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Esfira Conine aerobicizes at the JCC's JPM building.

Bubbie Aerobics

An exercise class promotes fitness among those
who tend to need it most.

JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER

I

t's hardly comparable to a
Body by Jake or Jane Fonda
workout video, but the Jewish
Community Center aerobics
class serves its purpose.
Twice a week, a gym full of new
Americans, all over the age of 65,
meet at the Jimmy Prentis Mor-
ris building for a 45-minute ex-
ercise session.
For many, it's the only exercise
they've ever done. For the 69 se-
niors signed up for the class — a
class typically draws about half
the number of those enrolled —
it's one of the ways they stay
healthy despite a background
that stacks the odds against
them. A number of new Ameri-
cans come to this country in poor
health as a result of impoverished
living conditions and a lack of suf-
ficient medical care in the former
Soviet Union.
Raisa Golod never exercised
before. "I didn't have time," she
said. "I worked too hard each
day."
She and many of her class-
mates, almost all women, said
they feel better physically since
they started the class.
Anna Braginskaya used to
have a lot of pain in her back. Ex-
ercise has gradually helped ease
her discomfort.
Aleksandra Noskova had a
stroke before she came to the
United States a few years ago. To
stay in shape and maintain her
health, Ms. Noskova attends ex-
ercise class regularly.
The women agreed the pro-
gram, offered free of charge, pro-
vides a comfortable environment
where they can communicate in
their native tongue.
The JCC was able to offer these
classes, beginning this summer,
after the agency received a $1,600
grant from the Michigan Gover-
nor's Council on Physical Fitness,

Health and Sports and the Michi-
gan Fitness Foundation.
One of the reasons Center offi-
cials decided to apply for the grarr:'\
was because most new Americans
said they were uncomfortable
participating in other senior-fit-
ness classes due to language bar-
riers.
Elena
The instructor,
Levchenkova, also from the for-
mer Soviet Union, leads much of
her low-impact aerobics routine
in Russian. She incorporates Eng-
lish with the ultimate goal of ir,7
tegrating the participants into the

For many, it's the
only exercise
they've ever done.

regular senior aerobic classes,
when the one-year grant runs ou,„
next summer.
The Center has also been able
to glean new members through
the program. Some of the partic-
ipants upgraded their social
memberships to general mem-
berships so they could use the
pool after they exercise.
Before the start of a class, par-
ticipants arrive early and sit on,
chairs arranged in a semicircle. \
Ms. Levchenkova starts with a
few stretching exercises before
picking up the pace with addi-
tional body movements.
Once the class is sufficiently
warmed up, participants push
aside the chairs and begin to
move around. Their faces are
deep in concentration or smiles.
"I notice a difference in theiT/
health and well-being from par-`
ticipating in the class," Ms.
Levchenkova said. "Those who
come regularly are in better
shape, and they feel better. ❑

