Help Granted

Additions are on the way to the Jewish Family Service citizenship program.

of its resettlement service to help
LONNY GOLDSMITH
them gain U.S. citizenship.
Staff Writer
The award, which was received
last month by the Jewish Federation
hanks to a $49,300 award,
of Metropolitan Detroit, was part of
the Jewish Family Service
citizenship program will be a $1.3 million grant awarded to the
Council of Jewish Federations from
able to expand the services
the Emma Lazarus Fund. Fifteen fed-
it provides to new Americans hoping
erations around the country received
to become citizens.
grants for citizenship and naturaliza-
JFS now will be able to provide
tion programs.
transportation to and from Immigra-
The local award will go toward
tion and Naturalization Service
providing more outreach and direct
(INS) interviews, as well as the ser-
services to seniors and disabled peo-
vice of paralegals to help clients with
ple, Yoskowitz said.
any potential problems.
"Now we can provide off-site
"We have the most comprehensive
classes in Flint, in collaboration with
program in the country — in terms
their JFS," she said. "It's very excit-
of the range of services we provide
ing that we can help another smaller
— when it comes to citizenship pro-
community."
grams," said Rachel Yoskowitz, the
One of the major functions of
department's director. "People have
the resettlement department is
done pieces of it, but nothing like it.
preparing new Americans for their
We got the award, in part, because of
citizenship test, which follows an
the strength of our program and the
eight-week citizenship preparation
merit of our application."
program. With the grant, a review of
In 1996, Jewish Family Service
the test will be expanded from one
began programming for new Ameri-
day to three weeks.
cans, and created a citizenship arm

T

1/23
1998

When new Americans are called to
take their interview, they typically
get a ride from a relative, who would
need to take off time from work to
go to the INS building in Detroit.
The grant will now allow transporta-
tion to and from the interview, and
allow for immigration paralegals to
accompany them.
The final major use of the money
will go towards supporting the

staffing of a toll-free phone line that
will be manned to answer questions.
According to Yoskowitz, the line is in
the process of being set up.
"The grant will be able to help us
in two ways," said Federation's
Senior Planning Associate Judah
Isaacs. "We can share our expertise
with the communities of Flint and
Grand Rapids, where we are provid-
ing services. Secondly, we can start
the idea of taking people to their
INS interviews and assisting them
there."
Without citizenship, immigrants
are not entitled to governmental
benefits.
"If you're not older, getting citi-
zenship is not a difficult process, just
a lengthy one," Isaacs said. "This
award allows us to do more."

❑

Above: Coordinating instructor of the
citizenshippreparatory program Doreen
Sabin teaches a citizenship class at JFS.

Left: Resettlement Service Director
Rachel Yoskowitz.

