Judaism, be it Orthodox, Conservative,
Reform, Reconstructionist, Humanist
or secular.
Is there more to this story of our
remarkable Jewish family?
Archivist Dottie Kaufman, 1992
Heart of Gold Award recipient for her
vast volunteer efforts, claims Detroit is
unique because of its "exceptional
volunteer leadership." She joins a
formidable list of outstanding women,
living and deceased, who have been in
the foreground of volunteerism: Celia
Broder, Susan Citrin, Fanny Davidson,
Sarah Davidson, Dora Ehrlich, Esther
Gitlin, Rose Greenberg, Molly Hartman,
Bernice Hopp, Pauline Jackson, Diane
Klein, Golda Krolik, Fannie Saulson,
Freddy Shiffman, Frieda Stollman, Jo
Weiner, Melba Winer, Gertrude
Wineman and Beryl Winkelman.
Jewish archives offer images of women
volunteers, singing "Ten Cents a Day,
That's All We're Asking For" or
campaigning for a Jewish hospital with
the slogan "Buy a Brick and Heal the
Sick" As a novice fund-raiser, making calls
for Women's Division, I remember asking
for "sugar bowl" donations. To be part of
this Jewish family means contributing
to it, no matter how modestly.
We cherish our family stories. Many
have proclaimed and recorded our past,
including Rabbi Charles Rosenzveig with
the Holocaust Memorial Center;
historians Sidney Bolkosky and the late
Leonard Simons; former and current
Federation archivists Sharon Alterman
and Heidi Christein; and Judy Cantor
of the Michigan Jewish Historical Society.
Joel Tauber and Dr. Conrad Giles add
to current history as they fine tune the
merger of the national United Jewish
Appeal and the Council of Jewish
Federations.
So what makes this community
unique? Our leadership? Our generosity?
Our continuity? Our history? Our
determination to mend the world?
Perhaps the answer is our genuine
commitment to taking care of each
other. Whether the donation is large or
1953: First
patient
admitted
to Sinai
Hospital.
1933: First Jewish
Community
Center opens at
Woodward and
Holbrook
1937: Jewish
Community
Council is
established.
1969: Jewish
Association for
Residential
Care begins.
1958: Hillel
Day School
established.
1942:
"The Detroit
Jewish News"
goes to press.
1940s: Sponsorship
of Holocaust
survivors is offered.
JNSourceBook
small, whether the volunteer job has
high-visibility or involves stuffing
envelopes - all make a difference in our
"family's" collective quality of life. To be
Jewish in Detroit is to be involved.
I predict in the future we will keep
our reputation for being unique: more
buildings will be built, more scholarships
awarded, more programs funded and
Jewish names, familiar names, will be as
visible as ever.
Yet every year, new faces
become part of our Jewish family
album. This second issue of the Jewish
News SourceBook celebrates less high-
profile volunteers, dubbed "Honorable
Menschen," who enrich our community
in countless ways. We're so fortunate.
Our extended Jewish family includes
millionaires and stuffers of envelopes. Let
us honor them all.
■
Edith Broida, a native Detroiter, welcomed
the opportunity to reminisce and regrets
that space limited recognition of many
more members of the "family!'
1982: Holocaust
Memorial Center
is started.
1973:
Construction
begins on JCC in
West Bloomfield.
1 1999: Sinai
I Hospital closes,
merged by
DMC into
; Sinai-Grace.
1987:Three
planeloads of Detroit
Jews attend
Washington rally to
free Soviet Jews.
1979: Carl Levin
is elected U.S.
senator.
1976: University
of Michigan
offers Jewish
studies program.
1988: Jewish
population
reaches
96,000.
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