December 09-January - Washtenaw Jewish News

Local couple visits Jewish groups operating in RussiaEileen Freed, special to the WJNWhen Sheldon and Geri Markelsigned up for a University ofMichigan alumni tour of Moscowand St. Petersburg, Russia, they thought theyshould see and learn more about the local Jewishcommunity. Since this was not a part of thegroup’s itinerary, they turned to the Jewish Federationof Greater Ann Arbor. Federation staffcontacted the American Jewish Joint DistributionCommittee (JDC), whose staff arranged avariety of visits for the Markels.The JDC operates a wide range of programsand institutions in the Former SovietUnion (FSU) includingJewish communitycenters and anetwork of socialservice agencies forsenior services calledHesed Avot. In Moscow,the Markels visitedthe NikitskayaJewish Cultural Center(JCC) and wereimpressed with therange and quality ofprogramming. “Thecenter was so busy;there was somethinghappening for everyBronislava Roubanova (left) and herhome care aideage throughout the building,” said Sheldonof his visit. The center, located in a renovatedmansion, offers classes and programsfor children and adults of all ages, includingMarkels do crafts with pre-school childrenat the Moscow JCCdance, yoga, fitness,theater, art and a widerange of Jewish classesand experiences. “Iwas quite impressedwith the sophisticatedceramics and animationstudios and thequality of the work,”recalled Geri.In St. Petersburg, the Markels visitedYESOD, St. Petersburg’s newly renovated“Jewish Community Home.” In addition toa similar high level and variety of programming,YESOD housesan impressive theaterand offers a range ofservices to senior citizensincluding medicalconsultation, ahair salon, volunteeropportunities and hotmeals. “The seniors areliving on a very smallpension,” said Geri.“These services helpkeep them involved inthe community andliving a meaningfullife.”JDC staff broughtthe Markels to thehome of BronislavaMikhailvona Roubanova,a 79-year-old woman who is confinedto her fourth floor apartment due to ill healthand disability. “From the outside, the buildinglooked fine,” said Sheldon, “but on the inside,the paint was peeling and there was exposedelectrical wire. The apartment was a tiny roomwith a bed and a kitchen sink; not much more.”Roubanova, who survived the German siegeof Leningrad (St. Petersburg), never married,suffers from epilepsy and other medical conditions,and has no family to care for her. If it werenot for the 80 hours of home care a month providedby Hesed, she would be completely aloneand unlikely to survive on her pension of $414a month.“This was a very important visit for us.It is important for people in Ann Arbor tobe aware of the very difficult situation of theelderly in the FSU as well as the impressiverenaissance of the Jewish community,” saidSheldon. “A portion of the overseas allocationmade by the Jewish Federation goes tothe JDC to pay for these necessary services.I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see theseprojects first-hand.” Geri added that, “in spiteof their heavy workload, the JDC staff wasable to accommodate us on very short notice.I was very impressed with their professionalismand the care they clearly put into everyaspect of our visit.”To learn more about enriching visits toJewish communities while traveling abroad,contact Eileen Freed at eileenfreed@jewishannarbor.orgor 677-0100. nSheldon and Geri Markel inSt. Petersburg, RussiaJPros offers professional developmentMira Sussman and Eileen Freed, special to the WJNLeaders of local Jewish professional developmentgroups gather in Malibu.It may come as a surprise, but Ann Arbor’sJewish community is home to a group thatexists in only eleven other cities in NorthAmerica. Despite the community’s small size,it is home to something that Toronto, Atlanta,Chicago and Detroit do not have—a group dedicatedto the continued education and developmentof its Jewish professional leadership.The local organization, Jewish Professionalsof Greater Ann Arbor (aka JPros) is open to allprofessional staff who work for Jewish agencies,synagogues, schools and organizations, and isin its third year as an active group. Membersrun the gamut of professions; from rabbis toadministrators, teachers to development directors,program staff to service generalists. JPros’mission is to enhance its members’ skills, facilitatecommunication among colleagues fromdifferent organizations, and encourage thehighest professional standards and communityesteem for its members—all with an eyeWashtenaw Jewish News A December 2009/January 2010towards strengthening professional service tothe community.In November, Steering Committee ChairMira Sussman, represented the Ann ArborJPros at a professional development conference,“Professional Excellence in Challenging Times,”in Malibu, California. The conference featuredkeynote speaker Rabbi Mark Charendoff, presidentof the Jewish Funders Network. Breakoutgroups included “Negotiating the Multi-GenerationalWorkplace,” “New Approaches toSupervision in the Down Economy,” and“Building Community in a Digital World.” TheJewish Communal Professionals of SouthernCalifornia organized the conference.In addition, Sussman participated in programmingspecifically designed for the fifteenlocal group leaders who represented their localchapters. They discussed successes and challengesfaced in local chapters, networked withpeers, and discussed how to better guide thelocal efforts.In Ann Arbor, the theme for the year’s programmingis “Boundaries.” The group will explorehow boundaries serve to protect thoseworking for Jewish agencies, as well as how toovercome boundaries that hinder individualsand agencies from better serving the community.Ann Arbor is blessed with a wealthof Jewish and secular resources, and the JProsSteering Committee looks forward to anotheryear of development for its Jewish professionalleadership. nFor more information about JPros, become afan on Facebook, or email Mira at mira@jfsannarbor.org.Lullaby on Broadway Concert fitting memorialMerrill Polliner, special to the WJNOn Sunday, October 25, the Jewish CommunityCenter of Greater Ann Arbor was host to fiveperformers from the Michigan Opera Theatre’sCommunity Programs Department. For39 years, the Michigan Opera Theatre, oneof the country’s ten largest opera companies,has been regarded as one of the finest culturalresources in the State of Michigan. For 31 ofthose years, the MOT’s Community ProgramsDepartment has brought varied musical programsto many groups in Michigan.What could have been a somber occasionbecame an afternoon of musical pleasureduring the “Lullaby of Broadway Concert”sponsored by the Fishman-DiPietro fund.The fund was created in memory of SybilFishman and Pauline DiPietro, the mothersof Alice Fishman and Michael DiPietro, withthe purpose of providing special events forthe seniors of the JCC. The concept of a musicalafternoon with a Broadway theme wasdecided in honor of Steve Fishman’s longand successful career as a property master onBroadway. Steve passed away on October18,2009, and the concert became his memorial.The performance, attended by over 110people, exceeded the expectations of the concertsponsors, organizers and audience withPaul DiPietro, Alice Fishman, and Michael DiPietro (center front) with members ofthe Detroit Opera Theater.a program that included selections of vocalmusic by Irving Berlin; Rodgers and Hart;Lerner and Lowe; Bizet; and Andrew Lloyd-Webber and a solo piano arrangement of“Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The audienceparticipated with a sing-a-long versionof “Always,” one of Steve’s favorite songs.The Fishman-DiPietro family and the JCCare looking forward to another concert in theseries sometime in the Spring of 2010.7