CityBoy
JULIE EDGAR SENIOR WRITER
for a dozen years, and
Behind a stout desk in a comfortably serves on the board of
musty office crammed with trophies and the Museum of African
plaques, among them a Humanitarian of American History, to
the Year award presented to him by Coret- which he was appoint-
ed by former Mayor
ta Scott King in 1992.
At 78, coming to work every day at his Coleman Young and
engineering firm on Wyoming in north- Mayor Dennis Archer.
He's been the recip-
west Detroit is less an economic necessi-
ty than an expression of his devotion to ient of dozens of
awards, including the
the city of his birth.
Shapiro and his family left Detroit in Imani award from the
1965, but he never relocated Consulting Greater Detroit Islam-
ic Alliance and New
Engineering out of the city.
"I felt it wouldn't be right to move the Detroit, Inc. last year.
When he accepts an
business out," he explained. "Look, I was
born here, my family was raised here. The accolade, he always
mentions that he is
city's been good to me."
Shapiro, a graduate of Cass Tech High, Jewish and that "Ju-
put himself through Wayne University by daism teaches you if
running an elevator for the city on the you save the life of one
midnight shift. He founded Consulting person, you've saved
1.4%tOAS%
Engineering 45 years ago, and boasts that the world," Shapiro
during the riots, not one of its windows said.
Yet, he added, "I
was broken. "I've been successful in the
Shapiro's involvement in civil rights Nate Shapiro is a
city. I put all my kids through University don't represent the Jewish community.
struggles is notable. During the Bush Ad- Detroit loyalist.
of Michigan. Most of my good friends in represent a Jew."
He takes great pride in the fact that half ministration, he was the only white per-
the city are black because I grew up with
his employees are minority, that he's put son on a bus bound for a march on.
them," he said.
He recalls a time when blacks and Jews 100 Detroit high school graduates through Washington. A young man on the bus
in Detroit relied on each other. Jewish college and that Consulting Engineering asked him why he was there and Shapiro
store owners were often the only mer- has a good track record in awarding mi- explained that "I was there and would be
there if anyone is persecuted." El
chants who would employ blacks at their nority contracts.
stores, and in a few cases, helped
their workers get to college.
"[The workers] didn't make a lot
of money, but neither did these
merchants. They worked long and
JULIE WIENER STAFF WRITER
hard. What has happened over the
years is that a lot of people have
A few weeks ago, Reverend Virgil Humes was vandalized by a member of a hate for both folks...if there is any improve-
come to the point where there's a
experienced a feeling of dejavu when he group. In response to the vandalism, Rev- ment [in black-Jewish relations] it will
real anti-Semitism in the black
saw National Guard troops in the streets erend Humes called a summit for various be because of these grassroots relation-
community and real sentiments
community leaders, inviting the Jewish ships."
of Detroit.
against blacks in the Jewish com-
While Reverend Humes concedes that
This time they were clearing debris Community Council. With JCCouncil play-
munity," Shapiro said.
from the July 2 storm in a coordinated ing matchmaker, Temple Israel invited black-Jewish relations face challenges, he
He believes that black-Jewish
event of assistance. But last time it was New Hope's congregants to attend Shab- does not agree with many black leaders in
relations are "turning around," and
July 1967, and they were quelling civil bat services last August. Reverend Humes the city who see the Jewish community's
points to a few hopeful develop-
disturbances in a charged situation akin delivered a sermon, and the church choir move to the suburbs as an obstacle. Him-
ments. Temple Shir Shalom and
sang. Plans are now in the works for Tem- self a resident of Plymouth, he points out
to military rule.
Temple Israel are forging links
"I remember the tanks and curfews," ple Israel to attend New Hope services and that many middle-class blacks — as well
with Detroit churches, and last fall,
said Reverend Humes, an African-Amer- for one of the temple's rabbis to speak as whites — left the city in search of bet-
NAACP head Wendell Anthony
ter schools and real estate. However, he
ican who was only seven years old the first there.
brought in an Israeli girls' choir to
Reverend Humes sees the visits as an urges the Jewish community to stop mov-
time he encountered the National Guard
his church and housed them with
in his city. "It was certainly a horrible sight opportunity to break down barriers. "If we ing to new suburbs and to welcome blacks
congregants.
show the community that there's a uni- into their neighborhoods.
to witness."
"I know there's a lot Jews in-
"Certainly if we were in a heterogenous
Now the pastor of the New Hope Mis- fied front, then that's one less barrier to
vesting in the city, but I don't be-
community living together, relations might
sionary Baptist Church in Wayne, Rev- break down," he said.
lieve [blacks] realize who is doing
But the relationship goes beyond spe- be better. The fact that we're separated
erend Humes is optimistic about the
the investing," Shapiro said.
changes happening in Detroit. He sees cial programs. Members of the two insti- geographically is a hindrance, but hope-
Shapiro himself has met with
groups coming together in a way he hasn't tutions occasionally consult with each fully that can be overcome," he said.
congressional lawmakers, in-
Like many black leaders, Reverend
witnessed before, and is participating in other, sharing advice over organizational
cluding U.S. Reps. Carolyn
Humes feels that Louis Farrakhan's im-
joint projects with a number of other reli- issues.
Cheeks Kilpatrick and John
For Dr. Nancy Gad-Harf, Temple Is- portance has been overblown by the me-
gious institutions in the region, including
Conyers, Jr., to discuss U.S.-Is-
rael's director of programming, the most dia, needlessly dividing blacks and Jews.
Temple Israel.
rael relations, and claims that his
"Farrakhan is not my leader," he said.
He attributes the heightened optimism helpful part of the relationship is that it
consultations with former U.S.
— in both the black and white communi- keeps doors open. In recent years, the tem- "Some things he says may be accurate, but
Representative Barbara Rose-
ties — to the current political and religious ple has established relationships with sev- he doesn't prescribe to my vision. As far
Collins resulted in her perfect pro-
leadership around Detroit, which he feels eral black churches, both in Detroit and as my trying to forge relations with the
Israel voting record.
Jewish community, I'm very optimistic.
has become less splintered in the past few the suburbs.
Shapiro holds the distinction of
"We've found we're able to call each I think I can create a positive relationship
years.
being the only white member on
The relationship with Temple Israel be- other when we need each other," she said. with anyone that doesn't disrespect me
the board of the Detroit chapter of
gan a year ago, shortly after New Hope "Having contacts has been wonderful because of my race or religion."
the NAACP, a position he's held
PHOTO BY DANI EL LI PPITT
Nate Shapiro is where he's always been:
Link
The Synagogue-Temple •
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