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crowds of people,
family — not because
walking all over the
they are Jewish, they
downtown area, but
aren't — but because they
here no one walks.
did not have relatives liv-
Everyone has a car."
ing here. JFS got them a
Avdullah recently
place to live, furniture,
regained contact with
clothing and bought them
his parents in Pristina,
bedding. With the help of
learning that they are
a Lutheran agency, JFS
safe, but in trouble.
found work for Avdullah.
"The price of goods
"For people who. have
are so high," he said.
been in this country for
"The house is in good
such a short time,.I think
condition, but the sit-
they're adjusting to their
uation is bad."
environment very well,
His parents told
and they are very happy to
him about the atroci-
be here," Yoskowitz said.
ties they had wit-
The family's two-bed-
nessed, "the bodies
room apartment in
hung and the houses
Lincoln Towers in Royal
burned," he said. "I
Oak Township is not air-
didn't
think I'd ever
conditioned, but neither
see my parents again."
was the comfortable
Avdullah's plan is
home they had in
to give..ternorary use
Pristina, Kosovo.
of the houseIli -
riongregation Shir Tikvah is pitching in to help the JFS settle
Avdullah's children watch
Pristiria . . roliis relatives
IhOthe latest Kosovo refugee family to come to the Detroit area.
cartoons on a small televi-
once
he brings his
The family of seven, including kone-month-old baby, arrived at
sion set in the corner,
parents
here, but
Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Wednesday. The family will
while his wife, Xhevahire,
obstacles
like immi-
take up two apartments in Lincoln Towers.
offers snacks and room-
aration laws and
Rabbi Arnie Sleutelberg said that although his congregation
temperature pop.
paperwork are slowing
knew of the family's imminent arrival, - it - clidn't know exactly
Avdullah talked
him down, "I'm wait-
through interpreter Moisi
when until the day before.
ing from month to
"Suddenly there was a flurry of activity with people going out
Sherafaj to describe what's
month," he said.
going on in his life.
to buy stuff," he said "T4ey i wanteoko make the apartment real-
The JFS is approved
He works as many
ly, nice with flowers,..anKkrhake them3feel as welcome as possible.'
by
the Department of
Congregants
donateddiaPers,
clothing,
personal
items
and
hours as he can now as a
Justice to do immigra-
anything they thought would help, he said.
part-time janitor at the
tion work, and the
Meanwhile, theJewish Federation of MetrOpolitan'Ddt
Pita Cafe in Oak Park,
agency is helping the
has collected more than $86,000 in contributionisgti-
but is always looking
family file the appro-
ahead. Avdullah once
Jewish Communities',1=`KOsovo , Refugee Fund, whictilcs.
priate affidavits,
studied economics in col-
provide medical car6,';..ernergericy supplies and trainini to- y.
Yoskowitz said.
-
Kosovar refugee's... t
lege and owned a news-
_ -.AVclullah said he
Contributions continue to be accepted. Checks should be
stand in Pristina. "My aim
appreciates
the hard
made
out
to
jDCKOsOvo.Mailbox,
and
sent
to
Jewish
here is to have as high an
.
,
work of the JFS and
Hills,48303-2030. fl
Federation, P.O. Bdx. 2030, Bloofield
education as I had back
the -relative safety he's
home, but first I have to
Harry Kirsbaum
found in America. In
learn English," he said.
a blue folder,--he
The nearly 9,000
keeps
proof
of
the incredible kind-
Fazlius also have made friends with
Kosovo refugees in the U.S. — nearly
ness
of
strangers.
some neighbwieng,New American
450 of them in the Detroit area —
Although he can't read a
families, wh6se:RUssian language is
share the same lack of language skills,
it, he shows press clippings wit 'pic-
similar
to
the
Kdsovars'
Serbo-
Yoskowitz said. Avdullah and his wife
_
tures of his faMily's arrival at Fort
begin ESL classes this fall at the
Dix, and keeps the handwritten
way, an older Russian
Jimmy Morris Prentis Building of the
notes with accompanying pictures
Xhevahire some
Jewish Community Center in Oak
from American children concerned
Kdd her to tryithe'm
Park, an offering of the Ferndale
about the family's plight.
on' later.
school district. Their children will
He wants to thank everyone for
Their two sons, Leuart, 11, and
attend the Berkley Schools.
their help, and for now, the family is
Valdrin, 5, and their daughter
Xhevahire said that people'at her
adapting.
Leutrine, 8, said they miss their
local grocery store have been friendly,
The wounds of war, both psycho-
friends back home, and the way they
but the most difficult thing so far is the
logical and physical, are slowly begin-
used to play before the war.
English language. "They talk to me, but
ning to heal. When the situation
"The kids back home played all
I can only nod and smile," she said. "I
improves in Pristina, if it does
over the suburbs, running all over,"
don't understand what they are saving."
improve, Avdullah said, he wants to
said Avdullah, who also noticed the
There are two other Kosovar , "fami-
go
back. 7
difference.
"In
Pristina,
there-were
lies livinatr, in their building, but the

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Detroit Jewish News

7/30
1999

7