FINAl REPORr

SERVICE NEEDS OF THE eUKHARAN POPUtATION

OF THE NEW YORK AREA

Prepared by • • Alanna Cooper Or. Jacob B: Ukeles UKElES ASSOCIATES, INC.

Submitted to:

UJA-Federation of New York Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverrit New York Jewish Community Relations Council

August 1999 , ,

,

, Contents - Page

I. Background ...... •...... •...... •....•.•...... •••....••.. 2

II. The Bukharan Jewish Population of .....•...... •...••...... 5

III . Finding: Families and Children ...... •••...... 6

IV. Findings: Older Persons ...... • ...... •...•••..•..•••.•••...••.••.• ...... 11

V. Findings: Community Issues ••...••..•...•...... •.•.• : ••• ..••.. •. . 12

VI. Sl(ategic Directions ...... •..•...... ••...... •...•..••..••.••...... 14

APPENDIX I: Bukharan Jewish Leaders who were Interviewed

. APPENDIX II: Issues in the Demographic Analysis of Bukharan BACKGROUND -- .... STUDY PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is 10 develop an objective view of the needs of the Bukharan Jewish Community in Queens and 10 suggest a strategic direction for meeting the community's needs. This study was commissioned by the leadership of the New York Jewish community 10 provide a platform or basis for action to help this important community meet the needs of its members.

INHO ARE THE BUKHARAN JEWS?

Th ~ 8ukr.aran Jews, who are an offshoot of Persian Jewry, have been living in in the territories that are today called and , for a thousand years or more. The Jews who cailihemseives Bukharan Jews are not necessarily from the city itself. In fact, according to Soviet census information, in 1989 the majority of Bukharan Jews in Central Asia were actually living outside of Bukhara city. At that time, and were the Central Asian cities with the largest Bukharan Jewish population, Conversely, not all Jews who lived in Tashkent are Bukharan Jews.

The Bukharan Jews speak a dialect of Persian. The dialect is sometimes caned Tajik and sometimes called Bukharian, depending on "the social context. ~----aBe""Cause-mfCtyeawof"SovietTOllr,Bokharan-jewralso-speak Russian-with the . exception of some segments of the elderly population. Throughout the Soviet era, the Bukharan Jews maintained a very strong and low rate of intermarriage. Additionally, despite anti-religious policies, they maintained very strong adherence to Jewish customs and practices, such as ,observance of and observance of key such as Yom Kippur and .. They resided almost exclusively in tight-knit Jewish quarters and groups of brothers lived together with their wives and children in multi-unit homes surrounding large courtyards.

THE NEED FOR THE STUDY

\Alhen the dissolved, the Bukharan Jews began to emigrate en masse trom their homes in the Central Asia republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Many went to , and large numbers came 10 the , especially to .

Their slow, calm, clannish lifestyle has undergone drastic changes since large numbers ot them have resenled in New York City. While a few thousand have , made their homes in Brooklyn, most of these new New Yorllers have clustered in Queens (primarily in Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Rego Parll and lefrak City).

Many, not having English, face diffICulties finding employment and then further problems negotiating through the system of government-aid. As a community they struggle to maintain a balance between preserving their traditional lifestyle alld heritage on the one hand, and becoming American on the other - a struggle which threatens the relationship between the younger generation and their elders. The relationship among the community leaders Is

, also a precarious one. Some are second generation immigrants whose parents , left the ·old counlry" when Stalin came to power in the 1 920s. others are recent immigrants who held onto their religious practices and identity throughout the Communist era. '

Because the Bukharan Jews have a rich and unique culture and religious life that is different from the other American Jewish populations in New Yc.lX, the typical adjustment difficulties of immigrants are exacerbated.

RESEARCH DESIGN

1 A rough estimate of the size and location of the Bukharan population was developed, using existing sources.

~_--"1-_~GuHem-s8r.vice5..aAd..unmewe"ed~'~===;:-______Two types of key informants were interviewed:

• Bukharan leaders and activists (10 interviews)'

• Service providers (10 interviews)

With regardS to interviews with the community leaders: Interviews were conducted with a cross section of leflders. The cross section includes leaders who represent the various Bukharan Jewish organizations, inctuding the two major organizations (The Bukharan Council of America and The Bukharan Jewish Community Center) as well as other smaller organizations (such as the Lefrak City Community Center).

The cross-section of leaders interviewed are also representative of the three major waves of Bukharan immigration. These waves include: (1) the most recent, which began in 1989, when the Soviet Union was on the brink of collapse and continues until today; (2) the1970s, which is when immigration restrictions in former USSR eased in generat; and (3) The 1920s and 1930s which is when the are .. came under Soviet control and many Bukharan Jews fled.

'A list of the Bukha1""iln leaders and activists who, were interviewed is in Appendix 1 lnter...iews focused on utilization of programs and ser...ices; roadblocks to utilization and gaps in ser...ice (unmet needs); potential community resources that coulj:i be usect.1o-meet needs; aod the impact of _commuoity_culturlLaruL_ community organization on ser...ice use and delivery.

3 Current Ser...ices and Unmet Needs: Focus Groups In addition to the .... iews of pro .... iders and community leadErs, it was important to try to collect at teast some primary information Irom individuals who live in the Bukharan community who are not activists or leaders. This component was only possible because of the in .... olvement of a team member who is a trained anthropologist who has been studying the Bukharan community for fIVe yeal1l.

Three focus groups were carried out:

• Young People (late teens through early twenties)

• Families (late tweOlies through forties)

• Older People (sixties and se.... enties)

• 4 Meetings with Bukharan leaders and Jewish communal leaders. UAI team members participated in two meetings -one althe beginning to describe the project and answer questions, and one at the end of the project to share findings about needs.

5 Strategic-flirectionsiorMeeting-Needs--- Based on what was learnt about the urgency and scale of the needs for various community 5er...ices, and the discussions at the two meetings, the UAI Team de .... eloped strategies to guide the efforts to work together to meet the most critical needs. THE BUKHARAN JEWISH POPULATION OF QUEENS

In 1987, the office of the Queensboro President estimated the number of -Bukharan Jews-ID -Queens lo-be-about 5,{lOO. - Since·massive·emigraHon-bega,nn-­ in 1989, that number has at least quadrupled.

II has turned out to be extremely difficult to estimale the Bukharan population.2 The best available estimate is that there are between 22,000 and 35,000 Bukharan Jews in Queens, and another several thousand in Brooklyn. Some people who have worked with the community for a lon9 time in Queens believe that the 1987 Bukharan Jewish population in Queens was si9nificantly higher than the estimate of 5,000. The community includes not only families that came directly from the Former Soviet Union, but many who have been in Israel first and then came here, who are Bukharans by culture alld by language. Some may be undocumented aliens, so they are difficult to identify.

'Sei! Appendix '1 for a diSCUSSion 01 tile sources 01 data. methods and methodological difficulties in deveklping these population es~matS$_ , FINDINGS: FAMILIES ANO CHILDREN

Jewish Day School-Education

One of the most pressing issues that was raised in both the interviews with Bukharan leaders and in lhe focus-groups was the issue of education. Allthose questioned noted a low enrollment of Bukharan Jewish children in Jewish Days Schools

The number of Bukharan Jewish students enrolled in Jewish schools was calculated by estimating the number of Bukharan Jewish students in each type of school.

• About 600'Bukharan Jewish children are enrolled in Jewish pre- schools and elementary schools in Queens. These schools are mostly not under Bukharan auspic-es, but the majority of their students are Bukharan.

• About 300 Bukharan Jewish children are enrolled in Jewish high schools in Queens. Most of these schools are under Bukharan auspices and the majority of sludents are Bukharan.

• About 140 elementary Bukharan Jewi.sh students, and 70 high-school students who Jive in Queens are enrolled in schools in Jewish schools in Brooklyn.

Added together, a lolal of abOut"""'r,lOO BuRharan J~h studemn,e enrone:r:tin Jewish schools. The percentage most often cited by Bukharan Jewish leaders hovers around 20%. The actual percentage, may in fact be lower than that. This percentage should be understood in the context of the figure for enrollment in Jewish day schools cited in the 1991 Jewish population study in NY. That study indicated that 40% of in-married families reported that their children attend Jewish Day schools.

Bukharan Jewish parents, grandparents and teens, as well as Bukharan Jewish leaders, uniformly expressed a desire for higher day-school enrollment. Enrollment is lower than people would like it to be on account of two reasons:(1) parents and their children tend not to agree with the approach taken by the administrators in the "Bukharan schools· (which are affordable) and (2) those Jewish schools which are not under Bukharan auspices lend not to be affordable.

Parents lend not to agree wilh the approach taken by the administrators in the Buk-haran schools for the following reason: Parents want to send their children to Jewish schools primarily because they are interested in maintaining social boundaries between themselves and non·Jews. Most important to them is to ensure that their children are not influenced or socially involved with non-Jews. , While the administrators share this interest, one of their primary goals is also to ensure that the youth have a strong religious education, which seems to have come at the expense of a secular education. Parents tend to express the feeling 1hat they would rather_provide.religious..education inJhe..home..and..bav.a.tbeir.. ___ children receive a secular education (much of which they themselves cannot provide) in the schools.

It should be noted that teens and parents place a large emphasis on "becoming American" by "becoming American," they are referring to leaming English, and getting a good education so that they wlll be prepared to attend college or to enter the work-force. An important distinction is made between acculturation and assimilation.

While there is a desire to become successful in American society, the issue of not assimilating remains an important one. Non-assimilation takes on two forms: refraining from intermarriage with non-Jews, and - less important - refraining from marriage with non-Bukharan J~.'s.

Parents did express a strong interest in sending their children to what they ceq "American Jewish schools" where they believe that emphasis is placed not only on , but secular education as well. However, these schools are not affordable. Additionally, according to the Bukharan Jews, the administrators of these schools are nol predisposed to enrolling Bukharan students.

Adults and Employment·

---~Aiargellroportiorrof1he-Bukhararr.Jews-coming-otrt-dllring-this-cl:tffent-wave-of­ immigration were craftsmen Of artisans before immigrating: haircutters, shoemakers, watch makerS 'and repairers and tailors. This segment of the population has not had problems finding work here.

It is those were doctors, dentists and engineers who are experiencing the most difficulty getting retrained and finding jobs. Difficulties stem from the fact that they do not understand how the system works and do not know where to tum to information.

For example, a single woman in her early 30s who was a doctor in Tajikistan immigrated to the U.S. in 1993. Since she immigrated, she has not been working in her field. She explained her frustration to me, "There is a lot of opportunity here, but we don't know the laws, we don't know anything. I passed two board exams here, but I need to take another exam. How willi pass it? 'Nhen I receive a certificate, how do I receive a residency? I don't know how it works here. Who can help me? Nobody knows."

Another woman in her early 40s received an advanced degree in agricultural engineering in Uzbekistan. She immigrated in 1994 and retrained herself in accounting here, but has not worked in the field. She explained, 'Our main problem is that we don't have enough information, about the system. We don't have American experience. Even though I finished school here, I cannot find a job. How can I get help?"

_Ibej~sue of rettaining and.job_placemenUor-Poofessionals.is.not..uoique..to..thee ___ _ Bukharan Jews, but is a problem that should be addressed in the context of the wider population of immigrants from the Former Soviet Union.

Teenslyoung adults

Employment. Because many teens have parents who do not work, they cany 8 heavy burden of earning money. They express the need to earn money both in '.. order to help support the family, but also to have money to spend on "becoming American" in a material sense. One teen explained, "t needed money so bad to buy clothes for school - to be American - and I couldn't rely on my parents. They don't have anything." Because of the pressure to earn money, there is a drop­ t)ut phenomenon. Teens stop going to high-school in order to work.

In terms of working, it is important to note that much of the earning takes place In the informal economic sphere. Teens explained that their parents told that they had to leceive their earnings in cash only. In this manner, offICial family income lemains belOW the required minimum to receive government assistance.

Social pressures, The social pressures listed below are not unique to the Bukharan Jews, but rather, exist among New York's general population of young adults, both among immigrant and non-immigrant populations. For the Bukharan Jews, the problems might be exacerbated, however, as a result of the cultural _----jgap--between-parents-and-Children1hat-often-grows-particutartywldE:-considering the fact that parents were born and raised in very traditional communities. Parents often try to remain within that community framework once they immigrate, whereas their children want to break free of the "old ways."

• Gangs - Lines are drawn between Russian speakers and non-Russian speakers, so the Bukharans join up with other Russian speakers to protect themselves against others: One boy said to me: "We don't want the black people to disrespect the Russian guys."

• Substance abuse - This problem does not seem to be particularly different or more alarming among the Bukharan population than among the wider community. Currently, the problem seems to be limited primarily to alcohol and marijuana, but there is a potential for more serious problems.

Some successful youth programs are helping the youth overcome these problems.

Successful youth programming: An example of successful youth programming is offered by The Educational Center for Russian Jewry. The Center offers youth programs that meet twice a • week. There are about 100 participants between 8 and 16 years. One of \he important facets of this programming is that the counselor.; are both non· Bukharans and Bukharans., ._ --_.-:-=-: Programming includes religious allCl Hebrew classes as well as bowling, pizza, picnics and trips. Additionally, the Center publishes the magazine "Shalom," which is targeted specifically towards youth. It is very heavily Jewishly and religiously oriented, but also includes a column on current events, fashion tips and a humor page. The magazine is written, edited and organized by Bukharan youth, which provides an important forum for leadership training.

\rVhen I asked the youth themselves what they thought 51lould be done to keep the their peers out of trouble, one 22 year remarked: "Kids go to the pool halls to play pool and smoke. Why shouldn't they have a place where they can come for free, where they won't be scared off [by introduction to heavily structured programs) but where there is some kind of a framework for activity?"

Another different kind of perspective was provided by a 20 year old answering the same question: "Vole need more helping the Bukharan community, coming to people's homes, teaching them about life, keeping the kids away from trouble:

These two quotes point to the fact that current youth programs and activities which are effective are the ones that are able to weave together these two different approaches: the approach outlined in of the first remark, that is, providing a relaxed place for typical America(l social activities, and the approach outlined in the 5econd remark, that is, providing personal connections in a ----"pipirituatcontext.

Successful programming for youth incorporates the following elements: <') An American framework for activity within a spiritual/religious context (2) having both Bukharan and non-Bukharan organizers working together (3) Bukharan leaders who have been successful in straddling both the Bukharan world and the American world.

It should also be noted that little programming for young adults who are post­ high school age is available.

Pay Care

The issue of day-care is not a particularly pressing one. People generally did not speak about it as an ' un-met" need unless asked about it directly. The main problem expressed is that it is too expensive. This does not seem to be an issue that is unique to the Bukharan Jewish community, but rather to immigrant communities in general.

, Summer Camps

This issue was not raised by in interviews or locus groups with the Bukharan Jews themselves, but was raised during the meeting with providers and community leaders. One community ieader explained that for the past four years, each year the Russian American Parents Association runs a summer day camp and they have 20% Bukharan enrollment. These kids come from Queens to Brooklyn for camp, 'and the reason why they are making such a long trip is because they cannot find places in Queens where they live .. . for sure the main plOblem is expenses. They cannot aflOfd the camps in Queens and our camp .. . is practically free for them ... , and I wish that we could have hundreds of them because most of them, in the summertime, spend their time on the streets,· FINDINGS: OLDER PERSONS

In common with other immigrants from the Former Soviet Union, Bukharan Jews begin tei have' ne'ecJsassociaied witnagiiigln theirtifhes thafare typical Of - '''--- established Americans in their sixties or seventies.

Those who were in their fifties when they immigrated have little interest in woJ1(. or little hope that they will find woJ1(.. Major obstacles which they refer to are:

(1) a disinterest or perceived inability to learn English; (2) Health problems; serious health problems are widespread. Many also have health problems which they view as debilitating, even if they are not commonly viewed as such in the United States; and (3) The system: lack of familiarity with the system and the new woJ1(. context is sometimes felt to be so overwhelming that people often prefer to be on welfare,

One teenager whose mother has suffered heart-attacks and whose father has diabetes remarked, "My mother stays home and cleans and cooks, My Clad tixes stuff at home. People bring him their broken TVs and radios, Th.ey are both on 55\. They are so lucky to be disabled, otherwise they would have been sent out to clean streets:

Nursing Homes

Bukharan Jews tend not take advantage of nursing home_facilities because of language obstacles and because of culturally different standards of kashnrt, The ___ -'I'ack of appropriate outsiog home facilities w.aA.J)ol harned as the crucial issue facing the elderly.

"',,' who". not woJ1(.ing, there are few

One 64 year old summarized his daily activities as such: "In the evenings, we are with our children and grandchildren, but during the day there is just boredom. I re ad the Russian newspapers, sometimes watch Russian TV or listen to the radio. And this is how the day passes. Sometimes we go to the square to play dominoes and backgammon, but now it is cold so we can't go anywhere. There needs to be a Center. It is very difficult for us Bukharan Jews without a center. If there was a cenler, there'd be a place for prayer, a library, a place for old people. a place for kids. A center:

It is important that such centers for the elderly be framed in a Bukharan cultural context.

" FINDINGS; COMMUNITY ISSUES

Civics

Immigranls from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan today had very little trust in the institutional framework of the countries from which they came. This was due partly to the fact that they lived through the Soviet era, and partly due to the fact that since the dissolution of the Soviat Union, there has been great instability in the region. For example, since 1991, there has been a change of currency in Uzbekistan three times. This is one of the reasons offered to explain why people there do not use banks. Another example is that fact that there is required army service that the Jews almost atways find ways of avoiding. In general, there Is a sense in Central Asia ,thalthe country (be it Uzbekistan or Tajikistan) does not "belong to us." Hence there is a very weak sense of civic responsibility.

In Cer,tr:!1 Asia, to replace the trust that is lacking in the wider governmental and civic system, there is a feeling that that people need to take care of themselves in the informal sphere. As a result, family structures are light-knit, communities are small and personal and there is much marriage among friends and relatives.

This frame of mind presents a problem when the immigrants arrive in the United States. They do not have a strong sense of investing in the system. Rather, there is a general distrust of the system. As a result, there is a tendency to use the system in an expedient way to fill immediate needs rather than to trust in investments made in the system as a way to achieve long-term needs. This problem has severe implications for the Mure.

Leadership

There are two main factions in the community: The Bukharan Jewish Community Center (BJCC) and the Bukharan Council of America (BCA). The BJCC was founded in the 1960s and the current President of the organization is Hanan Benjamin!. It is this organization which ran into construction problems in the process of building their new center. The BCA split off from the BJCC a couple of years ago. The current President of the BGA is Michael Aronoff, and the religious leader is Yitzchak Yehoshua.

The history of the split between the BJCC and the BCA seems to be partly based on religious/ideological differences (the BeA being more right wing religiously than the BJCC) and partly based on a struggie for power.

It should be noted that the leaders of each organization has a vision of representing the entire Bukharan Jewish Community, and each wants to form a broad overarching Bukharan Jewish umbrella organization, which does not seem realistically possible .

" In addition to these major factions, there are many smaller factions (such as Rabbi Amnun Khaimov's rongregation in Corona, and Rabbi Nisanov's congregation in FIUshingl_ 'vVtule Rabbi Yehoshua claims to have a Rabbinical Board which embraces a I of the Bukharan religious leaders, these.p.articular leaders (and others) claim otherwise.

Missionary Actiyjty

The influence of missionaries among new Bukharan Jewish immigrants is frequently cited as a serious problem. The statistical prevalence of the problem, however, is difficult to ascertain without in-depth study.

The missionaries target enllre families, as opposed to individuals. Particularty susceptible to their influence, are those living in difficult conditions and experiencing social alienation.

Missionaries afe affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church. They share a common language with the Bukharan Jews and they gel'lerally solicit people in their homes. It is most importanlto note that these missionaries do not introduce themselves as religious representatives, but rather as coming to offer aid, ' assistance, company and friendship. Accordingly, those attracted to these groups are probably nollooking for spirituality or religious meaning in their lives. They afe looking, instead, for assistance and a sense of security in their new homes.

Wlen people discusses the issue of missionary activity, it was less the numbers ----;'~Iratwel e of concem101hem;-am:t-more-the-powerful-syrnbolic--implieatlons. Bukharan immigrants have come from close knit communities which offered wide strong social safety nels to deal with every type of diffICult issue that they faced: from domestic violence to material assistance. Upon immigration, those safety nets are torn apart ad they need to be replaced here in the U.S. The Bukharan community leaders have not yet succeeded in doing so, nor have the Jewish social service agencies. STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

Basic Principles

1 Meeting the needs of the Bukharan Jewish community requires a constant balancing of three imperatives that are not always consistent:

• Preserve the unique rich cultural and religious heritage of Bukharan Jewry;

• Integrate the Bukharan Jewish community into the Jewish communal system in New Yor1c. City; and

• Integrate Bukharan Jews into the American economic and dem0ct'8tic poliiiGclI :;yste'll.

Wlile difficult, a similar "balancing act " is being pursued in various degrees by every group in New York City with strong ethnic or religious identity from UtUe tndia to Boro Parl!:.

2 The most effective vehicle to insure that the three dimensions identified • above are kept in focus - preserving Bukharan cullure; integrating into the Jewish community and integrating into the American economic and democratic political system - is to maintain the coalition that was brought to together for the Needs Assessment study. .

The needs assessment process brought together the lay and professional leadership of the Bukharan community and the professional leadership of NYC's large and powerful social service system under the leadership of UJA· Federation. It also brought all factions of the Bukharan community into the same room, working together.

This coming together needs to be translated into an active, ongoing collaborative relationship between agencies and Bukharan leadership.

3 The Bukharan Jewish community has multiple centers of energy and leadership, and this should be viewed as a plus, not as a minus. There is no single dominant group, and it is neither feasible nor desirable to try to develop a single "central address" for Bukharan Jewry in New Yorl!: City.

While down lhe road, the creation of a Bukharan Jewish Community Council might be desirable, it does not appear to be necessary at this time. If such an entity is set up before specific initiatives are undertaken (see below), there is some risk that it would turn inlo a debating forum instead of an action-oriented group. 4 The Needs Assessment Study should be the basis for a process of community planning and action. This process should be decentralized, rather than centralized. Rather than a comprehensive plan lor services, the UJA-Federation_ of New Yom should take the leadership in establishing three or four task forces in Queens. Each task force focuses on a particular high-priority area of need, and each is composed of concerned lai' :eaders and professionals from the Bukharan community and experts from the Jewish communal system.

5 The purpose of each Task Force is to identify and launch a limited number of powerful initiatives (e.g, one or two per Task Force) that can have a significant , =.- impact on a particular area of need, Each Task Force should include at least one representative from New Yom UJA-Federalion and each Task Force should include a liaison fram the Queens Boro President's office. Each Task Force should develop not only programs but identify potential resources for carrying out the initiative or initiatives -including UJA-Federation: foundations; public funds, and contributions from philanthropists from witilin the Bukha';)n community. Each Task Force needs to identify the specific services and programs best done under autonomous grass-roots auspices, which ones are better done under professional agency auspices and which ones are better done in partnership

Task Forces should use the method of "expanding circles of activity". Start with an initiative or action that can be done with volunteers, existing'or readily obtainable resources; try it; tell the story to the community; learn from it; design something more ambitious, find the resources, do it, leam from it; design something more ambitious, find more resources, etc.

6. The following list of possible Task Forces is based on the findings of the Needs Assessment:

• Task Force on Education. The purpose of this Task Force is to enhance the Jewish and secular education of young Bukharan Jews, The goals of this Task Force would be to increase the college readiness of Bukharan high school graduates; to increase the numbers receivillg higher levels of academic, professional and technical training; to increase the numbers of Bukharan young people receiving a Jewish education and to upgrade the quality of the education they receive. The Task Force would have to consider the appropriate means, including improving existing "Bukharan schools"; opening up scholarship opportunities for existing "American" Jewish schools; negotiating for slots with "American" Jewish schools. tutoring programs etc. The Board of Jewish Education and New York UJA-Fede/a\ion's continuity program should be active participants in this Task Force, along with Jewish educators from inside and outside the Bukharan community. The Task Force might decide to focus on primary education.

Task Force on Employment. This Task Force would focus on employment counseling and job placement for Bukharan Jews. with a special emphasis on " young Bukharan professionals. Vv"hile the Task Force might also decide to look at issues of training and job development, the needs assessment seems to suggest that even where people have been re-trained, they have difficulty accessing the system and need help. Thl;. Task Force will need to clar.i:fy to wha1 __. extent the employment-related 8ukharan experience is unique and to what extent it is similar to experience of other immigrants from the FSU. FEGS should take a lead in this effort, along with leaders from the Bukharan community, to develop a better understanding of the roadblocks to employment and how they can be lifted.

Task Force on Teens This Task Force needs to examine existing apparently successful models of programs for Bukharan teens, and to identify opportunities to expand or replicate successful program elements. These elements seem to include programs for teens that balance Jewish content, American cutlure including both democratic nonns as well as American activities. The possibility of establishing several "storefront clubhouses· for Bukharan teens andlor the recruitment of a Bukharan street worker should be examined. The Task Force also may want to search for more opportunities for Bukharan young people to be Hmainstreamed" with other Jewish youngsters for Jewish-identity building experiences such as summer camp or trips to Israel.

Task, Force on Programs for At1ive Seniors. The relatively young age of Bukharan seniors, and the limited number of opportunities they have, argues for the development of recreational, social and cultUial programs for Bukharan Jews of all ages who are unable to work. The Task Force will have to examine the feasibility of developing specialized programs within existing institutions such as Y's or JCC's vs. the development of programs ins specifically Bukharan settings. Music, dance, drama, film, Jewish-lloliday-celebfations-ere-likely-sterttn;-points­ for the development of appropriate initiatives. CONCLUSION

Needs Assessment is a first important step in improving the quality of lire-Of Bukharan . Through this process the voices of individual Bukharan s of all ages have been heard; as well as the voices of the full range of Bukharan leadership and representatives of those who work with and try to help Bukharan Jews every day. Because of this process, all of the players came together in an open and reasonable conversation about the M ure.

But it is only the beginning. This needs assessment should provide a basis fOf planning and action - focussing resources on the most critical needs; building coalitions and partnerships to generate positive change; and helping this ancient and still vital and vibrant part of the Jewish people to continue to flourish.

APPENDIX 2: ISSUES IN THE DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF BUKHARAN JEWS ------_... - - --- There are two possible sources for an estimate of the number of Bukhatan households in Queens: the Bukharan phonebook and the NYANA data base. Each source has its own limitations, The estimate in this report is based on the Bukharan phone book. In order to make the NYANA data usable, a great deal of further massaging would be necessary.

A. Using the Bukharan Jewish phonebook (published in 199B) as a data source.

Data for the phonebook was compiled by Bukharan Jewish community members. The book is organized according to current city of residence. The Bukharan Jews who currently live in Queens are listed separately from those who C1Jrrently live in Brooklyn.

1. Number of Bukharan Jewish households listed in Queens in the 199B Bukharan Jewish phon-book

a. There is an average of 30 listings per page b. There are a total of 147 pages of listings for households in Queens. c. The \olal number of listings of Bukharan Jews in Queens: 147 x 30 = 4,410

. Robert Pinkhasoll, who compiled the dala for the phone-books, claims that BO% of the Bukharan Jews in Queens are represenled in Ihe phone-booll:. Of the other 20%-- some refused to disclose-information about themselves and-others were not contacted.

If we assume that BO% of the households who identify themselves as Bukharan Jews in Queens appear in the phone-book, then we can assume that the total number of identified Bukharan Jewish households in Queens is 5,500.

Another Bukharan Jew who works with the community, believes that only 50% of the population is represented in the phone-book. If his estimate is correct, this brings the number of identified Bukharan households in Queens up to B,BOO.

2. Vv'hat is the average number of individuals per household?

a. Questions regarding household composition were asked of all 9th and 10th grade students at Binat Haiim High School, and of a handful of individuals from the focus-group interviews

b. The question asked were: How many people live in your household? If you have married siblings, how many people live in their household? If you have grandparents, how many people live in their household? " c. Total data set: 66 households d._Re.s.ults: 3.96 individuals per househclkL

Of course this is an approximation based no a small sample; but there is no better information available atlhis time.

3. Results: The average number of individuals per household, multiplied by the estimated number of households based on the number of listings in the Queens section of the Bukharan Jew phonebook:

3.96 x 5,500 households = 21,800

3.96 x 8.BOO households =34,900

Without further analysis, it is reasonable to assume that the Bukharan population in Queens numbers between 22,000 and 35,000: with the lower end of the range less probable (as it is based on an assumpllon that the phone book incorporate 80% of the Bukharan population).

B. NYANA's data base

1. How NYANA data is organized:

a. NYANA records names of all-individuals-by case A case includes all those individuals who came over together as a family and registered together. For example, a case can include the following individuals: two brothers, the wives of each brother, the children of each brother and the brothers' parents. •

b. Within each case, data is recorded on each individual. This data includes gender of the individual date of birth of the invidual the city which the individual emigrated from the address (incl. zip) of the individual's initial point of resettlement 2. Difficulties presented by NYANA's data

a, Onty initial point of senlemenl is recorded:._. . ______. Data does not take into account movement from this initial point (neither movement from one region of Queens to another, nor movement out of Queens all-together)

Data a.lso does not take into account immigrants who came to NY from some place other than the FSU. For example, there are individuals who immigrated from Uzbekistan 10 Israel and laler moved from Israel to the U.S. These individuals are not included in NYANA's data base. It is not clear how large or signifICant this segment of the population Is.

Additionally, there are also Bukharan Jewish immigrants who initially settled in the United States, but outside of New Yom (in Arizona or , fOf example) bulthen resettled ir. NY. Th'?se individuals are not accounted for in NYANl\.'s data base.

b. NYANA's data does no1 distinguish between Bukharan Jews and non· Bukharan Jews. This is problematic, because a significant population 01 immigrants to NY from Uzbekistan are not Bukharan Jews.

c. The possibiHtv that there is a significant population of immigrants from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan who are no1 Jewish tf there is a significant population of immigrants in New Yom who have come from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and who are not Jewish, and If NY ANA does not record religious identity, it might be very difficult to use NYANA's data in a meaningful way.

It is possible to overcome some of these difficulties, but with substantial additional effort. If it is important to develop a more refined estimate of the number of Bukharan Jews and to develop some information about characteristics (e.g. age), it is possible to use the Bukharan phone book and the NYANA data base together. •