A Detroit native has another overseas destination. After her Senate confirmation hearing, Susan Jacobs is congratulated by husb
CogMiddy
Mazel Toy!
A Detroit
native has
another
overseas
destination.
After her
Senate
confirmation
hearing,
Susan Jacobs is
congratulated by
husband Barry
and son Sam.
SHARI ZINGLE
Special to the Jewish News
When Susan Seligson decid-
ed to marry Barry Jacobs,
little did she know where
it would lead.
Come September, 55-year-old Susan
Jacobs will be sworn in as U.S. ambas-
sador to Papua, New Guinea, the
Republic of the Solomon Islands and
the Republic of the Island of Vanuatu.
Husband and wife, both born and-
raised in Detroit, are used to living over-
seas. In 1966, Barry in Greece with the
U.S. Foreign Service, proposed to Susan
in Detroit by phone on New Year's Eve.
Susan packed up and moved to Greece
to begin her family.
Thus began their adventures in mov-
ing. With the Foreign Service, they
moved to Cyprus and then Venezuela,
followed. by Israel, India, El Salvador
8/11
2000
54
and Romania. Daughter Wendy had her
bat mitzvah while living in Israel, and
i n Sam became a bar mitzvah in El
Salvador.
"We still managed to have seders and
Chanuka celebrations wherever we've
been," says Susan, with the help of holi-
day care packages from home. Susan
holds fond memories of their celebra-
tions with friends overseas.
She began her career in Venezuela
when the Foreign Service began allow-
ing spouses to serve together. Always a
high achiever, according to her parents,
Ruth and Leo Seligson of Farmington
Hills, Susan moved through the ranks to
career member of the Senior Foreign
Service.
A Detroit Mumford High School
graduate and political science major at
the University of Michigan, she did
post-graduate work at Georgetown and
George Washington University She has
worked in the Bureau of Consular
Affairs and International Organization
Affairs in the State Department.
Her current position is deputy assis-
tant secretary of state in the State
Department's Bureau of Legislative
Affairs.
Barry retired from the Foreign
Service in 1994 and is now deputy
director for international affairs for the
American Jewish Committee. His par-
ents are Anne and the late Sam Jacobs.
Anne now lives in West Bloomfield.
Barry and Susan are currently living
in Washington, D.C. But in a few
months, Susan will be living overseas on
her own, for possibly up to three years.
Barry's job will keep him in
Washington. The couple's three grown
children, Wendy, Joshua and Sam, and
granddaughter Emma, all live in the
U.S.
How does the family feel about
Susan's move to the South Pacific? Her
parents say they're used to it. The family
stays connected by frequent phone (-Ails
and e-mails. Susan says, "We have enor-
mous phone bills, btit it works."
This time around, though, she is
planning on looking into a computer
voice system, and, "I expect visits from
everyone," says Susan.
In the past, family members have vis-
ited as often as possible. Susan's-parents
have been to every place she's lived,
except Romania. Her children and
granddaughter are already planning to
visit in 2001. And Barry and Susan each
plan to go back and forth a few times
throughout the year.
So with another feather in her cap,
Susan will leave for her new home in
Port Moresby, New Guinea, in October.
And mother Ruth Seligson will have
another overseas destination to mail
those holiday care packages.
.