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Bay Area Jews work together to combat unemployment

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Message: If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/35940/full/35940/bay-area-jews-work-together-to-combat-unemployment/ Bay Area Jews work together to combat unemployment Friday, October 10, 2008 | by amanda pazornik The economy experienced the biggest drop in jobs in more than five years, pushing more Bay Area Jews into unemployment and forcing many to rely on temporary jobs just to get by. But some haven't even gotten that far, according to Abby Snay, executive director of Jewish Vocational Service in San Francisco. She said the number of people seeking assistance from JVS has doubled every month since August. "Things are really rough," Snay said. "Uncertainty, despair, hopelessness — that becomes a downward spiral. People become self-defeating and withdraw from looking for work. A successful job search takes confidence and putting oneself out there, especially in a market that is this competitive." After launching a network in August that connects unemployed congregants with those who have jobs to offer, Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael has experienced a significant increase in interest from both the jobless and the employed. Nearly 30 out-of-work congregants have e-mailed Moji Javid, director of community connections at Rodef Sholom, inquiring about jobs. The number of temple members with jobs to offer has ballooned from six to 27. Positions include a human resources director, insurance agent, office manager and Web site designer. "We're definitely proud of our congregants who are coming forward and wanting to help these people out," Javid said. "But there's a lot more to be done." Meanwhile, those dependent on temporary positions are receiving fewer calls for job openings, something that Snay considers a harbinger of the state of the employment market. According to the latest employment report issued Oct. 3, roughly 159,000 jobs were lost nationwide in September, the ninth straight month the U.S. economy has lost jobs. Last month, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) rose to 2 million, an increase of more than 700,000 over the past 12 months. People with part-time positions saw their hours slashed considerably. Lately, most of the clients coming in to JVS are in their 50s and 60s, and previously held administrative positions with small businesses. Snay attributes their lack of work to businesses closing or merging with other companies, and the decline of the real estate industry. Workshops sponsored by JVS are drawing record numbers of attendees, mostly those over age 50 looking for ways to retool and recession-proof their careers. Snay advises her clients not to rely on one source of job listings or assume that online job boards are going to return a job. "People have to use multiple approaches and activate their own networks," Snay said. "The bottom line is people have to brace themselves for longer job searches right now." It took Bruce Marcus, a San Francisco resident who holds a master's in public administration from San Francisco State University, about eight months to secure a job as the senior manager of the S.F. office for Census Bureau operations. "I wouldn't have normally thought of working with the government," said Marcus, who's been involved in nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years. "But this will make use of my skills and keep me involved, in an indirect way, in the nonprofit environment." Marcus, who received counseling from JVS, said he looked beyond his first target group — nonprofits — for a career, and advises others to do the same. He recognized what his skills were and how he could transfer them to another job that would give him meaning, not just pay the bills. He also maintained part-time work to stay focused, making the transition into a full-time position a little easier. "You have to keep busy in a meaningful way and take care of yourself psychologically," Marcus said. "There will be cycles, ups and downs. Try not to get too disappointed or frustrated."

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