EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK
An Inspired Journey
10
very once in a while, someone without deep Jewish
That fateful act led to a lasting relationship with Rabbi
leadership ties is honored by a pillar of local Ortho-
Ponet, a relationship that awakened Cummings to reconnect-
dox Jewish tradition, the Yeshiva Beth Yehudah.
ing to his Jewish roots, which go back to his great-grandpar-
Peter Cummings is such a person.
ents who fled the Cossacks in Russia and arrived in Montreal
Though he grew up in a Conservative family in Montreal,
in 1912. Great-grandfather David Cummings helped found a
the now-Bloomfield Hills resident had drifted away from
Conservative synagogue there.
observance as family and career took hold after his graduation
Giving to a Jewish educational cause is important and laud-
from Yale.
able. But becoming engaged in Jewish learning is something
Today, Cummings is a national land developer, a Detroit
even more special because of the time commitment that it
entrepreneur and a civic leader — and the son-in-law of
requires.
Detroit Jewry's patriarch, Max Fisher of Franklin. He also has
That's where Cummings' story picks up.
a growing Jewish soul. So I was intrigued by
Rewind to about five years ago when Cummings was well
his Jewish journey, which he recounted last
along into serving on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
week in receiving the Golden Torah Award
board. Cummings — by then a major player in the unfolding
from the Southfield-based yeshivah.
development of the Max M. Fisher Music Center, a $60 mil-
The 90-year-old day school faces impor-
lion expansion of the historic Orchestra Hall on Woodward
tant budget matters exacerbated by scholar-
Avenue funded in part by his father-in law — met another
ship needs approaching 75 percent of the
titan in Detroit commercial real estate circles: Gary Torgow,
803-student enrollment and by the deaths of president of the Yeshivaa.
several key donors. Federation's
A shared passion for rebuilding and re-ener-
ROBERT A. allocation of $733,200 represents
r=
gizing Detroit's core brought Cummings and
SKLAR
13 percent of the Yeshiva's $5.5
Torgow together. But it was Torgow's devo-
million annual budget. Tuition
Editor
tion to Judaism that moved Cummings, who
and Shiffman family scholarship
never before had enjoyed a friendship with an
assistance generate another $2.31 million. That
Orthodox Jew. That friendship, which includ-
leaves $2.5 million to be raised, a key reason for
ed Shabbat dinners at the Torgows' Oak Park
the award dinner, which annually draws more
home, enabled Cummings to "witness some-
than 2,000 people to a downtown Detroit hotel.
thing very rare — a person and a family who
In accepting the 2004 Golden Torah on Oct.
experienced true joy in the full observance of
24, Cummings recounted how, like so many Jews
their faith."
in America today, he went to Hebrew school as a
Torgow introduced Cummings to Rabbi
boy and studied hard to become a bar mitzvah.
Avraham Cohen whose Yeshiva-sponsored
But then he gradually drifted away from organized Peter Cum mings
Partners in Torah program is one of Detroit
Jewish life.
Jewry's great successes in informal adult learn-
All that changed about 10 years ago when, he said, he
ing. Reform and Conservative Jews learn alongside their
"was ready to come back and was searching for ways to do
Orthodox partners without fear that you are less of a Jew if
that.
you are less observant than your partner. With Rabbi Cohen
Cummings brought his wife, Julie, daughter of Marjorie
as his partner, Cummings has come to frilly appreciate the joy
and Max Fisher, from Florida to Michigan in 1989, 11 years
that is Judaism.
after they were married. About five years later, Cummings
began to receive letters seeking alumni gifts from the rabbi at
Torah's Imprint
Yale's Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life, but routinely
In introducing the Golden Torah winner, Torgow captured
tossed them.
Cummings' capacity "to empathize and relate to every person,
Then fate intervened, and he was inspired.
whatever their station in life or status in the community."
With humility on his sleeve, the DSO close to his heart
Max's Influence
and the future of inner-city neighborhoods high on his prior-
Sitting with his father-in-law one day, Cummings noticed
ity list, Cummings has become one of Detroit's quiet, grace-
Fisher signing a check payable to the Slifka Center. Fisher is a
ful ambassadors. He became a U.S. citizen in 1984.
graduate and huge supporter of Ohio State University, where
He says we're into the seventh year of a 30-year process
he starred in football, but had no connection to Yale.
leading to Detroit's rebirth. And though not all of us will
"I asked him why he was sending money to the Yale Center
experience this rebirth, many of our children and grandchil-
for Jewish Life and his response was eloquent in its simplici-
dren will. It's nice to hear someone who grew up elsewhere
ty," Cummings said. "The rabbi called and asked me,' Max
pin Detroit's future on our younger generation, which is
said."
growing up in a multi-ethnic world and with a yearning for
That simple statement had a profound impact on
urban living — apartment lofts, cyber cafes, rejuvenated
Cummings. The next day, he called Rabbi James Ponet at
schools and nightlife wrapped in a safe, secure tapestry. Still,
Yale and arranged to meet with him in New York a few weeks
Detroit has a long way to go before it begins to rival Chicago
later. Cummings recounted, "He spoke passionately with me
as a legitimate hip city.
about the growing population of Jewish students at Yale, their
Torgow didn't exaggerate when he said Cummings, in an
need for a place to meet and study, where Shabbat dinner
unassuming way, "has become the example by which great
could be served to the hundreds who wanted it, a place to
leaders must measure themselves."
pray on campus."
Peter Cummings really does make everyone in his presence
Julie and Peter Cummings followed that eye-opening
feel relaxed, appreciated and important — just as Torah
Manhattan lunch with a significant contribution to the now
teaches. ❑
flourishing center.
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11/5
2004
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