Working with the Jewish Community

Building a relationship with the Jewish community has not been easy. There was anxiety on both sides.

Germans felt guilt and shame and were unsure how to communicate with Jewish people. Some Jewish community organizations were concerned that a Protestant group might proselytize Jews. Some social service agencies questioned whether Holocaust survivors should be confronted with Germans again. It has taken ARSP more than a decade to build a trusting relationship with members of the Jewish community because painful wounds have still not healed.

Today many volunteers offer assistance to the Jewish elderly. They often visit senior citizens who are no longer independent, they run errands for them, cook their meals and bring them to activities outside their apartments. Building a trusting relationship is often difficult at first, but it is all the more rewarding when a strong friendship develops.

Our partner organizations for 2015-2016 are:

DOROT | New York, NY

Hebrew SeniorLife | Boston, MA

Isabella Geriatric Center | New York, NY

Jewish Family and Children's Service | Philadelphia, PA

Jewish Family Service | Cincinnati, OH

Project EZRA | New York, NY

Selfhelp Community Services | New York, NY

Selfhelp Home for the Aged | Chicago, IL

The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan | New York, NY

In previous years ARSP volunteers worked also in the following placements:

Jewish Family & Children's Service | Pittsburgh, PA

Madlyn & Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life | New Wales, PA