r Keeping Talent Local Federation talks to college students, hoping to pinpoint what will keep future Jewish leaders in Michigan. LYNNE MEREDITH COHN STAFF WRITER C ollege students who grew up around Detroit say there isn't much the Jewish community can do to keep them here — but if they have al- ready decided to stay, a few moves just might enhance their decision. Federation met with focus groups of students at Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Oakland Communi- ty College and Wayne State Uni- versity trying to figure out what the Jewish agency can do to keep the Jewish leaders of tomorrow in the Motor City. When grads leave the area, it's a "drain on the potential pool of leadership for the future," says Howard Neistein, Federation's-di- rector of planning and agency re- lations. The Jewish Federation of Met- ropolitan Detroit could link col- lege grads with mentors or potential employers, suggests David Goldenberg, an 18-year-old freshman at Michigan State Uni- versity. "Maybe want ads by Jew- ish employers — you don't want to sit around for three years look- ing for a job and living off your parents again. You want to spend your time in the job," he says. Of the 16 students who corn- prised the focus groups, those in Ann Arbor mostly plan to move away after college, whereas the majority from other schools say they'll likely stay here, Mr. Neis- tein says. Federation would like to use the information garnered from the focus groups to do what the Jewish communities of San Francisco, Montreal and Cleve- land have done — create pro- grams to help keep residents in the area after college. For years, Cleveland's Jewish community has offered grads employment assistance. Mon- treal has done the same, plus a series of social programming, says Mr. Neistein. Are they successful? "That's a good question," he says. "The cities are so different — Cleveland was probably in the position we're in now. At one time Cleveland [did not have] a very attractive downtown area, and it was renovated over a number of years," Mr. Neistein says. So, is it the impact from renovations to Cleveland or the [Jewish community] program that makes the city attractive? Montreal and San Francisco are very different from Detroit's Jewish community to begin with. The main reason people are leaving Montreal now is the difficulty for non-French speak- ers, yet the city remains vibrant. Bottom line: "If you're going to stay, you're going to stay if you're not, you're not," says Eden Jaffa, 22. Grads move away because of relationships, graduate school, job opportunities or because they didn't want to be in Michigan, says Ms. Jaffa, a graduate student at Wayne State Univer- sity. She says the Jewish com- munity likely won't be able to change that. "I think they do a lot already," she says of the Detroit Jewish community. Ann Arbor students "had a list of things they wanted from a place where they were going to settle: a city center, an urban magnet, a sense of community, camaraderie with others like themselves," says Anthony Scaglione, 21. The Southfield native, who has no job lined up yet, is undecided about his future plans. "Something that hit me after the discussion was that I could hear what others were saying, and I could hear what I was say- ing, about wanting to have a vi- brant city culture, part of a singles scene for people in their 20s, but I realized, 'What doesn't Detroit have that Chicago or New York or Seattle do have?' You can find whatever those Federation hopes to create programs to keep students here. cities have in Detroit — it's just spread out," says Mr. Scaglione, a U-M senior. "What I've been struggling with since that discussion is: What are we really looking for?" Amy Jablin may have an an- swer. The 21-year-old U-M se- nior says young Detroiters leave because of a lack of a city feel plus the notion that there are not many opportunities to meet new young Jews. Ms. Jablin, who grew up in West Bloomfield, plans to move to San Francisco after graduation. She says there is little the Jewish community can do to keep her here. Jobs, mentor programs and networking opportunities are good ideas, she says, but sometimes people just want to leave. "I think I could find probably even a better job ifI stayed here," says Ms. Jablin, who is looking for a career in management consult- ing. She just wants the experience of living somewhere else. "It seemed to me that maybe half the people planning on leav- ing are going to come back at some point. [They want to leave] just be- cause they need to get away for a little and see what else there is," she says. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what Federation could do, she says. Mr. Neistein enlisted the help of Hillel and Jewish Voca- tional Service professionals to round up students for the focus groups. The 16 who participated in the first three meetings have always been active in the Jewish community, he says. Next, Fed- eration wants to meet with Jew- ish kids who are less involved. `The sense that I had was any- thing that we could do would be secondary to their reasons for choosing to live somewhere," says Mr. Neistein. These 16 students "would want to identify Jewish- ly in whatever community they live in." ❑ • BIG Home Appliance Mart d raper The home of Baby Boutique... 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