Losing a Job But Finding Hope

Manny Saks was a credit manager for a leading consumer products firm for more than 25 years when he lost his job in 2009. He turned to UJA-Federation’s Connect to Care program, which was developed two years ago to help members of the Jewish community affected by the economic downturn by reweaving resources within the community to compassionately care for all Jews. Saks shares how he received important emotional support and financial and career counseling from the Connect to Care hub at the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island.

What is the hardest part of being unemployed? 

The uncertainty. Are you familiar with baseball? I was 60 when I was let go; I’m 62 today. I was finishing my career and hoping to retire at age 65, which is home plate, and all of a sudden I’m just a little beyond third base and I get tagged out. It was devastating. It’s a hard blow and you feel knocked out. I feel betrayed, because, hey, I gave 25 years of my life. I used to take work home. I gave it my all. And now you have to pick up the pieces relatively fast. What am I going to do? How am I going to get there? Realizing that all of a sudden 16 million people are out of work, and you’re one of them. You can’t cut your debt down in the blink of an eye; you still have to pay your bills, you still have to go on living, you have to put food on the table. What you can do is cut down, and that’s what we’ve done over the past two years. We’re down to the bare bones.

How did Connect to Care and other resources give you hope? 

I have a great deal of support from my wife and daughter. I have good friends, my synagogue, my communal involvement — and I have people at Connect to Care. I go every Thursday. You get wonderful support at a Connect to Care session from a social worker and from participants in the group. That’s probably the greatest feeling — to know you’re not alone, that someone cares. Connect to Care has been there at the right time and the right place.

What would you say to someone who has lost a job? 

I’ve sent quite a few people to Connect to Care who were afraid to go because of embarrassment. You feel there’s something wrong with you. You’ve never had to ask anybody for anything. And they went and received help with financial planning, resume writing, seminars on job placement. It helped them prepare for the next step. Losing a job, it affects your self-esteem. Connect to Care sessions help. Your self-esteem is restored. You learn the strategies to be who you really are, to appreciate yourself. You have several people around the table with varying experiences who are able to share, and you’re able to commiserate and help others. Being involved in the business world as I have been, I was able to give a lot to other participants, to offer strategies, and they helped me too. I grew up in an environment of giving, and not taking. Helping people in a group setting — you feel good about yourself when you’re doing something good, and that’s the bottom line.