volunteers discover that the client is
in need of medical attention, they
inform their project leader who makes
a referral to Jewish Family Service.

Mitzvah In The Making

Clockwise
from top left..

Jennifer
Silverman of
Bloomfield Hills
helps check in vol-
unteer workers.

Rachel Jacobson,
14, and Vadim
Avshalumov, 16,
both of West
Bloomfield, tidy
up a basement.

Helene Indianer
of West
Bloomfield helps
her daughter
Stephanie, 10,
clean windows.

Laurel Felsenfeld
of Farmington
Hills tosses 4-year-
old son Aaron into
the leaf pile.

TOUCH A HEART

from page 35

Michelle Greenstein, the
Southfield-based organization's volunteer services program
director, said, "It's nice to see the same faces return year
after year. The volunteers understand what a great need
they are filling for the older adults in our community."
Volunteers do a variety of chores, including cleaning win-
dows, mopping floors, changing light bulbs, tidying up
basements and winterizing windows and doors. By far, the
biggest request is for leaf removal.
This year, the program was extended to include persons
receiving hospice care through the Jewish Hospice and
Chaplaincy Network. One patient and his wife were sur-
vivors of the German death camps. As her husband lay
dying, his wife had become his sole caregiver, and, without
children or family to help out, their home had fallen on
bad times. This caused the man great anxiety and distress.
While signing up for Fall Fix Up did nothing to cure his
cancer, it did allow him the peace of mind that he so des-
perately needed. Sadly, the man died a week before the pro-
gram took place, but the dedicated teams of volunteers who
were able to restore the home to its former luster consoled
his widow.
This is an example of how Fall Fix Up differs from other
local initiatives. In effect, it becomes a cooperative venture
with other local Jewish organizations. Follow-up often
results in referrals to other Jewish agencies. For example, if

The teams of volunteers who came to
Herschel Steinhardt's Southfield home
to rake leaves, wash windows and
clean out his basement overwhelmed
the 91-year-old playwright. It was dif-
ficult to determine - who -was having--
more fun — Steinhardt or the volun-
teers.
The youngsters cleaning out his
basement were regaled with tales of
the theater while digging through the
books and plays they organized for his
convenience (and safety). They had
such a good time they never realized
the hard work they had done. And it
was obvious Steinhardt enjoyed the
company.
In this way, Fall Fix Up gives the
elderly and homebound a chance to
interact with others.
Naomi Levine of Farmington Hills
and her family were part of the volun-
teer group from Congregation Beth
Ahm. They volunteered last year as
well.
"This is a wonderful way for your
children to learn about the joy of giv-
ing and the rewarding fulfillment of
connecting with others. While there is
a place for some of the more trite
amusements and indulgences as well, this is a far richer way
to spend time as a family," she said.
Volunteer Services Program Assistant Carol Fletcher
agrees. "It is a wonderful opportunity for families and
organizations to work together and be able to see the good
they do," she said.
Volunteers were quick to point out that the tragic events
of Sept. 11 have caused a shift in attitudes. Listing "family"
as their top priority, they shared with their children a
renewed commitment to their community. That new vigor
extended to youngsters who volunteered as part of school
groups.
One of the reasons Sunday's Fix Up Day went so smooth-
ly was the prep work that went on in advance. A JARC
(Jewish Association for Residential Care) team, under the
supervision of Shoshana Rubenstein, came in Thursday
evening to organize the cleaning supplies and equipment.
Their work was essential to the success of the project.
The common denominator for all volunteers was the sim-
ple lesson they learned. They discovered that, while the
chores they performed may have been badly needed, that
was not the reariiiitziih. The real mitzvah was the warmth •
they shared when they made the connection with one
another. They discovered that they didn't have to lift a fin-
ger to touch a heart.

❑

trawgiatignig al:CAL _