When Anna Feldman joined the staff of Jewish Family Services as an older adult case manager a year ago, it was like reconnecting with family. It was JFS that helped to resettle Feldman’s own family in 1992 when they arrived from Odessa, Ukraine. Now, Feldman is “paying it forward” by helping people within the Jewish community.
Today, Feldman uses her own bilingual skills working primarily with Russian-speaking clients at JFS who come in seeking assistance. She’s involved in assessing their situation from a financial standpoint, helping set goals, and providing referrals for appropriate social services. Feldman is also involved in translating documents from English to Russian or Russian to English, coordinating services with other JFS programs and communicating with such entities as the Social Security Administration.
“It’s great to have Anna here at JFS,” said Don Goldman, JFS executive director. “But it’s even more wonderful to know that JFS, in cooperation with the whole Kansas City community, helped bring Anna and her family to the United States. It’s a great happy ending and a great beginning.”
Besides her role with the émigré community, Feldman coordinates JFS’ holiday projects, which help Jewish people in need celebrate the Jewish holidays.
“Jewish Family Services was an enormous help to us when we came here, providing financial assistance and case management,” said Feldman, who was just 9 years old at the time. “I remember immediately walking into a completely furnished apartment and having volunteers from the Jewish community who helped us navigate around Kansas, took us to fun activities like the movie theater, and made sure that my brother and I had everything we needed to start school.”
Feldman, who speaks Russian fluently, likes the work she does at JFS.
“I feel like I make a difference in the life of my clients and help them improve their situation, whatever that may be,” Feldman said.
It wasn’t that long ago that Feldman and her family were in the same place as those she’s assisting now. Feldman came to Kansas City with her parents, her older brother Leo, her grandmother and great-aunt. While there were challenges, Feldman’s parents were able to acclimate to their new home. Her father, Vladimir Feldman, found an engineering position that corresponded with his professional background from the former Soviet Union. Her mother, Yelena Pinzur, went back to medical school and has been practicing medicine in the greater Kansas City area since 2002.
A graduate of Blue Valley High School, Feldman went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a clinical focus from the University of Kansas. Her brother earned an accounting degree from KU and a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City; today he’s a CPA.
“We are very proud of our daughter and her achievements at JFS,” said Feldman’s parents. “We hope to see her continue her success there for years to come.”
Leo Feldman is proud of his sister, too.
“I’m really happy that Anna’s position with JFS allows her to make a difference in the Russian Jewish Community,” said Leo Feldman. “She really cares and I couldn’t be more proud to have a sister like her.”
In her spare time, Feldman enjoys spending time with family and friends and reading. Feldman said her work at JFS has completed the circle she started back in 1992 when she first came to Kansas City.
“I’m very lucky to work with such great people as the rest of the JFS staff,” Feldman said. “It especially means a lot to me to work for an organization that I believe in.”