EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
a
.Max-imum Effect
and also how few countries have spoken out against terror-
ism or rallied behind Israel.
Fisher holds out little hope for a lasting peace in the
Arab-dominated Middle East. "Israel can do everything in
the world the Arab bloc wants it to do, but those nations
would still have only one thing in mind, and you know
what that is: obliteration of the state of Israel.
"That's the Arab mentality," he said. "No matter what
they say, that is their mentality"
A Republican Party activist, Fisher called every president
since the state's founding "a friend of Israel." He said
President George W. Bush "has taken more punishment
and more grief from the Arab countries and the European
countries, but has stood steadfast in his support, no matter
what the attacks against him have been."
Fisher blistered the _United Nations: "Do you know why
they wanted to send a fact-finding trip to Jenin [a U.N.
refugee camp]? To say that Israel massacred Palestinians."
He wishes the United Nations would quit trying to force
Israel back to its 1967 borders. "Israel might have wanted
to go back to those boundaries," he said, "but how can
they do that with all the enemies they have?"
Stumped by what motivates suicide bombers, he asked,
"How do you fight people who are willing to destroy their
lives to destroy other people? •
Fisher urged Detroit Jews to stand unconditionally with
their beleaguered Israeli brethren, while noting that "the
Jewish people, somehow, always manage to come
out on top.
"No matter how tough-it is," he said, "no matter
how many problems we have, we all have to get
behind Israel and show our solidarity — in materi-
al means, political means, any other means."
e's the patriarch of Detroit Jewry, arguably the
most influential and respected Jew in America
A vibrant 93, Max Fisher — industrialist,
philanthropist, consensus builder, diplomat —
remains a pillar of world Jewry.
.
The son of Eastern European immigrants, Fisher made a
fortune in oil refining. But instead of turning reclusive, he
became active politically, communally and charitably. He
advised U.S. presidents and Israeli prime
ministers on Middle East affairs, helped
shape the rebuilding of Detroit and its cul
tural jewels following the 1967 riots and
rose to lead American Jewry's top commu-
nal agencies. He also helped revive the
Jewish Agency for Israel.
Fisher came to know and consult with
many of Israel's major political and mili-
ROBERT A. tary figures; they saw him as American
SKLAR
Jewry's unofficial envoy.
Editor
A master fund-raiser throughout Israel's
54-year struggle for survival as an inde-
pendent nation, Fisher has never confused the political or
religious infighting there with the need for a welcoming
homeland for all Jewish refugees. In recent years, he has
had a special affinity for Russian and Ethiopian Jews.
When Chief Executive Officer Robert Aronson
wanted someone to dissect the latest Palestinian
uprising for the Jewish Federation of Metropdlitan
Detroit's board of governors, he looked to his
friend, mentor and confidante — Max Fisher.
Addressing the April 24 board meeting of
Federation and its finance arm, the United Jewish
Foundation, Fisher was impassioned from the start.
The Power Of Unity
"I must tell you, and I think you have to take
Fisher
had a meager Jewish education in the
this very seriously, we are at a point where we are
Max Fisher
small,
conservative
Ohio town where he grew up.
facing more problems as a people than I can
But
he
was
well
aware
of his Jewish identity living
remember; and I have been involved quite deeply on both
in
Salem,
Ohio.
It
was
there
he
developed the thirst for
sides of the ocean," he said. "It just troubles me no end to
humanitarianism
that
would
manifest
itself later.
see what is happening."
Fisher relishes his Ohio roots; he once played center on
It's hard to doubt him.
the Ohio State University football team and is a generous
Fisher, who lives in Franklin, has been part of Israel's his-
OSU donor. But he's been an unabashed Detroiter since
tory since the day it was formed in 1948.
coming
here in 1934 to join his father William's compa-
He can recite chapter and verse from the 1956, 1967
ny,
Keystone
Oil Refining. Throughout his Federation
and 1973 wars.
talk,
Fisher
challenged
Detroit Jews to "pull ourselves
He taps a well of personal experience and knowledge —
together
with
the
rest
of
the Jewish world and show
and doesn't have to rely on the perspective of others — to
Israelis
that
we
stand
behind
them in every possible way."
deduce that "it just seems that history seems to promote .
He
added,
"Do
you
realize
it's costing them $2 million
antagonism from the rest the world as far as Israel is con-
a day just for arms and ammunition to fight the struggle
cerned."
against the Arabs? They need your help financially and
Mindful of the task at hand, Fisher said: "It took 3,000
morally and spiritually."
years before the state of Israel was formed. And now that
Fisher lauded our community's Israel outreach, especial-
we have it, we must keep it."
ly the Israel Emergency Campaign, which has raised $5.3
million for depressed areas and. victims of terror, but
Focused, Though tful
stressed that our work is not done.
Nattily dressed in a striped shirt, polka-dot tie and blue
"It's wonderful to know that we have banded together
suit, and eloquent as ever, Fisher looked and sounded like
to accomplish what we have," he said. "And we shall not
the beloved elder statesman he is as he sat beside Aronson
fail in trying to show how we feel and what we are
in the board room of the Federation building bearing his
doing."
name in Bloomfield Township.
He drew rousing applause in concluding: "Let us not
A Florida snowbird, Fisher no longer has a spring in his
forget what this is all about: Let us all stick together in
step, but he's sharp as a tack when it comes to making each
this glorious fight we've had to establish a Jewish state."
word count. He spoke for just 10 minutes, but shared
God bless you, Max. You are, as Federation President
plenty of insight.
Lawrence Jackier put it, "not only a national treasure, but
He lamented the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe,
also a treasure of the Jewish people." ID
Jimmy Choo
Robert Clergerie
Sigerson • Morrison
Alberta Ferretti
Henry Cuir
Miu Miu
TENDER
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DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM
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2002
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