JCC Honors
Mort Plotnick

son who walked through that door on
a first-name basis."
As a member of the initial cabinet
of the JCC Maccabi Games, Plotnick
was instrumental in moving the games
for Jewish teen athletes to internation-
al prominence.
"For me, it's a question of getting
the numbers of kids and adults
involved in Jewish activities," Plotnick
said. "This has been a wonderful
Jewish community in which to work,
with terrific infrastructures, terrific
support in terms of what Federation
does for the agency and it's a very gen-
erous community."
The public is invited to the brunch,
which costs $36 per person or $360
for a table of 10. Babysitting will be
available.
Those wanting to further honor
Plotnick on the occasion of his retire-
ment may contribute to the Judie and
Morton Plotnick Endowment Fund
for the JCC.
For information or brunch reserva-
tions by April 18, call Michelle
Haarer, (248) 661-7600.

The Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit will pay tribute
to long-time exec-
utive director and
development
director Morton
Plotnick, Ph.D.,
at 11 a.m.
Sunday, April 30,
on the occasion
of his retirement.
A brunch in
Plotnick's honor
will be held at the
Mort Plotnick
D. Dan and Betty
Kahn Building in
West Bloomfield.
Plotnick began his association with
the JCC as a part-time employee at age
14. He later become the JCC's full-
time director of Educational Services
and Cultural Arts in 1965 and subse-
quently served as program director and
assistant director. He succeeded Irwin
Shaw as executive director in 1976 and
became executive vice president and
director of development in 1996.
Although retired, Plotnick retains
Wayne State University President Irvin
his association with the JCC as a
D. Reid has conferred the title of
fund-raising consultant..
Distinguished Faculty Fellow upon
As executive director for nearly 20
Professor Shlomo Sawilowsky of Oak
years, Plotnick spearheaded many spe-
-
Park.
cial projects, including the Janice
The award is
Charach Epstein Museum/Gallery, the
in recognition of
Edward and Shirley Rosenberg
Sawilowsky's out-
Recreation Complex and the Samantha
standing scholar-
Erin Rosen Children's Pool. In cooper-
ly achievements
ation with the Jewish Federation of
in applied statis-
Metropolitan Detroit, he helped the
tics, psychomet-
JCC realize its most successful capital
rics and experi-
campaign in the agency's history. He
mental design in
also assisted with" the development of
education and
the Holocaust Memorial Center,
psychology.
adjoining the West Bloomfield JCC.
WSU is a
"He brought the center through a
Carnegie
Shlomo
crucial period of its growth, the devel-
Research I
Sawilowsky
opment of a new building," said
Institution, cur-
Robert Aronson, Jewish Federation of
rently ranked 72nd out of 3,500 col-
Metropolitan Detroit CEO. "He really
leges and universities in the United
did an important job in terms of
States, with 32,000 students and
developing the center under difficult
1,600 faculty members. About 50 dis-
circumstances and making sure that it
tinguished fellowships have been
was financially secure."
awarded in WSU's history. The honor
"He mentored and brought people
includes a stipend of $13,000 for
along within the organization and ele-
research development.
vated them to new levels, but while he
Sawilowsky is a graduate of the
was doing that, he still was the focal
Rabbinical College of America. in
point and the central person in the
Morristown, N.J., an affiliate of the
administration of the JCC," said
worldwide Lubavitch movement. He is
Lawrence Wolfe, JCC president.
a member of Bais Chabad of West
"During his prime, he knew every per-
Bloomfield.

WSU Professor
A Faculty Fellow

fulL0:44

3/31

2000

50

Focus On Art At Family Event

The JEFF program, chaired by
Arthur Feldman, an authority on
Linda Lee, will kick off with inter-
Jewish art and antiquities, is lead-.
generational entertainment by the
ing a workshop called "Dust Off
Temple Beth El
Your Treasures and
Klezmer Kids jazz
Discuss the Meaning
band and remarks by
of Jewish Ceremonial
Rabbi Aaron Bergman
Art."
of Congregation Beth
Feldman's presenta-
Ahm. In addition to
tion will be given dur-
Feldman's talks at
ing the Jewish
2:15 and 3:15 p.m.,
Experiences For
there will be several
Families' "Calling All
children's workshops,
Generations" family
from 2:15-4:15 p.m.
event, 1:15-4:15 p.m.
Besides JEFF and
Sunday, April 2, at the
the JCC, sponsors of
Jewish Community
the afternoon are the
Center in West
Jewish Federation of
Bloomfield.
Metropolitan Detroit,
Feldman, who owns
Jewish Apartments
a gallery in Illinois,
and Services, Jewish
Arthur
Feld
man
served for 12 years as
Family Service,
director of Chicago's
Jewish
Vocational
Spertus Museum of
Service, the LeVine Institute on
Judaica. He was a visiting keeper at
Aging of the Jewish Home and
the Victoria and Albert Museum in
Aging Services, the Jewish News,
London and an assistant curator at
HDS Services, National Council of
the Renwick Gallery of the
Jewish Women Greater Detroit
Smithsonian Institution in
Section/SPACE, and the Ben N.
Washington, D.C. He holds
Teitel
Charitable Trust.
advanced degrees in art history and
Admission
is free.
archaeology.

Fund Gift Recognized

In recognition of their Millennium Fund gift to create the Hermelin-
Davidson Center for Congregation Excellence, William Davidson and David
and Doreen Hermelin were honored by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit Board of Governors last week. Shown are Federation President Penny
Blumenstein, Davidson, Doreen and David Hermelin and Federation CEO
Robert Aronson.