metro » J CC M ACC A B I G A M E S ® & A R T S F E ST ® Attention Jewish athletes and artists! Please join us for informational meetings about the 2017 JCC MACCABI GAMES ® & ARTSFEST ® ! Meetings will be held at the Jewish Community Center Team Sports ArtsFest 1-2 p.m. Sunday, December 11, or 6-7 p.m. Thursday, December 15 3-4 p.m. Sunday, December 11, or 8-9 p.m. Thursday, December 15 Individual Sports Meet the coaches, receive a tryout/ audition schedule and learn about host locations and other important information.* 2-3 p.m. Sunday, December 11, or 7-8 p.m. Thursday, December 15 The 2017 JCC Maccabi Games ® will be July 30-August 4 in Birmingham, Al. The 2017 JCC Maccabi Games ® & ArtsFest ® will be August 6-11 in Miami, Fla. For more information: 248.432.5480 or j ccmaccabi@jccdet.org * Parents with a child trying out for more than one sport, and families with more than one child participating in the JCC Maccabi Games ® & ArtsFest ® need to attend just one meeting. jccdet.org Signature :<9=0=69:/07,=,5; Join us in a community conversation on prostate health, nutrition, exercise, latest treatments, sexual and mental health issues. Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 6pm Karmanos’ Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center /PSUIXFTUFSO)JHIXBZt'BSNJOHUPO)JMMT .* Panel experts: Dr. Joel Kahn, Cardiologist Dr. Michael Cher, Urologist Dr. Jason Hafron, Urologist Dr. Jordan Maier, Radiation Oncologist Kathleen Hardy, Social Worker Julie Booksh, Counselor Moderated by Dr. Michael Lutz To RSVP, please visit: Your Surviva l FREE Guid e EVENT! MIUMensHealthFoundation.org 1.855.66.HELP.MEN M ICHIGAN I NSTITUTE OF U ROLOGY JVS job internship program helps mature workers. G D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus 6600 W. Maple Road West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Refreshments will be served. Building People Up Judy Greenwald | Contributing Writer Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit Brought to you in partnership with Gerard Baltrusaitis moderates the weekly New Experiences Internship Program class. erard Baltrusaitis has found Baltrusaitis explained that JVS saw the his perfect job: assisting need to address these issues and estab- mature workers in gaining lished this program to assist the commu- skills so they can find employment. nity’s older workers. Program qualifica- Baltrusaitis, 57, internship tions include meeting the age employment specialist at JVS, requirement and being consid- has been with JVS for just ered long-term under-employed over a year; and his focus is on or unemployed. Potential par- running the New Experiences ticipants must also meet certain Internship Program, which income requirements and have helps those 50 and older refresh a clear job target in mind, with their job skills, learn new ones a resume designed to match and get new industry/occupa- that goal. tional experience by providing Gerard The whole idea of the pro- Baltrusaitis full-time paid internships to gram, he said, is to engage these qualified candidates. individuals and give them some “The program has been in existence traction. since October 2013,” Baltrusaitis said. And what does this concept mean? “JVS received target funding from the Baltrusaitis is uniquely qualified to state to address the needs of special explain, for not only is he well suited populations, which includes those work- to oversee the internship program and ers over 50. espouse its goals, he, too, has experi- “After 2007, a lot transpired in the enced the stigma of being without a job. economy. Changes in the workplace “I’ve been unemployed six times created a definite rise in long-term before. I’ve experienced long-term unemployment for mature workers. The unemployment. Years ago, I was blessed numbers now range from 3 to 4 mil- to be home with my mother, but I was lion people nationwide in that category, unemployed for two years. I would sit and this is a real concern to us in Metro at home wondering, ‘Why hasn’t any- Detroit.” one hired me … but I hadn’t sent out According to Baltrusaitis, JVS CEO resumes or done any work. It’s a crazy Leah Rosenbaum was able to secure this frame of mind, a difficult place to be!” funding to begin services for older work- Every day, he noted, it was more of a ers, not only to assist with career plan- struggle to get out of the house. “And so ning, but also to deal with the depression to get traction means just to get out and that was apparent among this group. do, not only for the job or the financial “It was a mental health issue,” he said. aspects of working, but so one can feel “People became disengaged from society. needed and productive. “This age group had never experi- “I’m a big believer in us being put here enced anything like this. To have several on Earth for one reason: to serve others. jobs within the course of a year — today, When you’re unemployed, that’s like say- that’s common — but older workers ing you’re no longer needed in society. thought: ‘What’s wrong with me? Why By getting people internships, they’re can’t I keep my job?’” able to say, ‘Wow, this employer needs continued on page 18 16 December 1 • 2016