12 | JUNE 4 • 2020 

continued on page 13

Jews in the D

F

riend-
ship 
Circle 
in West 
Bloomfield, a 
nonprofit that offers 
support and program-
ming to 3,000 individuals 
— primarily children and teens 
with special needs and their 
families — has been working 
hard to bolster its vulnerable 
community amid the pandem-
ic while expanding care to new 
populations.
The organization has con-
verted nearly all of its program-
ming into virtual experiences, 
including Soul Studio, its art 
program that supports adult 
artists with disabilities. Sixty-
six artists currently create and 
exhibit through the studio and 
gallery. In addition to support-
ing these artists virtually, Soul 
Studio is offering free weekly 
art classes to persons served by 
JARC, all who are stuck in their 
homes during COVID-19. 
“It was very painful for 
us to close,
” said Friendship 
Circle co-founder Rabbi Levi 
Shemtov about the decision 
his organization made on 
March 13 to temporarily shut 
down during the pandemic. 
“
All the activities we do, all the 
programs we have, are just a 
setting for creating friendship. 
It’
s the opposite of isolation. We 

knew we had to do whatever 
we could to help continue 
these connections.
” 
Friendship Circle’
s virtual 
offerings include workshops, 
playdates, social circles, life 
lessons and more. Nearly 2,000 
people, including new individ-
uals and families, are accessing 
its online resources as well as 
its Facebook classes, says Sara 
Daniels, director of marketing.
Soul Studio’
s virtual work-
shops have brought a learn-
ing curve to both staff and 
participants, said Anthony 
Marcellini, programs and exhi-
bitions manager at the studio. 
Yet a variety of experiences, 
from one-on-one meetings to 
small group workshops, have 
evolved, he said.
Amid isolation, Shemtov 
prompted staff to bring the 
joy of art to others in the 
Jewish community. In addi-
tion to his executive role at 
Friendship Circle, he serves as 
a board member to JARC, a 
Farmington-based nonprofit 
providing residential and sup-

port services 
for people with 
developmental 
disabilities. 
“I believe that 
JARC is really on the 
front line of this,
” Shemtov 
said. “Residents usually get 
out during the day to different 
activities or to employment. 
They [normally] have a lot of 
socialization and now they’
re 
just shut down.
” 
Before the pandemic, indi-
viduals served at the nonprofit’
s 
residential group homes eager-
ly awaited weekend visits with 
family and friends, said Jessica 
Tierney, JARC’
s community 
engagement manager. They 
relied on the consistency of 
vocational programs, employ-
ment and the encouragement 
and support given by a variety 
of volunteers. This has dissi-
pated during shelter- in-place 
when JARC homes are restrict-
ed to essential staff.
Keeping people they served 
mentally and physically active, 
Tierney says, is her top priority 
right now. When invited, 14 
JARC homes totaling 39 par-
ticipants signed up for weekly 
art classes, including all those 
living in JARC’
s deaf homes. 
“We have an interpreter to 
help with instruction,
” said 
Tierney. “You can tell how 
eager and excited people are. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE

Soul Studio’
s JARC participants 
show off their artwork.

Friendship
Circle
Unbroken

In a pandemic, the nonprofi
 t’
s
Soul Studio brings the “joy of art”
to JARC residents 

SARAH WILLIAMS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER