Bright ideas for college... that will let your Jewish light shine! • AIWA TEENc e. PARENFr 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). ❑