A Life Of Zionism

L

illian "Billie" Kramer, a
longtime activist and
leader in the Detroit
Jewish community —
including Woman of the Year and
Zio-nist of the Year — died Sept. 16,
2002. Mrs. Kramer, of Bethesda,
Md., succumbed to renal failure at
age 86.
A lifelong Zionist and local organ-
izer in the Detroit area, Mrs.
Kramer dedicated herself from her
earliest years to the dream of the
State of Israel.
A native of Chicago, Mrs. Kramer
was born into a Zionist family. Her
parents, Max and Anna Goldberg,
were ardent Zionists steeped in the
labor movement. Her mother was a
founder of Pioneer Women.
She recalled the times when future
Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir
came to her home to speak fervently
of the dream for a Jewish state. It
was thus at an early age that Mrs.
Kramer dedicated herself to the
Zionist movement, including
becoming executive secretary of the
Council of Jewish Welfare

convictions in deed and actions. Her
Federation in Chicago.
There she met her future husband, giving of herself knew no bounds."
Mrs. Kramer served three times as
the late Richard Kramer, who was
a local president of Na'amat-Pioneer
executive director of the federation.
Women. She was secretary of the
Like Mrs. Kramer, Richard Kramer
Zionist Organization of
came from a fervent
Detroit and co-chairman
Zionist family that
numerous times of its
included the late Bessie
Balfour celebration and
Berns and Albert Kramer,
participant in countless
who like their parents,
other Zionist causes and
were strong labor Zionists
organizations.
and activists in the
In 1978, Mrs. Kramer
Detroit Jewish communi-
was recognized by
ty.
Na'amat-Pioneer Women
Together, Billie and
as Woman of the Year.
Richard Kramer became
She was also honored that
pillars of the Detroit
year by Israel Bonds on
Zionist community, con-
the 30th anniversary of
stantly opening up their
the State of Israel. In
home for meetings and
Billie Kra mer
1980, she was given the
discussions and providing
Award- of Merit by the
financial and other sup-
Zionist Organization of America and
port for their passionate cause.
was granted a Lifetime Honorary
Said son Merrill, "Mom was a
Board Membership by the organiza-
dynamic woman. Her love for and
tion. In 1994, the American Zionist
identification with Israel went as
Movement honored Mrs. Kramer as
deep as her soul. When Israel lost
Zionist of the Year.
her sons in battle, my mother would
Mrs. Kramer was a former mem-
weep like she had lost her own son.
ber of the board of the Detroit
It hurt her so. She acted out her

.

Celebration Of Jewish Life

HARRY KIRSBAUM
Staff Writer

onathan "JJ" Greenberg didn't
have many friends, he had
hundreds, and those who knew
him said he touched the lives
of thousands.
Mr. Greenberg, 36, the executive
director of the Jewish Life Network in
New York City, died Sept. 14, 2002,
in Tel Aviv after his bicycle was struck
by a car a day earlier.
Mr. Greenberg served as executive
director of Jewish Life Network-
Steinhardt Foundation in New York
since its inception in 1995.
"JJ devoted his life to the Jewish
community," said Michael H.
Steinhardt, chairman of JLN and
chairman of Jewish Renaissance
Media, parent company of the Detroit
Jewish News. "He was the sort of per-

IT

9/20
2002

Campus Service Corps, Hillel's
son who had hundreds and hundreds
Steinhardt Scholars and the Jewish
of friends. He had this rare combina-
Heritage Programs.
tion of modesty and generosity of
"JJ's life, though tragically curtailed,
spirit, which made everyone just adore
was a celebration," said
him."
Richard Joel, president
Mr. Greenberg super-
and international director
vised the creation, develop-
of Hillel: The Foundation
ment and direction of all
for Jewish Campus Life.
JLN programs, which
"In his time with us, he
include Birthright Israel; -
was a great friend to
Makor; the Partnership for
many of us and to Hillel
Excellence in Jewish
as an idea. He was_pas-
Education (PEJE); Spark:
sionately committed to
Partnership for Service;
Jewish renaissance."
Synagogue Transformation
"He lived his father's
And Renewal (STAR);
[Rabbi Yitz Greenberg's]
Jewish Early Childhood
Torah of regarding every
Education Partnership
human being as having
(JECEP); and the Jewish
erg
JJ
Greenb
infinite value," said Rabbi
Retreat Center.
David Gedzelman, cre-
He was also involved in
ative and rabbinic director of the
overseeing JLN's college programs,
Makor-Steinhardt Center of the 92nd
including Hillel's Steinhardt Jewish

Jewish Home for Aged, an active
participant in the Jewish Welfare
Federation, and had a scholarship
fund established in her name in
Israel. She was a lifelong member of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
Billie Kramer was also a very
devoted wife, mother and friend.
She and her husband were virtually
inseparable. During her first bout
with cancer in 1978, she displayed
dignity and courage, arising from •
her convalescence to receive the
Na'amat Woman of the Year award.
Though she was small in stature, her
friends would always say, "No one is
bigger than our friend Billie
Kramer."
Mrs. Kramer is survived by her
daughter and son-in-law, Ellen
Kramer and Richard Raidel of New
York; son and daughter-in-law,
Merrill and Lois Kramer; grandchil-
dren, Max Benjamin Raidel,
Zachary Richard Kramer, Alex Ross
Kramer, Adin Gabriel Kramer; sister,
Bebe Bern of Chicago and sister-in-_
law, Sydelle Kramer.
Mrs. Kramer was the beloved wife
of the late Richard Kramer.
Interment was at Nusach Harie.
Contributions may be directed to
Na'amat and the Zionist
Organization of Detroit. Arrange-
ments by Ira Kaufman Chapel. ❑

Street Y in New York.
"He always went out of his way to
take care of the people in the wide cir-
cles of his life. He was a constant pres-
ence at Makor and brought warmth to
our programs and building every time
he walked through the door."
"The whole community is really
mourning," said Cheryl Cook, who
worked for Makor and was raised in
Farmington Hills. "There were com-
ments about him in every synagogue
around here over Yom Kippur."
Prior to helping establish JLN, Mr.
Greenberg worked with outreach pro-
grams for Jewish youth and adults. He
served as national adviser for the
National Conference of Synagogue
Youth and as executive director of the
Jewish Youth Movement (JYM),
which ran culture clubs in 40 public
and private high schools in the New
York area.
JJ Greenberg was buried in
Jerusalem on Sept. 17. He is sur-
vived by his parents, Rabbi Yitz and
Blu Greenberg of Riverdale, N.Y.;
his brothers, David and Moshe;
and his sisters, Deborah and
Goodey.

❑

122

4