•
A Sad Passing
Focus: HOPE became a leader in Harf said. "He gave people ferent backgrounds, religions
improving human relations, throughout the metropolitan and races.
reaching out to various segments area the opportunity to play a
"In a way, he served as our con-
of the community and
science," he continued. "Even
utilizing their resources.
though he wasn't Jewish,
David Gad-Harf, ex-
he served as a reminder of
ecutive director of the
▪ our obligation [to] the poor,
Jewish Community
L._ the disadvantaged, whether
`"Q
Council, recalled bring-
African American or white.
ing a contingent of Is-
He pricked our conscience
an infection due to his treatment raeli Arab and Jewish
8
to
feel the needs of others."
for cancer of the gallbladder.
mayors visiting Ameri-
6-- Rabbi M. Robert Syme of
Father Cunningham began ca as a part of Partner-
• Temple Israel said Father
his career as an English teacher ship 2000 to meet with
Cunningham's impact on
at Detroit's Sacred Heart Semi- Father Cunningham at
the
Jewish community was
nary in the 1960s. But after the Focus: HOPE. The
far-reaching. Named Man
1967 race riots in the city left round-table discussion
of the Year by the temple's
their profound mark on race proved to be lively and
brotherhood, Father Cun-
relations, Father Cunningham, informative, he said.
ningham was the only
joined by a cadre of loyal volun-
"Focus: HOPE has
Catholic priest to speak
teers, began seeking solutions to been a big part of our op-
from
the pulpit at the tem-
the racial unrest and social erations, so it was a nat-
ple.
injustice that followed in the ural to bring the mayors
"His goodness was con-
wake of the uprising. With long- to meet with Father
ta.gious," Rabbi Syme said.
time activist Eleanor Josiatis, he Cunningham," Mr. Gad-
"When you were in his
started Focus: HOPE, a civil and Harf said. "I think [the
presence, you felt peace and
human rights organization.
Israeli mayors] got a lot
brotherhood would some-
Focus: HOPE became syn- out of that meeting."
day become a reality."
onymous with helping the poor
Mr. Gad-Harf felt that
A public funeral will be
and underprivileged with its sup- much could be learned
held
at 11 a.m. Saturday at
plemental food programs and a by Father Cunning-
the Catholic Church of the
program to train machinists. A ham's example.
Madonna. Contributions
recent addition to the program,
"He was charismatic,
can be made to the Catholic
the Center for Advanced Tech- a dreamer, a nudger,
Church of the Madonna,
Father
William
Cunningham:
Worked
for
peace
and
nologies, offers training and ed- someone who just plain
1125 Oakman Blvd., De-
ucation for future engineers and loved [people], no mat- brotherhood.
troit,
MI 48238 or to Focus:
technicians.
ter who they were, no matter
But perhaps most important, what their status was," Mr. Gad- role in Detroit revitalization and HOPE, 1355 Oakman Blvd., De-
brought people together from dif- troit, MI 48238. 0
Father William Cunningham left his
imprint on the Jewish community.
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER
abbi David Nelson re-
members listening to ac-
tivist and racial relations
leader Father William
Cunningham speak and being
mesmerized by the message.
"He had a way of talking that
just drew you in," Rabbi Nelson
recalled. "I could see how corpo-
rate executives would give him
what he wanted. He was so gift-
ed to rally the forces of the corn-
munity to establish what he
did."
But more than his way with
words, Father Cunningham by
his own example taught Rabbi
Nelson the potential impact one
could have as a member of the
clergy.
"He taught me how, as a cler-
gyman, you are capable of mak-
ing a tremendous impact on
society," he said.
Father Cunningham, founder
of Focus: HOPE in Detroit after
the 1967 riots, died Monday
morning of complications from
special mom ent
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