generation. Tom Wexelberg-Clouser,
Great Lakes region development director
for the Jewish Theological Seminary, is
amazed at the "multigenerational" nature
of our community.
"You (can) start with Lou and Vivian
Berry, then Harold and Barbara," he says,
"and now it's Larry and Sharon Berry. Joe
and Edith Jackier were movers, now it's
Larry Jackier. It's not unusual to have three
generations involved. We are blessed with
many new youthful leaders: David and
Robert Schostak, Ricky Blumenstein,
Gary Shiffman, Ronald Klein, Paula
Glazier, Marcie Orley, to name a few"
Philanthropic parents generally inspired
their children, as evidenced by such
community leaders as Paul Borman,
Paul D. Borman, Avern Cohn, Julie
Cummings, Ken Eisenberg, Carolyn
Greenberg, Rita Haddow, Sharon Hart,
Linda Klein, Michael Maddin, Dulcie
Rosenfeld, Jane Sherman and Robert
Slatkin.
Community activist Bill Gershenson
was a role model for son, Joel

1880: Detroit's
Jewish
population
reaches 1,000.

1881: Influx
of Eastern
European
Jews begins.

Gershenson, who dedicates himself to
Jewish causes. Joel hopes his daughter,
Jill, will carry on this family tradition.
During a visit to the Holocaust
Museum in Washington, Gershenson
told her: "If you remember nothing else
about this trip, remember what you
have seen and make the commitment
to bring your children here."
The legacy continues with many
honored by the Jewish Federation's Fred
Butzel Award, the community's
highest accolade. Just a few among them
are Bill Berman, Irwin Green, Alan E.
Schwartz and Erwin Simon.
Tillie Brandwine reflects on what
makes the Detroit community special: "I
think its our continuity." A past president
of Federation's Women's Division, she now
is the driving force behind the Irwin I.
Cohn Cemetery Index, which will be a
registry of most Jews buried in Michigan
cemeteries. She faithfully attends Jewish
Federation's annual meetings, and each
one confirms her belief that the torch
burns as brightly as ever.

1900: Detroit's Jewish
population reaches
10,000, with workers in
factories, offices, crafts
and trades. The Jewish
American becomes the
area's first English-
language Jewish
newspaper.

1889:The Central
Conference of
American Rabbis is
founded in Detroit.

1869: Detroit's first
centralized
philanthropic agency
is formed:The
Gentlemen's Hebrew
Relief Society.

22

"You go there, and there are young
people, and they're doing the job." And,
she adds, "the 'old-timers' are there, too,
because they haven't lost their dedication.
We have also had wonderful Federation
administrators." She alludes to several
Isidore Sobeloff, Sol Drachler, Bill
Avrunin and Bob Aronson — noting that
leadership styles differed, but each has
been the right man for his time.
And Federation, the major fund-
raising arm of the Jewish community,
consistently atttracts strong, committed
leaders. Take, for example, immediate
past president Robert Naftaly and
current president Penny Blumenstein,
the first woman in that job.
Religious leaders also have added to
the legacy of Detroit. Some of the names
are legendary: Franklin, Glazer, Fram,
Adler, Segal. Their congregations today
likely would have exceeded their wildest
dreams, both in size and prestige. Names
of illustrious Jewish families adorn the
walls of every synagogue and temple,
reflecting a staunch commitment to

1914: Detroit's
Jewish population
reaches 34,000,
and there are a
number of all-
Jewish locals of
national unions.

1916:Yeshiva
BethYehudah is
founded.

1907:
Arrangements
begin for a
Jewish home
for aged.

1904:
Fresh Air
Society is
planned
to take
children on
daylong
outings.

1920: United
Hebrew Schools is
formed from
independent
programs.

1926: Detroit's Jewish population
reaches 75,000.The Jewish
Welfare Federation is founded.

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