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communities in Israel are Afula, Jezreel
Valley,
Nazareth and Nazareth Illit.
Staff Writer
At a de-briefing held March 10, the
n the central Galilee communi-
eldercare professionals said metro
ty of Migdal HaEmek, a single
Detroit offers no real equivalent to
abba (daddy) employed by the
some of the successful Israeli programs.
Supportive Community
One reason may be the Israeli use of
Program gives loving care to about
volunteers, said Phyllis Schwartz,
100 older adults.
director of senior services for Jewish
One of every three Israeli families has
Family Service in Southfield.
benefited from the free loan of medical
"Here, we may have too much differ-
equipment, low-priced emergency
ence between volunteers and profession-
alarm systems or other services made
als," she said, adding that volunteers are
available nationwide by Yad Sarah.
harder to come by in the United States.
Can these programs,
Perhaps it's because
and others like them,
people who show up to
Above: At a local office of
be adapted for use in
Yad Sarah, a volunteer helps volunteer are not used
metropolitan Detroit?
a stroke victim with
to their full potential,
Fifteen local eldercare
computer activities to
but rather relegated to
professionals, all mem- strengthen muscle and brain
non-rewarding tasks
bers of the Jewish
functioning. Watching are
such as stuffing
Partnership 2000 steering
Federation of
envelopes. "They need
committee member Sarah
Metropolitan Detroit's
to take the same kind of
Shiffman of ESHEL, Israel's
Commission on
ownership as profes-
el&rcare coordinating body,
Eldercare Services
sionals," Schwartz said.
and
Phyllis Schwartz of
(COJES) went to Israel
At Yad Sarah,
Jewish Family Service.
for a week recently to
Schwartz heard over
explore the options.
and over that volunteers
At the same time, they shared ideas
feel "essential," she said.
that have worked in Michigan with
"They told us the story about Yaacov,
social workers and others who plan
an immigrant from Russia, who came in
programs for seniors in Israel.
for a cane for his broken ankle,"
The Jan. 30-Feb. 6 mission was
Schwartz said. "While he was waiting, a
exploratory only — no decisions or
woman came in, frantic, because her
judgments were made.
son's wheelchair had fallen apart. Yaacov
It was made possible by Federation's
said, 'Let me see that,' and he fixed it,
Partnership 2000, a "sister city" pro-
right there in the waiting room."
gram that encourages the sharing of
Before long, Schwartz said, Yaacov
information and know-how between
was a dedicated volunteer.
southeast Michigan and five central
Fear of litigation may make this
Galilee communities. Along with
sort of intense volunteering more diffi-
Migdal HaEmek, Partnership 2000
cult in the United States, said several