y
t
i
n
u
m
m
o
C Purim
Fun
Wednesday
Evening Festivities
February
28
hosted by Adat Shalom Synagogue
5:30 pm - Family-Friendly Megillah Experience
Geared toward 1st grade and younger
6:00 pm - Free Carnival
with a Star Trax Dance Party
Dinner available for purchase
7:15 pm - Maariv Service & Megillah Reading
No 6:00 p.m. Mincha service this evening
Dessert reception following
the Megillah reading with live music
featuring Maggie McCabe
A Help Yad Ezra! Bring
PAST P unopened boxes of pasta
KE U
H
A
to use as groggers!
S
Thursday
March
1
Morning Minyan
& Megillah Reading
followed by Breakfast
7:00 am - hosted at B’nai Israel Synagogue
Purim Partners:
Questions? Contact one of
the partnering congregations
16
February 22 • 2018
jn
jews d
in
the
jhelpdetroit
One-stop service makes local
Jewish services easier to fi nd.
SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T
he Detroit Jewish community
is fortunate to have many
excellent educational insti-
tutions and service agencies that
provide everything from preschool,
other Jewish agencies.
career counseling and mental health
“This is a completely coordinated
services to transportation for the
effort with a focus on making it easi-
elderly. Jewish Detroiters can tap
er for the person who needs help,” he
into 17 partner agencies of the
explains.
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
“We want to make it a really posi-
Detroit as well as additional direct-
tive experience for people. All con-
service Jewish agencies.
tacts are confidential and nothing is
But if you need help for yourself,
shared,” Blumberg says.
a family member or friend, how do
Data will be aggregated to learn
you know which agency does what?
what services are needed the most
Where do you turn first?
and whether there are any service
In a survey conducted in 2016,
gaps.
Federation found that many com-
Jhelpdetroit was set up in
munity residents were unsure of the
December for a “soft opening”
functions and services of various
before external promotion began.
agencies.
Since then, the most popular
“It was very obvious that
topics among information
people did not know where
seekers have included servic-
to go for help,” says Linda
es for older adults, employ-
Blumberg, Federation
ment and transportation.
senior planning associate.
Federation has operated a
So, Federation developed
Jewish Assistance Network
jhelpdetroit, a platform
number, but this was not
that unifies Jewish social
publicized in the same way
Linda Blumberg
service agencies’ outreach
as jhelpfdetroit, which is
efforts under a single label.
being promoted with a three-
This resource/referral ser-
year marketing campaign
vice is available by phone (1-833-44-
that began this month.
JHELP) or online at jewishdetroit.
Funding for jhelpdetroit’s tech-
org. Callers can speak with a special-
nology and marketing is being
ly trained staff member from 8:30
provided through grants totaling
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and leave
about $400,000 from the Jewish
a message at other times.
Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn
Individuals who prefer internet
Foundation. Federation and Jewish
contact can visit jewishdetroit.
Family Service are covering other
org, Federation’s website, and click
costs, such as staff training.
on jhelpdetroit. From there, visi-
“We are using emails, direct mail,
tors are offered a choice of calling
ads in the Jewish News and Google
the Jhelpdetroit number, browsing
ads to promote it. It is a three-year
through a clickable list of services,
campaign of regular reminders,”
scheduling a phone call with a staff
Cohen says.
person or communicating through
“We want to keep this in front of the
an online chat function. Services are
Jewish community,” Blumberg says.
organized by target audience (teens,
“We don’t want people to be alone.”
older adults, etc.) and specific need,
Social media and communication
such as housing or career services.
with area synagogues and temples will
In addition, individual agencies are
also help publicize jhelpdetroit on an
listed with direct online connections
ongoing basis.
to their websites.
At least one other Jewish
Jhelpdetroit is based at
federation has a similar ser-
Jewish Family Service of
vice access point —Baltimore
Metro Detroit. Ted Cohen,
Federation’s jLINK. Here in
Federation’s chief market-
Metro Detroit, United Way for
ing officer, says the com-
Southeast Michigan offers a
munity resource experts
211 number for those seeking
answering the phones
social services or emergency
are well-connected with
financial aid. •
Ted Cohen
Federation-affiliated and