THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, March 25, 183 25
Profile of Max Fisher: in Business, Charities, Jewish Life
(Continued from Page 24)
Here's where I first met gone more to the middle
up
with anti-Semitism, in than to the left, but I think
sonal relationships, it's
about 75 percent Jewish be- the fraternity house. An- also there was quite a great
. cause I travel in Jewish cir- other player on the football deal of feeling about Carter,
team told me he couldn't that was true of Democrats
cles.
?=_ . My activities are largely take me to his fraternity be- and Republicans both. I've
just read Teddy White's
in Jewish circles, but I have cause I was Jewish.
So, I really don't have a book, "The Making of the
good friends in the non-
Jewish world, and one of the deeply ingrained feeling of President 1956-1980." I
things I try to do is to be a anti-Semitism. As a result, I personally feel that
good ambassador. I make probably feel more natural America has swung to the
them undertand that I'm among gentiles than some right, then far to the left,
others do. I don't deny there and now we'll be swinging
Jewish. I'm proud of it.
Do you think that's the is anti-Semitism, don't mis- back to the middle.
So you'd expect
most lalient thing that understand, but I don't feel
your gentile acquain- it to the degree that maybe a President Reagan to get
tances see about you, the lot of other people feel it, somewhat less support if
fact that you're a Jew? Is people who have personally he should run in 1984
that how they identify felt the effects of anti- from the Jewish commu-
Semitism.
nity considering the
you?
I know you're involved anti-Carter reaction?
No. Since I've lived in the
I think that under the
Detroit community, I've with the Republican
grown up being on boards, Party, there is a theory present circumstances,
being selected for top jobs. common among that's going to depend a
I've headed the United sociologists that the Jews great deal on what happens
Foundation. I've headed the get involved with to the economy, what's
Detroit Renaissance. With patronizing the arts and ' going to happen with Israel,
all of these causes here, you politics, things like this, what's going to happen on
get to know non-Jews, some as a way to buy security. social issues — abortion,
of whom you relate to on a That's their route into the prayer in school — many is-
mainstream of American sues. I'd say if he ran today,
close, personal level.
life.
- he'd very definitely get less
Many people think this
No, I don't agree with Jewish votes.
community activity is more
What do you think
socializing than business. that. I've been a member of
It's a very funny thing. I the Republican Party for about George Shultz?
I happen to be very fond of
don't spend a lot of time many years. I've had some
socializing because I've got position of leadership in the George Shultz.
Do you know him per-
to do so much work. My Republican Party.
My feeling about it is this: sonally?
Jewish friends think I go
Yes. He's a very fair and
only with non-Jewish If you are an American citi-
people and that's untrue, zen and you are a member of honorable man.
Mr. Shapiro seems to
because I don't spend too the community, you have
much time socializing out- got to contribute something. know him very well. He
I hear everybody talking said that, I think this is an
side business hours.
But I do have a few good about what's wrong with exact quote, he said the
gentile friends. Henry Ford the government, so you only way the Israelis
II has been a very close know what I tell them? Why could do better is if they
friend. By the way, he's one don't you do something had one of their own as
of the biggest contributors about it? You can do some- Secretary of State. It's
surprising because, you
to the United Jewish Ap- thing about it.
Also, I've always felt that read the Jewish press
peal ever since 1967. He
gave me $100,000 then and it's important that someone and it is at best neutral
has given it to me every, of the Jewish faith be visi- towards him. Everybody
year since that time. I was bly active in the political seems so wary of his con-
on a boat trip with him just . world and in the Republican nection with Bechtel.
Well I can understand
recently, and I've taken him Party. We used to have a
to Israel twice, but most of business associate — not that. I tell you I've known
Jewish, a very wealthy man George Shultz for eight
my friends are Jewish.
In your business — who used to complain years. He was a very great
dealings, has anti- about both parties. I told supporter of Israel, a very
Semitism ever been a him, "You've been com- fair and honorable man. He
plaining to me for years went to work for Bechtel,
problem?
I never had that problem. now. There are two practi- but that doesn't change the
Maybe it's been there in a cal things you can do. If you fact that he's a man you can
? covert form. I always think I want to change the system, instinctively trust.
He has great integrity.
I had a reputation of having ' you go out and work in the
integrity and honesty in field and solicit votes, or Now what effect dealing
with all the Arabs can have
dealing with people .so — I else you give money.
He saw I was right. If you on him, I don't know. I know
had many friends who felt
prejudice — but I must say want to make institutions that he would try to be fair, I
to you that I've never had change you've got to get in- think that's a basic quality
that feeling, I broke the bar- • volved. You've got to have of his. That's my feeling
about him having known
riers against Jewish direc- impact.
How did you first get him all these years. I must
tors here in this city. You
- know, boards of banks, started with the Republi- add, I did like Al Haig.
cans? That was rather
Is there any chance of
-, utilities and many corn- unusual for a Jew until
' panies.
him running for
President in 1984?
The ones that picked me fairly recently.
When I got out of college, I
It's too early to say. He's a
set an example, since then
many other Jews have been voted the first time in 1932 great friend of Israel.
He's sorely missed
named to boards. I don't for FDR and again in . 1936.
wear my heart on my sleeve However, I felt no president there.
He's been a great per-
on this issue anymore. should be in office more
Maybe it's my small town than eight years and I didn't sonal friend of mine for
like his policy of making us many years.
background.. • •
a welfare state or his not
Look, one thing I've al-
You see, I didn't know any forthcoming on the problem ways said. A lot of people
Jewish kids. There were of the Jews in Germany.
don't like Begin. All I say
only a couple of Jewish kids
What do you think about democratic countries
in town so all the people I about the Jewish support is that the institution is
related to were gentiles. It for President Reagan in permanent. People are
> was a small town, and I was the last election? Was transitory. We have elec-
pretty well known as an that more a reaction tions. That creates transi-
athlete, and I worked with against Carter or do you tion. A country doesn't like
gentiles, and mixed freely think there's a Jewish who they have as a
with them. It was only when shift towards the Repub- president, they vote a new
I got to college that I had my lican Party?
man in. And I say that when
first real contact with
I think it's both. I think I talk about Israel.
Jewish kids.
the Jewish -constituency has
It's not Begin you're deal-
, ,
r
1 ;
•
ing with. You're dealing
with the state of Israel. He's
their representative now.
Maybe it will be somebody
else four years from now.
You should think of it not in
terms of a personality. You
should think of it in terms of
the state. It's a democratic
state.
Do you think there is a
Jewish genius for busi-
ness?
Well I think this: When
Jews came over to this coun-
try and other parts of the
world they gravitated
towards business because —
I don't even have to tell you
— they were not accepted in
banking and many other in-
stitutions. They had to
make it on their own. They
had to start out on their
own.
It took hard work to make
it and I think they acquired
a certain sharpness of mind,
I think they adapted well.
They just had to make it on
their own, that's all. They
had to live by their wits.
They had to live under per-
secution.
They developed the abil-
ity to live under all sorts of
circumstances. After all,
how many sorts of things
were open to Jews in Europe
a couple hundred years ago?
So naturally, when they
came over here to this coun-
try, a country of free
enterprise, with their
toughness, the fact that
they were used to working a
little bit harder, the fact
that they knew they had to
be able to out-think every-
body else, gave them an ad-
vantage in capitalizing on
the wonderful commercial
opportunities this country
held.
They also had a reputa-
tion for being honest. They
were generally decent and
upright and everybody con-
sidered them so.
Was that a well-earned
reputation?
I believe it. I go back to
the basic philosophy and
principles of Judaism. It
teaches you to be fair to
your fellow man, to be frank
and honorable. This has
been passed on from genera-
tion to generation for cen-
turies. It rubs off.
And - you think that
Jewish businessmen do
adhere to these princi-
ples, perhaps to a greater
extent than others?
I think so. I think this:
The businessmen I know
who are Jews, they've had to
get there by hard work.
They've looked at their
situation and they realized Columbia Broadcasting, the
that they had a responsibil- head of ABC, 20th Century
ity to other Jews following Fox. But besides that, if you
in their path. Now, I'm think in terms of real estate,
making a general state- overwhelmingly the suc-
ment. I don't say this is true cessful real estate men are
of everyone, because some of Jews.
them are not that good.
Think in terms of retail
But I think it's this repu- merchants, the retail trade.
tation for honesty among Most of the great chains
Jewish businessmen that started out with a Jew with
contributed to making it a pack. on his baCk. I have
posSible for a man like Irv- great admiration and re-
ing Shapiro to get where he spect over the Jews who
did. He didn't build a busi- came over here and blazed
ness. What's interesting is the trail for our generation.
that a man of the Jewish
Both in the field of
faith could make it to the business and in the field
top of one of the biggest cor- of philanthropy, I'd like
porations of America, where to ask you what you think
there were very few Jews are your most satisfying
before.
achievements?
A real Establishment
Well, I can't deny that my
corporation.
achievements in the Aurora
That's right. You prob- Oil Co. are important but
ably asked him that same they are certainly over-
question.
shadowed by my feelings
about philanthropy. I've
Yes I did.
been very deeply involved
What did he say?
He said he saw no sig- in.. the Jewish philan-
nificant difference be- thropies and that to me
tween Jews and gentiles. means a great deal.
In the early days of Israel,
He's been burned by
both, and of course, he's I'd see the immigrants get
had good experiences off the plane and kiss the
with both. On the other ground, see how they lived
hand, I spoke to Nathan in the miserable conditions
Cummings, a very in- of the maabarot, and then
teresting gentleman. He later see how they took ad-
thought Jews were vantage of the opportunity
somewhat more honest to live in dignity.
To know I made some con-
than the gentiles he had
tribution toward that is ex-
done business with.
I've already said that to tremely satisfying. A lot of
you. Nate is an old friend of people do it for ego. A lot of
mine, there's a picture of people do it for other rea-
him, right here, (pointing to sons. I've never had that
problem.
a picture on his wall).
By nature, if you know
If must be a 10-year-old
anything about me, I'm pre-
picture.
Oh yes, I've known Nate tty shy. I'm very quiet. I just
for 37 years. A very in- get some inner satisfaction
teresting person. He built when I'm helping my fellow
the hard way of course. Irv- man.
ing Shapiro didn't build a Germans to -See
business. He went into a
business. I've talked to Irv- U.S. Jewish Life
ing Shapiro. He has never , NEW YORK — A group
been active in Jewish af- / of West Germans will learn
fairs on a really large scale. about American Jewish life,
history, culture and com-
_ 'As I mentioned, the munal activity during a
local level is more his two-week visit to the United
area of involvement.
States this spring sponsored
Mine are a little bit by the American Jewish
different. But going back to Committee and the Konrad
your question about the Adenauer Foundation, a
Jewish genius for business, West German research and
take the fields (of business) educational agency.
that Jews have concen-
The tour will include
trated on, take the fields of stops in New York, Wash-
retail merchandising, ington, Chicago, Seattle
supermarkets, real estate. and Los Angeles. It is part of
These are businesses that an exchange program under
require real entrepreneur- which young American
ial skills.
Jewish community leaders
Where they are most and young West German
visible, I think, is in the community leaders, mostly
media.
non-Jewish, visit each
Sure. Look at the head of other's countries.
.
,
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