metro >> on the cover
still In Crisis
More Jewish families need help
during long economic downturn.
This year,
the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit saw the first
increase in nine years in the number
of donors to its Annual Campaign. And
while individual contributions were more
modest, they helped Federation surpass
last year's take after funds
raised through the Jennifer
Julie Edgar
and Dan Gilbert Challenge
Special to the Jewish News
Fund were added to Annual
Campaign dollars. Amazingly,
ike the aftershocks of a
Detroit's Federation still ranks
major earthquake, the
first in per capita fundraising
economic meltdown
in the nation among the 18
continues to jolt Metro Detroit's
federations in the "large city"
Jewish community.
category.
Scott Kaufman
By now, most everybody
"For a lot of reasons, the
knows of somebody threatened with the
sense of mutual Jewish responsibility is
loss of a home or job, somebody who's
very ingrained here," said Scott Kaufman,
been searching for a job or recently laid
Federation CEO. "It's somewhat unique.
off, or someone who no longer has the
We engage our young people at a much
resources to pay for groceries or health
higher rate than just about anybody. We're
insurance — or all of the above. They are
a big shtetl."
younger and older, unemployed or under-
The legendary generosity of Detroit's
employed, religiously observant or not.
Jewish community,
Many once gave to Jewish causes when
even more evident
they could afford it.
in this era of
Three years ago, when economists for-
declining prosper-
mally declared that the U.S. economy was
ity, is something
in recession, the impact was not quite as
successive gen-
evident. But the waves have crashed to
erations will surely
shore, bringing a more acute, and in many talk about.
ways, a more depressing picture of a com-
munity in crisis.
The AT' Word
The reality of a persistent downturn is
Besides the growing
starkly reflected in the rising number of
number of people
people seeking help from the network of
seeking help, their
community-based agencies — known
needs are more
collectively as the Jewish Assistance
intense, say agency
Project — which, with the help of those
directors.
who have resources, are doing whatever
By the time
they can to meet the considerable need in
many people come
the community.
forward, they're in
From health care to day school tuition,
crisis mode. They
hands are out — and hands are out-
need not just assis-
stretched to meet them. Even with a
tance in avoiding
shrinking population, a lack of jobs, soar-
the shutoff of their
ing health care and food costs, people are
electricity, but help
giving what they can.
with paying their
mort-
gage and in coping
with depression,
said Norman Keane,
the outgoing direc-
tor of Jewish Family
Service. Keane
Norman Keane
begins his retirement
in the fall.
"It's the intensity
of the need, not nec-
essarily the numbers,
that tells the true
story. What we would
define as a Level One
crisis a couple years
ago — say, foreclo-
Mary Keane
sure — is not a Level
One crisis anymore; an eviction notice is,"
Keane said.
People's needs "have become so intense
echoes Norman's wife, Mary Keane, execu-
Jewish Vocational Service:
• 2007-08: 1,682 job seekers
• 2008-09: 3,466 job seekers
• 2010-11: 4,300 projected, some
holdovers from the previous year
Yad Ezra:
• 2009: served 1,200 families
• 2011: serves about 1,600 families,
or about 3,700 individuals.
The number has held steady for
the past two years.
10
tive director of Hebrew
Free Loan, which provides
interest-free loans and, nowa-
days, more direct donations.
"Someone has lost their job and they
are underemployed or just making it, but
something happens and their resources
are so limited and their spouse or parent
can't help. Maybe there are medical needs
or they're struggling with trying to feed
their kids. Yet, they need a $2,000 loan to
repair the car. Its not a clean, easy thine
she said. "Our loans have become a bridge
to another bridge to another bridge."
At Jewish Vocational Service (JVS), the
number of job seekers is rising along with
the collateral needs of folks who've been
searching for work for a year or more.
Many of them have developed social
anxiety disorder, unable to go out and
face friends and the world because of
the shame and isolation, said JVS Chief
Operating Officer Leah Rosenbaum.
"The numbers have increased signifi-
cantly over recent years of people looking
for jobs. Plus, the people we're seeing, the
intensity is so much greater:' she said.
Five years ago, when the job market was
healthy, JVS would provide resume help
and interviewing tips and send the job
seeker on his way. The agency has shifted
its focus from employability skills to net-
working groups.
"Now, because of long-term unemploy-
ment, because of the depression and hope-
lessness that result, we need to remain
engaged with them lest they stop their job
search:' Rosenbaum said. "We're provid-
ing activities to keep them going. They get
up and get dressed to go to a networking
group at WS; we have seminars that teach
core skills, success teams, networking
groups. It's keeping them engaged."
Mickey Eizelman, co-chair of the Jewish
Assistance Project, elaborates on the com-
pounded state of need and how the Jewish
Assistance Project functions: Jewish
Family Service will have a representative
at Hebrew Free Loan, for example, to offer
assistance to someone who needs help