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14
Jewish Volunteers Lead
Political Fund-Raising
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
lbert Holtz is used to hear-
ing secretaries tell him the
person he is calling has left
town and will not be back
— ever.
This Bloomfield Hills attorney
and perpetual fund-raiser for De-
mocratic and judicial candidates
knows his friends and acquain-
tances are joking but, at the same
time, he also knows there is some
truth to their response.
Sometimes, when Mr. Holtz
places a phone call, the first thing
he hears is, "Who is it for and how
much?"
`That's not an uncommon way
a phone conversation starts with
me," said Mr. Holtz, who typical-
ly acquires between $50 and
$1,000 per contribution.
Alan May, a Republican who
also fund-raises on a volunteer
basis, said, half-jokingly, that peo-
ple walk across the street when
they see him. He generally rais-
es between $250 and $1,000 at a
time.
"I usually talk with people
whom I have some rapport with,"
Mr. May said. "There is an
awareness among them that
when they pick up the phone, I
may not be inviting them to a
football game."
In this political fund-raising
season, Mr. Holtz and Mr. May
are just two of the many die-hard
politicos soliciting money from
friends and acquaintances on be-
half of candidates. In the forefront
of these fund-raising efforts are
Jews, who tend to play a propor-
tionately larger role in fund-rais-
ing activity and campaign
contributions.
Analysis of records from the
Federal Election Commission in-
dicates a handful of prominent
Jews are among the state's top
contributors to political cam-
paigns and political action com-
mittees. Among the heavy hitters
are Republicans Max Fisher,
William Davidson, A. Alfred
Taubman, Edward C. Levy Jr.,
and Eugene Applebaum and De-
mocrats David and Doreen Her-
melin.
Some people like holding fund-
raisers because, as one put it, "It's
sexy" to bring a candidate into
one's house. Others do it to en-
sure Jewish issues are heard and
understood.
"I guess the Jewish communi-
ty wants access to candidates and
people in office. That's what fund-
raising is about. I think there are
people in the community who feel
that if they support candidates,
then the candidate has access to
the Jewish point of view and
that's an important function,"
A
Albert Holtz: Fund-raising for almost
two decades.
said Zina Kramer, a Democrat-
ic activist who became involved
in politics and fund-raising al-
most 20 years ago when her
friend Doug Ross ran for office.
She typically secures checks for
between $100 and $2,500.
Fund-raisers say Jews tend to
take on an active role in the civic
and political arena because most
were raised believing they need
to give back to the community.
They also say Jews teach by ex-
ample, resulting in successive
generations of givers.
"I think Jews on both sides of
the aisle play a significant role in
the process because we are ac-
tivists. Most politicians look to
make inroads into the Jewish
community, not just for issue pur-
poses but for fund-raising pur-
poses as well," said Andrea
Fischer Newman, who is active
in the Republican Party and
fund-raising on behalf of Bill
Wells, a congressional candidate
in Massachusetts who also is sup-
ported by Gov. John Engler. It's
not unusual for a donor to con-
tribute to an out-of-state candi-
date who shares similar views.
Mr. May, who will be raising
money for Republican Rep.
Joseph Knollenberg's re-election
campaign, said society has forced
Jews to get involved. "Jews are
aware that through participation
they can get the job done by be-
ing active politically and con-
tributing to campaigns," he said.
"It's a way to open doors and
share their way of thinking. They
know it doesn't guarantee any-
thing, but it's a process that opens
doors for two-way information."
Ms. Kramer, who served as
Bill Clinton's Michigan finance
chair during the 1992 presiden-
tial primary, opened that door for
Mr. Clinton in the fall of 1991.
She hosted Mr. Clinton at the