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Mr. Goldstein: JFSA Seniors Dept.

There are two sides to Mr. Goldstein: his present and his past. As a younger man, he spent 30 years of his life in the Israeli army. During that time he fought in four wars – the Independent War, Sinai War, the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War - sustaining life-threatening injuries three times. One time his badly mangled body was pronounced dead and sent to the morgue where a death certificate was administered. Inside the death chamber, Mr. Goldstein felt the frigid air and bolted upright, proving he was not ready to succumb. His death certificate now hangs in a frame on his wall, a reminder of his strength- a reminder of his past.

Mr. Goldstein’s present life takes up much of the space on his walls. Dozens of large-scale, framed tapestry adorn his one bedroom apartment. Some of them are of old-fashion scenery while others are contemporary pieces. Each one is done with patience and persistence, thought and care.

Mr. Goldstein had a hard time sitting still when he returned from the army in 1973, after spending so much of his energy fighting wars, so his wife taught him the art of needlework. He now spends five hours a day on his craft. One piece will take about eight months to complete.

The 83-year-old enjoys needlework because the counting and persistence keeps his brain busy and active. He also credits his weekly outing to Temple Shalom for keeping him active. Every Tuesday he attends the JFSA Seniors Lunch program, where he socializes with 20-25 other attendees.

“At my age, the worst thing is to sit at home and to think,” he says.

The JFSA Seniors Department coordinates and provides services such as Home Support, assessment, case management, and public education for Jewish seniors throughout the Vancouver area. It also sponsors and coordinates two volunteer-run lunch programs that offer healthy meals to seniors. At the seniors lunch program Mr. Goldstein sits with his friends, both young and old, talks politics and laughs.

“You feel that you are connected, that you are not alone,” he says. “You feel that you have someone. When I need JFSA, I have them.”

He says attending the luncheon makes him feel the same way he feels when he has completed a needlework project.

“I can say I am happy,” he says. “I am satisfied.”

Rachel: JFSA Counselling Dept.

After losing her job last summer, Rachel found herself with a lot of spare time. She had just ended a turbulent relationship with an unstable single father and had quickly entered into another one. It was a brief affair that ended dramatically and Rachel was left feeling like something was wrong with her. She spent a lot of time smoking weed and staying up late, analyzing every aspect of her life. Her friends started to mention that her behavior was erratic and manic. Rachel fell deeper and deeper into depression.

She decided to consult her doctor, who suggested she was bipolar. The idea of taking medication scared Rachel so she looked into counseling. She called BC Family Services and was told it was be at least four months to process her application. Defeated, Rachel hit the bottom and gave up.

A friend who was a psychology major informed Rachel about JFSA. She said it was a little known secret among the social services community. Rachel decided to investigate, as she felt like she had very few other options.

Rachel was put through to the head of the counseling department, Alan Stamp, who listened to her discuss where she was in life and what kind of help she thought she needed.
He told her it would take about two weeks and that he had a counsellor who would be a good match. A month later, Rachel went to her first session with Tami Amit.

The 28-year-old spent several months working with Tami on deep-rooted issues, which she had never before the courage to face. Rachel was amazed at how determined and patient her counsellor was with her.

“She helped me realize how important it was to love myself and never dismiss my feelings” she stated. “I really owe her my life.”

Today, Rachel is working at a job she loves. She surrounded herself with people she trusts and admires. She says she has found a love for herself that she’s never felt before. Rachel has even recommended the services to several of her friends and assures them that they are on the right path.

“I’ve been to the bottom and now I am rising to the top”, she says. “Without JFSA, it would have been a much different story.”

Doron: JFSA Resettlement & Employment Dept.

Things in Canada aren’t as Doron had imagined them. The Israeli man moved to Vancouver three years ago at the request of his wife, who had heard the country was overflowing with opportunity. He sold his business, applied for immigration and within a year found himself in our picturesque city. However, shortly after arriving, Doron found a much different reality than what he was expecting. He says it feels like bad luck keeps running after him since he left Israel

“When you’re on the other side of the world, you hear one thing, but when you get here, it’s another,” he says.

After moving to Vancouver, Doron’s marriage fell apart and an ugly custody battled ensued. He recounts his life in Israel as happy and carefree, which is a stark contrast to his new reality. Doron likens it to the reality show Survivor, where he is fighting to stay on the island.
And while his life in Vancouver may parallel the cutthroat reality series he does have one thing that helps him feel like he has immunity, at least momentarily. Doron credits the JFSA Resettlement and Employment Services Department for being his life raft during these difficult few years.

“The goal for JFSA is to make someone else’s life easier,” he says. “They’re here to fill the gap between what you need, what you can achieve and how you can do it.”

JFSA helped Doron navigate his way through his new life, putting him in touch with legal advice in his custody dispute, helping him find a second job and educating him on the ins and outs of his newly adopted country. The staff at JFSA spoke his language and understood his challenge.

“They’re willing to hear you when you’re struggling with nowhere to go,” he says. “They’re really on the same page.”

Debbie: JFSA Basic Resource Services Dept.

While volunteering at the Vancouver Jewish Food Bank recently, Debbie Rootman experienced something that made her realize the difference she was making in someone else’s life.

She had finished her volunteer shift and was counting and packing up all the leftover goods into a storage closet. Debbie likens this task to putting together a puzzle, as the space is small and the goods need to be packed efficiently. As she was finishing up her complex task, two clients arrived. One had traveled from White Rock with her two children, hoping to recieve some food. Debbie went back to the storage closet and unpacked everything so that the client could leave with her bags full.

“It made me feel good that we didn’t turn them away,” she says. We open our arms to everyone.”

Debbie knows the food bank, which is run by JFSA and Jewish Women International BC, makes a difference in people’s lives. It offers fresh produce from the JFSA
community garden and canned goods to those who need it. One family in particular sticks out in her mind – they have five children and the wife travels on the Skytrain and bus to take back several bags of food and packages of diapers.

“That makes me feel good that we can provide something for her,” Debbie says.

She says the face of clients who use the food bank has changed. In the past, it was mostly people on fixed incomes and seniors. Now it’s younger families and young adults who have lost their jobs or are experiencing other difficulties. The close relationship the Jewish Food Bank has with other food banks and kitchens in the Lower Mainland ensures that no donation gets wasted. Debbie stresses that this is just the nature of such an important community service.

“There’s a lot of people who are doing the right thing and a lot of unsung heroes,” she says. “The community knows that if there’s a need, they can fulfill it.”

Diane: JFSA Development Dept.

Diane Switzer is a former president of the JFSA Board of Directors. She held that role between 1994 and 1997. Although it’s been more than a decade since she’s been on the board, her connection to the agency remains strong – Diane continues to be a proud donor.

She considers JFSA to be one of the only organizations committed almost solely to the most vulnerable population of the community - be it through feeding the less privileged, helping immigrants resettle or offering counselling to those who need it. During her time at JFSA, Diane witnessed a wave of Yugoslavian immigrants coming through the agency, looking for help and guidance.

“For all those things that newcomers need, JFSA has always made a difference,” she said.

Diane commends the staff and volunteers at JFSA for being the most dedicated she’s seen in an organization.

“People stay with the organization for a very long time,” she said.

Diane uses herself as an example. Her personal experience with the agency has helped make it part of her life to this day.

“I give to JFSA as my specific charity of choice in the community because of that connection to service delivery,” she said. “You know that your money is going to programs that help the vulnerable in our community.”