Bright ideas
for college...
that will let
your Jewish
light shine!
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Jewish Life on Campus
COLLEGE FAIR
Sunday, November 2, 2014
1-3 pm
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
6735 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills
Join us to explore the opportunities
that exist for Jewish students
on college campuses in Michigan!
6.okkuNaTy-wIDE • FREE Al)t-accIoN
Speak with Reps from Michigan Colleges & Universities!
Learn about Jewish Life on Campus ... Financial Aid ...
and so much more!
SPECIAL SESSIONS INCLUDE:
2:00 pm
College Student Panel:
What's it Really Like on Campus?
2:15 pm
Explore Israel as a College Student:
Gap Year Experiences
3:00 pm
Financing College Education:
Where's the Money Coming From?
For more information, contact Katie Fried at 248.432.5685
or at kfried@bbyo.org or Barrett Harr at bharr@urj.org
or at 214.455.6462
This program is supported by a generous grant from the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Stephen H. Schulman Millennium
Fund. It is created and planned by representatives from
Jewish organizations and congregations in Metropolitan Detroit.
("Jewish
Federation
my/
OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT
16 August 28 • 2014
JN
Alliance
for Jewish
Education
At the corner of Sussex and Dartmouth in Oak Park, residents of the
neighborhood consult with relief expert Mark McGilvery, Nechama field
operations specialist.
Rolling Up Sleeves
Federation calls for volunteers.
D
oing what it does best — rais-
ing awareness, raising funds,
responding to urgent needs
in the community and mobilizing vol-
unteers — the Detroit Jewish Federation
has called for help in the wake of what
has been called the Great Flood of 2014.
Had a hurricane hit Detroit, it might
have done as much damage as the rogue
storm — a record rainfall that flooded
the city on Aug. 11. The numbers are still
pouring in, but it is estimated that about
90,000 people and 35,000 homes across
Metro Detroit were affected as rainwater
flooded streets and cars, and surged into
basements.
In Oak Park, Southfield and
Huntington Woods, in the heart of the
Jewish community, the damage has been
devastating. Even now, more than two
weeks after the waters have receded,
as residents have pitched mountains
of possessions, waterlogged furniture,
appliances and debris, the work toward
restoration has only just begun.
Working in partnership with Jewish
Family Service, the Jewish Community
Center and other communal organiza-
tions, the national Jewish Response to
Disaster organization Nechama (Hebrew
for comfort) has deployed a team of vol-
unteers from around the country to lead
local volunteers in the massive cleanup
effort that many residents still face.
Congregation Beth Shalom will house
some of the volunteers in its library
"Just because you've gotten your pos-
sessions out, doesn't mean you're done
explains Dan Hoeft, Nechama operations
manager in Detroit. "What people don't
always realize is that we have to open up
the basement walls down to the studs —
strip paneling and drywall — because
we don't want to see a mold problem:'
To answer the current and most
urgent needs in the community,
Nechama estimates it will take more
than 50 volunteers a day for the next
30 days. Volunteers are prepped and
equipped for work including: bag-
ging and hauling debris, mopping and
sanitizing floors and walls, and tearing
down flood-damaged walls, paneling
and doors.
"If there's a silver lining in all this,
it's knowing we have a great team to
deliver much-needed relief to the com-
munity:' says Federation CEO Scott
Kaufman. "To date, we've had an out-
pouring of help from generous donors,
our partner agencies, as well as volun-
teers ready to roll up their sleeves, dig
in and clean up:'
Jewish Family Service is the overall
project manager and intake source,
providing financial assistance and all
referrals to flood victims through the
Jewish Assistance Network (JAN) line
at (248) 592-2650. The line is operat-
ing on an extended hourly basis, daily
from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and on Sundays
from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
To date, dozens of households
have been processed and referred
to Nechama through Jewish Family
Service and its network, with more
than 100 requests awaiting service.
Hebrew Free Loan has extended
its loan assistance and accelerated its
routine application requirements to get
support to people more quickly.
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, Jewish
Senior Life, the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit and
Congregation Beth Shalom have pro-
vided hands-on assistance to flood
victims and to support the work of
volunteers.
Detroit Jewish Chesed Project is
assisting members of the community
in replacing items lost in the flood,
securing new bedding, appliances, car-
peting and housewares.
Local businesses and contractors
are working to recruit crews and pro-
vide services and equipment to begin
restoring normalcy.
Philanthropic funds secured are
close to $1 million through individual
donors as well as from foundations
such as the Urgent Needs Fund, the
Jewish Fund and the Jewish Women's
Foundation. The Detroit Federation
also has submitted a request for sup-
port from Jewish Federations of North
America (JFNA).
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