m Louis Brier
The Boards of Trustees of Louis Brier Home and Hospital and the Louis Brier Jewish Aged Foundation join the Auxilliary, Staff and Residents
in wishing the community
A Meaningful Chanukah and a Peaceful New Year!
Je^^•ish Home for the Aged of B.C. / Louis Brier Jewish Aged Foundation (604) 261-9376 1055 West 41st Avenue Vancouver, B.C. V6M IWg (604) 261-5550 vvww.Iouisbrier.com
What's N^wat jFSA
Resettlement Services
Did you know™
-JFSA assists Jewish immigrants obtoin necessary nsgistrations, housing, some basic household goods and infomiation on how to access educational, social and cultural resources.
-Interpretation services are provided when needed.
-We have staff fluent in Hebrew, Russian and Polish.
Friends of the Family Campaign
Lend a helping hand to JFSA
NA/hen you give to the JFSA, you reach out to our community as a friend and touch the lives of those in need. Please send your donations to JFSA 300-950 West 41 st Ave., Vancouver, BC V5Z 2N7
Host Family Program
JFSA, in collaboration with Shalom B.C, have started a Host Family Program designed to bring new immigrants and members of the Greater Vancouver Jewish community together
Host Families provide guidance and support to new immigrant families.
If your family is interested in receiving support or in helping a new family adjust to their new surroundings, please call Charlotte Katzen or Alexandra Gerson at 604.257.5151 or Debbie Havusha at 604.257.5111 ext 243.
C^'^Vi.^ You can register for any of these
programs by contacting JFSA at 257-5151
'C£ ^o'^ Suite 300-950 W 4tst Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Z 2N7 . c«wt,ir»i u or^ Tel 604.257-5151 • Fax 604-257-5148 • info@jfsa ca • www.jfsa.ca
Community
Employment crisis hits JFSA
Community members go hungry as the availability of jobs decreases.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
When the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 knocked down the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, the already struggling economies of the United States and Canada took a significant hit.
Unfortunately, few organizations see the impact of the economic recession more than those like the Jewish Family Service Agency (JFSA), whose mandate is to help others.
Ron Goodine, a vocational coimsellor for the JFSA, told the Bulletin that his workload has increased at least Uirecfold since this time last year.
"A year ago, we would have had five or six people a month coming to us looking for work," he said. "Now we're dealing with five to seven a week. Some of them are people who have lost jobs and some of them are newcomers to Canada who can't find jobs."
In the past, the JFSA has taken pride in a 75- to 80-per-cent placement rate for qualified job hunters. Goodine said it is too early to offer any current figures.
There are fewer jobs available right now," he said, before suggesting that the trend was showing no signs of reversing anytime
soon. "Li the end of 1999 and in 2000,1 would send out a broadcast e-mail of star candidates to prospective employers with usually 20 people on the lists and I would get 70 requests for resumes. Employers would be gobbling up people as quickly as possible. Now, Tve got a lot of [Li-temct technology] people that can't find anything."
One year ago, the unemployment rate for the entire Lower Mainland was at 5.9 per cent, compared to the current rate of 7.1 per cent, which Goodine said translates into tens of thousands ofjobs.
Goodine said the JFSA is now looking for any type of part-time or temporary work for many of his clients so that they can survive during this tough time.
"Recently, the Combined Jewish Appeal hired 20 people for temporary work with their telethon," he said. "For some of those people, who did a day or two of work, it meant the difference between eating and going without food.
"We may not be able to change the outside world, but I believe that we can begin to ensure that members of the community don't fall into despair," he added.
Charlotte Katzin, the co-ordi-nator of resettlement, vocational and job match services for the JFSA, said she is afiraid that the recession will soon result in an increased number of clients suffering fiom mental strain or family breakup.
"Clinical depression has been something of a great concern to us but more concerning than that is suicide," she said, noting that one of their clients recently ended their life. "We are very concerned about what's going to happen with people who aren't going to be able to find work."
Katzin said she has also been taking a lot of calls irom former clients who had been placed in jobs by the JFSA a year or two ago but are out of work again.
The JFSA's vocational services feature one-on-one counselling, which includes teaching people how to find work, and job search workshops for groups. Their counselling services also include. ongoing emotional support for those in need.
If you are an employer looking to hire skilled, qualified workers or if you have any part-time or temporary work available, call the JFSA at 604-257-5151. □
Community unites for Israel
Vancouver Island Jews educate themselves and others about Middle Eas
PAT JOHNSON REPORTER
The Jewish community on Vancouver Island has a long history of outreach to the larger community arovmd them. That has provided a strong launch pad for their efforts to build support for Israel.
"Federation in Victoria and on Vancouver Island has, for many years, had strong community relations programs," said Victor Glickman, president of the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island. Now they are using materials published by large Jewish organizations to help spread the focts about the Middle East situation and counter misinformation.
"There's a tremendous amoimt of information generated in East-cm Canada," he said. Working closely with Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region, as well as the Canada-Israel Committee and the UJA-Fedcration - the international umbrella for local Jewish federations - Victoria's
Jews have vmdertaken to defend Israel's cause.
Members of the community are quick to put pen to paper if there is dubious information or anti-Israeli material published or broadcast in the area, he said. Organized under the auspices of Federation, the ad hoc group calls itself the Israel Action Committee.
Glickman said the small size of the community can be an advantage. Because there is no real bureaucracy, action can be quicker. There is no big committee process to go through before taking action, he said. On the other hand, Glickman stressed that they are careful to stick to the guidelines set out by the various umbrella groups, especially Canadian Jewish Congress. ■ "Strategically, we're trying to do everything as part of a Pacific region plan," he said.
His colleague, Jonathan Sector, a member of the Federa-
tion board, said the action plan is multi-pronged.
First, he said, they want to make sure Jews in the area get complete information about the situation, rather than having to rely solely on the sound-bites of the television news.
Second, according to Sector, the community is using its good offices with the general community - churches, elected officials, etc. - to try to keep allies on side.
Third, they are vigilantly surveying the news and contacting media when necessary.
Victoria's daily newspaper, the Times-Colonist, is on par with the Vancouver Sun in terms of coverage of Israel, he said.
"It's the standard stuff," Sector said.
The Middle East situation is having a galvanizing effect on the Vancouver Island community and Scctcr expects their work to continue in a steady fashion as events transpire. □