43
Life Stories project gives seniors a chance to reflect on the good and the bad
YOUNGSTOWN
Everyone has a story to tell.
A new project seeks to capture some of those stories.
Shay Erez, the Jewish Family Services outreach coordinator, enlisted AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Summer Associate Liz Lehman to interview senior citizens in Youngstown’s Jewish community and write books about their lives.
There are 11 participants for the Life Stories project, which means 11 books will be published, averaging between 20 to 30 pages per book. Photos provided by the participants are included. Each participant is a member of the Jewish community who is 70 or older and lives in the Youngstown area.
This project captures the triumphs and struggles of the participants’ lives and documents their stories for future generations.
There’s a therapeutic element to this project, says Erez, who is also a social worker.
This rang true for participant Florine Fish-Rusnak, 80, of Poland. As she sat on her couch with Lehman, wrapping up the story of her family, her late husband Bob and their involvement with the Ohev Tzedek Shaarie Torah Temple in Boardman, she was moved to tears.
“This has helped me to realize how fortunate I have been in my life. What a great community to have been raised in and to have raised my children in,” she confided in Lehman tearfully. “It’s been beneficial for me to look back at the good and the bad.”
Most participants share similar sentiments with Lehman and Erez.
“It’s narrative therapy. When you tell your story, you already feel better,” Erez explained. “It’s not like talk therapy where you only talk about the problems in your life and the bad things. It’s an evidence-based practice, and they found when you tell your stories as a senior, ... you feel better.”
“It’s something they can read after we are done, and something for their family — they can read it 10, 20 years from now. Because usually you don’t ask our parents or grandparents about their life; you don’t have the time, or you don’t even think about this.”
Fish-Rusnak agreed.
“I think about that now, about how I never asked my parents about their lives,” she said.
Inspiration for the project came from Erez’s mother, who conducted a similar project in Israel.
“Four years ago, I came from Israel to Youngstown. It was my dream to do this,” she said.
Erez worked for the Jewish Community Center for three years before launching this project, after she had connections with folks in the community.
Fish-Rusnak was excited to join the project.
She reflected on the 58 years of marriage she shared with Bob, and told stories to Lehman about traveling and raising their family. She talked about her family’s history and their involvement with the synagogue.
“The synagogue was my spiritual home, my education home, and it’s where I had my social life,” Fish-Rusnak said.
Lehman is pursuing an American Studies graduate degree at Youngstown State University, and said the project has been a fascinating process.
“Everyone has stories that are important. It’s important to tell these stories. I’m learning so much about this community,” she said.
Erez said Lehman has done an amazing job, and she hopes to get more Americorps VISTA writers next year.
The Jewish Community Center will showcase the books and present them to participants on Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. The event is open to the public.