W C A VV4R3r, s, " ' "we"'w4F
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Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, a good friend of Max Fisher's, offers congratulations at a
United Way of America dinner at which Fisher received the Alexis De Tocqueville
Award Looking on is Detroit United Way Community Services President Virgil Carr.
Max Fisher and former presidential candidate Bob Dole share confidences.
Agit%
Max Fisher beams as he receives an honorary doctor of humane letters degree at the
Brandeis University commencement ceremony last year.
7/24
1998
100 Detroit Jewish News
William and Mollie, kept a kosher
people work out their differences. He
home in Salem, Ohio, Fisher did not
also believes that whatever the U.S.
have much of a Jewish education. He
policy is toward Israel, it will always
recalled that as a child in Salem, he
support the state.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'm not a would take a trolley car to
Youngstown to buy kosher chickens
citizen of Israel. It's not up to me to
for his mother. His father was a ped-
dictate the terms of peace. Our sup-
dler. Fisher laughs at a photograph of
port for them is to try to be helpful
himself taken at the age of 4 that was
as far as the U.S. government is con-
displayed at the United Community
cerned and be helpful to them in
Services party held in his honor at
other ways. But it's not for me to
the DIA on July 9.
dictate the policy. I've always taken
"When I was 4 years old, my
that position and they know that in
father drove a horse and buggy. Now
Israel. Whatever government is in
all the sudden we have satellites," he
power, I try to work with them and
mused.
be helpful. I can tell them things pri-
He mentions that he provides five
vately, but publicly, never."
scholarships
annually to students in
And although Fisher is troubled
Salem.
by the rising political power of the
His fondness for Ohio State
right-wing Orthodox faction in
University, where he majored in
Israel, he said, its clout will wane
business and also starred as a center
with time.
on the football team, led him to
"The ultra-Orthodox, because
finance a new 7-building business
they have 10 votes, they control the
school complex on campus. The first
policy of the coalition. I call it the
two buildings are scheduled to open
tail wagging the dog, but that, too,
in October.
can change.
"I want to improve the quality of
"The only thing that troubles me
education
for those kids. I feel good
is, I don't like to see politics and reli-
about
it,"
he
said. "I was always
gion mixed up. Over there in Israel,
active
in
the
school. I got a degree,
we have coalitions. The ultra-
N
was
chosen
as
outstanding alumnus.
Orthodox have enough seats. They
I
always
believe
as
you
go
through
have undue influence. I'm not going
life, you should put back a little of
to change it. We can't force it. We
what
you have. I do it in Israel, in
can talk to them about laws, but
Detroit, in Salem, at Ohio State
really, it has to come about from the
University. Because, after all,
people in Israel."
nobody's ever designed a way to take
Fisher seems as dedicated to
it with you. I'm fortunate. I have a
Jewish life at home as he is to the
genuine interest in trying to improve
strength of Jewish life abroad. It was
the quality of life."
he who, as president of the Council
N
Fisher acknowledged that his only
of Jewish Federations in 1971, first
real regret is not having spent
raised the idea of funding Jewish day
enough time with his five children
schools.
—
Jane Sherman, Mary Fisher,
"People thought I was nuts," said
Phillip
Fisher, Julie Fisher Cummings
a man who did not have a bar mitz-
and
Marjorie
Aronow — when they
vah until he was 75. "I was applaud-
were
young.
But,
he said, he gets a
ed by some and I was not applauded
"kick"
out
of
the
fact
that they have
by a lot of others. The point I make
become as committed to the future
is this: There's a trend toward giving
of both the general and the Jewish
children a Jewish education. I think
communities as he is. Fisher is the \---`
it's a healthy thing.
grandfather of 13 and great-grandfa-
"Now, in Detroit, we're support-
ther of five.
ing Yeshiva Beth Yehuda, Hillel Day
He mentions Julie's husband, Peter
School, Akiva ... I remember making
Cummings,
who is spearheading a $80
one of the first allocations to Yeshiva
million renovation and rebuilding of
Beth Yehuda when I was president of
Orchestra Hall — a project close to
Federation back in the '50s."
Fisher's heart because of his abiding
Yet, Fisher allowed, "Jewish educa-
commitment to Detroit. The co-
tion is like trying to pick up a bowl
founder and former chairman of
of Jello that has fallen to the floor.
Detroit Renaissance and a former board
It's hard to handle ... It has to come
member of the Detroit Symphony
from the home. You can't force it.
Orchestra, he still keeps an office in the
Some people think you can sell it.
Fisher Building (named for the GM
Maybe you can."
Fisher Body family).
Although his immigrant parents,