60ish emigre defies odds, picks up career
Friday, November 17, 2000 | byJOSHUA BRANDT
Naomi Marcus of Jewish Vocational Service uses colorful analogies when describing Shulamis Koyfman, the organization's Employee of the Year.
"I kind of look at her as a Russian Mary Poppins," said Marcus, coordinator of JVS' nursing program and a JVS vocational counselor for the past decade. "There is a calmness and serenity about Shulamis, and she is universally loved and respected."
That high praise is much more than the self-effacing 65-year-old emigre would say on her own behalf. In fact, Koyfman, who is the very picture of a robust, Russian Jewish grandmother, has little time for banter.
"I don't like nostalgia," said Koyfman, addressing an interviewer as if she were daring him to prove otherwise. "I'm too busy to talk about things. I have a busy work schedule."
The fact that Koyfman is working at all is surprising. But when you factor in that she received the JVS award, recently passed the state exam to become a licensed vocational nurse and received another award from Arcadia Health Care, it becomes really surprising.
The San Francisco resident, who attends Orthodox Congregation Chevra Thilim, immigrated here three years ago, speaking very little English.
First she went through JVS' workplace English program, then an eight-week certified nursing-assistant program, getting a job with Arcadia. While working, she began a nine-month LVN training program.
To say that the odds were stacked against her establishing a career here would be an understatement.
According to Pnina Levermore, the executive director of the Bay Area Council for Jewish Rescue and Renewal, Koyfman achieved the nearly impossible.
"At her age, it's almost impossible to learn a new language, because the barrier is almost insurmountable," said Levermore. "Usually the most they can hope for is to navigate the public transportation system, or learn the fundamentals of shopping."
Said Marcus: "At an age when most Russians don't want to work, she wanted to work, she wanted to be useful. She would have been eligible for refugee assistance and then general assistance and SSI [Supplemental Security Income], but she didn't want to."
The psychological ramifications of leaving a country late in life present another barrier. "Imagine how psychologically difficult it would be to be uprooted from all the institutions that define who it is that you are, and then having all those defining characteristics disappear at once," Levermore added. "Suddenly all of your achievements over a lifetime don't mean anything anymore—you're just another needy Russian emigre."
But Koyfman, who worked for more than 30 years as a pediatric nurse in her home state of Moldova, was determined not to let anything as petty as language barriers stop her. She took English lessons within a week of arriving in her new country and started studying for her nursing exams a year ago.
All the work paid off—Koyfman has a new career, and a long list of accolades.
Vicki Vitori of Arcadia Health Center, said Koyfman "was instrumental in being a stabilizing influence in the program. She really shows a tremendous amount of concern for her patients. She helps them with health care, with personal hygiene, with grocery shopping, and really raises their spirits."
Koyfman, who lives with her son Joseph (her daughter Rosa is married and also lives in the city), doesn't have a lot to say about the odds she overcame.
She did say that working enabled her to overcome the pain of losing her husband of 35 years, Boris, who died five years ago. But it also enabled her to fulfill a wish to give something back to her community.
"I have a wonderful life here, and everybody has been so nice and helpful to me, especially at the JVS," Koyfman said. "I'm very grateful, and I have an opportunity to show that."
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