Letter from the President and CEO of Gesher Human Services, Paul Blatt

Dear Friends,

“I discovered I like retail, and it feels really good to earn a paycheck. I need to open a bank account!”

With a huge smile on his face, this is how Cei’jan replied to a question about how he enjoyed his first summer internship. He is a recent Hazel Park High School graduate, one of 130 interns with a disability who we placed across metro Detroit businesses. He worked the sales floor at the National Council of Jewish Women’s Resale Shop in Berkley, where he organized racks, paired stray shoes, and interacted with customers, answering questions about prices.

What a great way to encapsulate just a small part of the impact our team makes in the community, and how Gesher is the bridge to hope and opportunity for so many in metro Detroit. With his newfound confidence and experience, I can’t wait to see where Cei’jan goes next.

A Milestone

I’m excited to share that our fiscal year ending June 30 was our best ever.

For the first time, we served more than 38,000 people and helped thousands of those individuals land jobs, generating significant new wages and meaningful tax revenue that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

In addition to helping people experience the pride of belonging through employment, Gesher continues to help people better understand their financial situations, navigate their mental health challenges, support them through their dementia journey, and find their place of inclusion in our community. Our full Impact Report will be released later this fall where we will share more data and stories of the important work Gesher has accomplished this past year.

A Thank You and A Welcome

The Gesher Board of Directors is an incredible group of dedicated individuals who move our mission forward through their vision, kindness, and strategic thinking. Each person brings both leadership and unique skills to the table.

I want to thank outgoing Board Chair Dani Gillman for leading Gesher with a steady hand, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering commitment to the community we serve. She is the advocate we all want on our team, and I am grateful she’s on ours.

I also want to welcome new Board Chair Dan Serlin, who’s been on our Board since 2022. Dan brings his wisdom from his years as a Kadima Board President, and vision for where he sees Gesher moving in the future. I’m looking forward to what we build together.

I also want to thank outgoing board members David DeVine, Josh Eichenhorn, Zain Ismail, Jon Modiano, and Richard Shapack for their service, and welcome new board members Brad Dembs, Heather Greene, Jeffrey Pitt, and Adam Zussman.

Coming Up

Gesher has been awarded an additional Oakland County Michigan Works! contract, which means a new Career Center office in Southfield to help even more people in the county access resources for job training and employment. As we begin to onboard a group of talented professionals, we are excited to see the synergies that blossom among all of our workforce teams in Oakland County.

You may have seen the construction going on outside the Rose and Sidney Diem Building on Southfield Road. With the support of Fran and George Stern, of blessed memory, we are refreshing the reception center of our now 40-year old building. Please drop by in October to check out our new digs.

It’s hard for me to believe that in January we will be celebrating our five-year anniversary as an organization built around one idea: Helping people like Cei’jan cross life’s bridges to where they want to be.

Our success depends on the 500-strong team members who show up every day and do our work with humility, and I’m grateful for every one of them.

I’m grateful for you, too. To those who celebrate the Jewish New Year, I wish you a Shanah Tovah. And to all, a good start to the new season upon us.

Paul

P.S. Save the date for Gesher Awards Night on November 16, 2026 at Temple Beth El.