A Transformational Gift
Jean and Samuel Frankel are revealed as contributors of $20 million to the JAMD.
DIANA LIEBERMAN
StaffWriter
or provided major funding
f for the Jewish Studies
Department at the University
of Michigan, the residential
service program at JARC, the commu-
nity service center at the Barbara Ann
Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Max M.
Fisher Music Center and many other
Detroit area charities and institutions.
Now Jean and Samuel Frankel of
Bloomfield Hills have extended their
generosity to the Jewish Academy of
Metropolitan Detroit, Michigan's only
multi-stream Jewish day high school.
This week, the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit revealed that the
Frankels are the anonymous donors
who, in June 2002, offered a record-
breaking $20 million grant to the West
Bloomfield-based JAMD.
The endowment is the largest single
gift ever to the Detroit Jewish commu-
nity, and the largest endowment gift
nationally to a Jewish day high school.
"This grant represents a new standard
of philanthropic leadership in education
for North America, one we hope others
will be inspired to emulate, " said Rabbi
Lee Buckman, JAMD head of school.
"The very future of American Jewry
depends on individuals and organiza-
tions that place Jewish education at the
top of their commitment agenda.
"The Frankels have set the pace for
commitment throughout the country."
The couples' names were not revealed
until this time at their own
request, said Steve Schanes,
JAMD president.
The Frankels were out of
town and unavailable for
comment.
Over the past 18 months,
officials of JAMD and
Federation have worked
together to establish param-
eters for the gift, which is in
the form of a 2-1 challenge
fund, Schanes said. To receive Buckman
the full $20 million, JAMD
and Federation must raise $10 million.
In addition, the Frankels have estab-
lished a separate fund to assist the
school in providing tuition assistance.
This second fund is in the form of a
The JAMD choir sings at the school's
rst graduation ceremony last June.
$500,000 match on a dollar-for-dollar
basis.
Frankel is a real estate devloper and
owner of Somerset
Collection in Troy.
Schanes praised the
Frankels' "extraordinary com-
mitment to the Academy"
and said, "we're very excited
about the partnership with
Federation."
Impressive Enterprise
Located on the Eugene and
Marcia Applebaum Jewish
Community Campus in West
Bloomfield, the independent co-educa-
tional JAMD recently began its third
year with 135 students.
Last spring, the school graduated its
first class, comprised of 21 students, and
learned that it had received full accredi-
tation from the Independent Schools
Association of the Central States.
"The Jewish Academy is a young and
growing institution, growing more
impressive with each academic year,"
said Lawrence Jackie; Federation presi-
dent.
About 60 percent of JAMD students
are graduates of Hillel Day School of
Metropolitan Detroit, the elementary
day school associated with the
Conservative Solomon Schechter move-
ment.
JAMD tuition is $13,750 plus a $500
book fee, with about 25 percent of the
students receiving scholarship assistance.
The new Tuition Assistance Challenge
Fund established by the Frankels will
allow the school to increase the number
of students receiving scholarships, said
Mark Davidoff, Federation chief operat-
ing officer.
"We know there are many families
who do not explore the day school
option because of worries about the
tuition," he said. 'Any funds raised
through the Frankel fund will be for
new students, not replacement dollars."
In addition to this new fund,
Federation administers the Shiffinan
Day School Tuition Fund and the
Jewish Education Trust.
Federation CEO Robert Aronson said
the way both the $20 million endow-
ment and the $500,000 scholarship
fund were set up as matching gifts
"helps the Academy get others involved
in its future.
"The burden is not borne by one
family and the Federation, but by sup-
porters," Aronson said, "and that's how
the Frankels wanted it." El
11 /7
2003
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