels Coordinators
Friendly Visitors
Special Friends
Special thanks go to the Recognition
Evening Committee: Gert Edgar, Nancy
Garber, Sandy Hyman, Molly
Kaplansky, Barbara Nusbaum, Adeline
Salinger, Lois Shiffman, Ellie Slovis,
Linda Zaretzki, Elina Zilberberg, and to
Peter Levitin who provided the piano
accompaniment.
Volunteers enjoy Recognition Evening.
Left to right: Beatrice Epel, Gertrude Edgar,
Molly Kaplansky
SUPPORT OFFERED FOR AIDS FAMILIES
Jewish Family Service is stepping for-
ward to offer assistance to Jewish families
of persons with AIDS and the HIV virus.
The support group is a response to a num-
ber of requests to both JFS and the
Michigan Jewish AIDS Coalition (MJAC).
"At last report, the two local Jewish
AROUND THE GAER,.
With the beautiful weather of this past sum-
mer, the residents of the JFS Group Apart-
ment for the Elderly Program (GAEP)
enjoyed wonderful outings. The residents
(average age of 83 years) participated in a
picnic and boat ride, a barbecue at Walnut
Lake hosted by Sarah Schuster; a tour of
the Detroit Zoo, dining out at various
restaurants, a fabulous show at the
Birmingham Theatre, a lunch prepared and
hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Prentis and
Hope Steinberg - - - the list goes on!
funeral homes had buried over 100 persons
with AIDS. I'm sure the numbers are even
higher," said Elissa Driker-Ohren, JFS
Clinical Social Worker who co-leads the
group with Sandra Hyman, Director,
Resettlement Service. Issues such as death,
dying, grieving and the anticipation of
grief are discussed.
For information about the Michigan
Jewish AIDS Coalition, please call
356-2123. For information about the
JFS support group, please call Elissa
Driker-Ohren at 559-1500.
GAEP residents are grateful for the many
donations to the JFS Good Life Tribute
Fund. This Tribute Fund is used to arrange
these wonderful activities. You can make a
donation in memory of a loved one, or in
honor of a happy occasion or a
special person.
We are presently looking for donations of
living room and dining room furniture.
Please contact Jan Bayer, GAEP Program
Manager or Kelly Kumpula, GAEP
Administrative Assistant at 559-1500 when
considering a furniture donation.
GAEP residents enjoy the Detroit Zoo
Left to right: George Maltz, Edna Silk, Jean Erdos
PILOT GROUP EXPERIENCE FOR PARKINSON
PATIENTS AND CAREPARMERS
Marilyn Hertzberg, JFS Clinical Social Worker, at the sugges-
tion of Dr. Peter Lewitt of Sinai Hospital and David Nesbitt,
Director of the Michigan Parkinson's Foundation (MPF) pre-
sented a plan for a pilot project involving patients with
Parkinson's disease and their carepartners.
The project involved providing a group experience for the
patients and carepartners for seven weeks at Jewish Family
Service. MPF was interested in measuring the differences
between participation in a support group and a group which is
more focused upon feelings associated with experiencing a pro-
gressive illness.
The group sizes were limited and included representation
from throughout the tri-county area. Marilyn Hertzberg and
Gloria Craig from MPF met with the patients. Lorraine Lerner,
JFS Clinical Social Worker, Margaret Weiner, JFS Associate
Executive Director, and David Nesbitt met with the carepart-
ners.
"I think it is very exciting that people (in other professions)
are recognizing the importance of treating the emotions as well
as the physical problems that accompany Parkinson's disease,
and also that (they) see JFS as an agency that has the expertise
and the facility to provide this much needed services to those in
need," Mrs. Hertzberg concluded.
At the conclusion of these meetings, the patients spoke of
"feeling connected," and "less isolated." One group member
commented that he felt physically better during the weeks that
the group met. The carepartners were equally positive, particu-
larly because of the opportunity to have their feelings
addressed.