42 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 

J

eff Aisen of Huntington Woods is 
this week’s Volunteer of the Week.
Aisen has been a volunteer 
photographer for JARC and many other 
Jewish Detroit agencies for many years.
“He just has a way of capturing people 
that we serve in this really deep and 
personal way, and he really allows us to 
help tell the JARC story,” said JARC’s 
Director of Philanthropy Jenny Kabert.
Aisen was involved with JARC even 
before he started snapping photos for 
them. His brother-in-law was a JARC 
resident for many years, and he had 
already been volunteering with the 
organization in other ways. 
He got involved on the photography 
side as he was already doing all the 
photography for Jewish Family Service 
and was recognizing JARC clients at JFS 
events. 
Along with JARC, Aisen does volunteer 
photography for JFS, Gesher Human 
Services, National Council of Jewish 
Women, Special Olympics, Michigan 
Victory Games, City of Huntington 
Woods and, before the pandemic, Jewish 
Community Relations Council and JCC 
Special Needs. 
Aisen always “played with the camera” 
but got serious about the hobby 25 years 
ago when he started taking classes, 
reading books and going to seminars. 
Aisen started doing photography for 
JARC about a dozen years ago.
Aisen takes photos at a plethora of 
JARC events, from Shabbat, bingo and 

picnics to Donor Appreciation night, 
Staff Appreciation Day and Sukkot in the 
Parking Lot.
“I’m just drawn to people and try to 
connect and catch the real person. At 
JARC, I know the people so they say 
hello and we talk and I’ll see them at JFS 
Fall Fix Up or at a Gesher event, it’s nice,” 

Aisen said. “JARC’s all about inclusion, 
and they’re just people. They’re having a 
good time and that’s what I try to show. 
Listening to music, having Shabbat, 
whatever it is we’re doing.” 
Aisen is also on JARC’s audit 
committee and was on the JFS board.
“My thing is that hopefully somebody 
sees a picture and says that’s a good 
organization and I’ll donate — or, wow, 
those people are having fun, I’ll help 
volunteer,” Aisen said. 
“I also want the people and the families 
to say they had a good time at that 
[event] and to remember that,” Aisen 
added. “I think with all the organizations, 
they like to tell their story and say we 
give 3,000 rides, we provide Meals on 
Wheels to 6,000 people, but I think it 
comes down to ‘here is Aunt Bessie,’ and 
people relate to that. The numbers are 
in the story, but it’s really the individuals 
who are the story. This is who we’re 
helping.” 

OUR COMMUNITY

JEFF AISEN

JEFF AISEN

SABRINA KALLANDER

 Every Photo 
 Tells a Story

Jeff Aisen, volunteer photographer for many Jewish 
Detroit agencies, tells stories through snapshots. 

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK

Jeff Aisen with 
his 12-year-old 
granddaughter 
Mona Kallander. 

JARC resident Julie 
Boesky with Rabbi 
Joseph Krakoff. 

JARC resident 
Jacob Feldman 

