BREAKFAST
who work full time and spend ample time
doing community volunteer work.
These are the people who work through
lunch and try to reserve dinner for their
families. These are the people who need
extra hours in the day to handle all of their
commitments. And often dining at the crack
of dawn are the Jewish community leaders
who plan events and campaign strategy
over toast and coffee.
"I have a sense that the father of the
power breakfast was Moses," says Dr. Con-
rad Giles, past president of the Federation.
"We are probably seeing his genetic im-
print. The Jewish world could not function
without the power breakfast or the Ten
Commandments."
On a regular basis, investor David
Hermelin wanders into Big Boy at Maple
and Telegraph between 6:30 and 7 a.m.,
walking straight to his favorite booth. It's
the last table on the right in the front sec-
tion. Any waitress can point it out.
A Jewish community leader whose vol-
unteer tasks include his role as an associate
chairman of the Allied
Jewish Campaign, inter-
national chairman of
Israel Bonds and master
of ceremonies for the
Lubavitch Foundation's
annual dinners, Herme-
lin's favorite time for
meetings is over
breakfast.
Scribbling notes on
napkins, he rarely carries
anything but a pen and
appointment book to his
meetings.
"I never eat lunch," Hermelin says.
"Breakfast is a convenient time, especially
if I am doing non-business things like
Jewish or general community work.
"A lot of individual meetings can be done
before the business day starts," he says.
"No matter what -the topic, if someone
wants to meet with me, my first choice is
early for breakfast."
Unlike other types of meetings, the
breakfast of champions has a beginning, a
middle and an end. It is limited in time —
usually 20 to 30 minutes.
The breakfast club leaders suggest lunch
isn't as popular because it is more social and
time-consuming since people work in
different areas of the community. Dinner is
also difficult because such meetings gen-
erally are geared toward networking. And,
they say, individual meetings during large
gatherings are not the best scenario for good
business.
"Breakfast meetings hardly impact the
work day for anyone," Dr. Giles says.
On the list of popular breakfast havens for
Jewish community busi-
ness are the Big Boy on
Telegraph and Big Boy on
Orchard Lake and Maple;
the Gallery at Maple and
Telegraph and 10 Mile
and Evergreen; Denny's
on Telegraph; Embers at Maple and Lahser;
Sero's at 12 Mile and Northwestern; and the
Gateway Deli at 11 Mile and Lahser.
Sometimes the meetings take place in of-
fices. Jewish Welfare Federation President
Mark Schlussel provides breakfast mun.-
chies when meetings are held in his office.
"I have a sense that the
father of the power
breakfast was probably
Moses."
Young Adult Division board members eat
bagels and cream cheese when they meet at
the Jewish Home For Aged.
Once a month, the Federation Breakfast
Club, comprised of business men and
women, politicians, judges and communal
workers, hosts a speaker and breakfast. The
Skyline Club in Southfield is a popular spot
for the group.
The restaurants vary for different groups.
Some real estate investors meet regularly
at the Townsend in Birmingham. A group of
electricians meet each morning at the
Hellenic Coney Island at 12 Mile and
Evergreen. When Sara's Kosher Deli open-
ed early in the morning, a group of builders
regularly met there. Now that Sara's opens
only for lunch and dinner, this same group
has moved forces to the Horn of Plenty.
"Certain people meet at certain restau-
rants," says Gilbert Borman, a board
member for the Federation's Young Adult
Division and public relations director for
Farmer Jack/A & P. "I go where everyone
else goes; it is part of my job to be out and
about."
The power breakfast these days is a healthy
meal. Borman's favorite meal is a
bagel and orange juice. Jewish Home
For Aged Executive Vice President
Alan Funk usually eats scrambled
egg beaters, an English muffin and a
cup of coffee.
Jewish Community Center Execu-
tive Director Mort Plotnick eats dry
whole wheat toast and drinks
coffee and orange juice. Dr.
Giles' breakfast plan is
a toasted English muf-
fin, oatmeal and coffee.
"Everybody is eating
healthy these days," Dr. Giles
says. "Breakfast is a good time
to get your oats in."
•
❑
Middle: Mike Brown, Lee Berthet, Brian Camenow and
Peter Perlman discuss B'nai B'rith business over breakfast
at the Gallery; bottom, Ed Rosenthal of the Jewish
National Fund joins businessman Asa Shapiro at Big Boy.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
57