MARCH 31 • 2022 | 23
knew somebody in Detroit,”
Gaydayenko says.
Now, JFS and other human
services agencies are hope-
ful that the U.S. will reopen
and expand the Lautenberg
Amendment, first enacted
in 1990 to facilitate resettle-
ment of Jews from the former
Soviet Union, to include
the humanitarian crisis in
Ukraine. The amendment
allows certain individuals
legally residing in the United
States to bring their family
members to the U.S.
“We know many more fam-
ilies are coming,” Gaydayenko
says.
FINDING WAYS TO HELP
As they field calls and
requests for assistance, and
as Ukrainian families wait
for visas to enter the United
States, JFS is focusing on
helping survivors navigate
the crisis. “Each survivor
that works with our agency
has a care manager and a
social worker,” Gaydayenko
explains. Social workers help
teach survivors how to vali-
date their feelings and nor-
malize their responses, while
also supporting them and
reassuring them.
“They are safe right now,”
Gaydayenko says of the key
message social workers share
with survivors. “It’s not like
what was happening in World
War II. They are supported.
They have food, shelter; they
have all of their basic needs
met. We’re helping people
acknowledge that this situa-
tion is different.”
JFS also helps survivors nav-
igate feelings of helplessness
by identifying smart ways they
can actively help and make
a difference for Ukrainians
impacted by the war. Some
people opt to make donations,
while others say a prayer for
comfort. Some survivors even
choose to advocate for the
reopening of the Lautenberg
Amendment.
“That gives them things to
do to feel that they are in con-
trol,” Gaydayenko says.
JFS, which works with 500
survivors a year on a local
level and also serves survivors
on a regional scale outside
of the Metro Detroit area,
recently partnered with Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit for the Ukraine
Emergency Fund (https://
jewishdetroit.org/ukraine).
The fund is sending 100% of
donations to rescue and relief
efforts for victims of the crisis
in Ukraine.
Those who have family
members in Ukraine receiv-
ing visas to enter the United
States are encouraged to call
JFS for support. “We’re here
to help, and all people need to
do is call our resource center,”
Gaydayenko says. “We have
a Russian-speaking resource
specialist on staff who answers
all inquiries in Russian and
Ukrainian.”
Get in touch with JFS at www.
jfsdetroit.org/contact-us.
Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation.
Need to find
help during a
family crisis?
Call jhelp at
1-833-445-4357
or visit: jhelp.org
Your one-stop for support
from Jewish Detroit.
“THEY’RE FEELING LIKE THEY’RE
BACK IN THIS TIME AND IT’S
HAPPENING TO THEM [AGAIN].”
— YULIYA GAYDAYENKO