Hills, who was an assistant principal and counselor
he says. "On very lucky occasions, I've been
For Sachs, ending poverty is a science, not
at Oak Park High School, remembers Sachs as an
able
to
see
Jewish
communities
in
very
an art. And he's ready to get it done.
all-A student who got along well with other students
unusual and remote places. In Cochin [in
"It's not really so much a matter of opti-
southern India], I was able to make a minyan as well as the teachers and administrators.
mism or pessimism that things will take the
"He was always interested in trying to make it a
[prayer quarum] one Shabbat, which is very
course, and the better one will win out," he
better
school," Weberman says. "He tried to make
nice. There is just one very small congrega-
says. "It's a matter of our choices. We should-
Harvard
a better university , and works to make the
tion
left.
In
Delhi,
there
is
also
just
a
small
n't be spending the time worrying about
Andrea Sachs
world
a
better
place." he says.
congregation."
whether it will help, but rather worrying
Weberman recalls a well-attended board of educa-
about getting the job done."
tion meeting in 1971, where senior president Sachs
Local Roots
In order to get it done, Sachs' current
argued for an open lunch period to allow students to
"Jeff is maybe the most famous Detroiter in
schedule has him teaching . fall classes and
leave school grounds. "The presentation he made,"
the whole world," says Rabbi Sherwin T
traveling in the spring. He has set up a new
says Weberman, pausing as if to relive it, "you just
Wine of Birmingham Temple, where Sachs'
Ph.D. program in "sustainable development"
couldn't disagree with him." Open lunch became
parents, Ted and Joan, took adult education
that, he says, "has received a huge response.
policy.
There are students from all over the world
David Fink courses.
"His ambitions were always beyond Oak Park and
"Here
is
a
Detroit
Jewish
boy
filled
with
who want to get into it."
Michigan. He wanted to do important things," says
idealism
who
has
reached
the
top
and
chose
His work has taken him across the globe.
Weberman, who keeps in contact with Sachs. "He's
to address an issue that should be of great
In the late 1980s, Sachs tackled the hyper-
the most decent person you'd ever want to meet. He
concern to all of us; one of the biggest prob-
inflation that devastated Bolivia's economy.
always impressed me as someone who could do pret-
lems in the world. No one is willing to attack
He followed his success there by helping
ty much whatever he wanted."
this thing with as much panaChe and fervor,"
Poland's labor leader and later president Lech
Jack Driker of West Bloomfield, who used to walk
Rabbi Wine says.
Walesa create a market economy with a radi-
"What
I
remember
most
about
Jeff
when
Rabbi Wine
cal program that also was a great success.
REPAIRING THE WORLD on page 18
he was growing up was his
He met his match in Russia where, after two
maturity," says his older sister
years, depending on whether you ask a fan or a crit-
Andrea,
a senior reporter at Time fot
ic, he was either unable to overcome internal
20
years.
"No drag racing up and _
Russian political forces or didn't have the right plan.
down Woodward for this kid. H _ e was
Traveling widely and regularly, Sachs keeps an eye
always thoughtful."
open for thejewish communities in the countries
She says the only thing her
-
he visits.
younger brother didn't excel at as a
"It was great to see a lot of the synagogues open
child was singing. "Listening to him
and start up again in Eastern Europe in the .1990s,"
practice for his bar mitzvah [at
Congregation Beth Shalom in 1967]
was sheer torture!"
Andrea has enjoyed following her
effrey Sachs returns- to Michigan to speak at .
magazine's fascination with her
the Birmingham Temple at 3:30 p.m.
brother. "I wish I could claim credit,
Thursday, May 5. His appearance will honor the
but none of this had anything to do
memory of his father, Theodore "Ted" Sachs, a
with me. The media has taken more
prominent labor attorney and leading
and more notice of Jeff, and my
Democratic Party activist who died in 2001
magazine is no exception."
Born in 1929, Ted Sachs graduated from
But that doesn't mean she hasn't
Detroit's Central High School and Wayne State
been affected by it.
University, where he was an all-A student. He
"It has been extraordinary to have
attended the University of Michigan Law School
my personal life and work life merge
in Ann Arbor and became editor in chief of its
in this way," she says. "Jeff's first .big
prestigious law review.
appearance in Time was when he was
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., called Sachs "a
named one of the '50 Most
superbly brilliant lawyer and magnificent human
Promising Leaders Age 40 and
being. His impact on law and society was
Under' in 1994." The then-Stanford
immeasurable."
University Provost Dr. Condoleezza
"Ted has been a personal inspiration for me,"
Rice appeared on the same page.
says West Bloomfield attorney David Fink, a life-
"I don't think there was any better
long friend of the family. "Ted changed the face
education available than what my
of politics across America with his work on the
children received in the Oak Park
one-person, one-vote case he argued before the
Public Schools," says Joan Sachs,
Supreme Court in 1964. It may have been the
who proudly confirmed that her son
most important political decision in the U.S.
"Jeffrey" was both president and vale-
Supreme Court in the 20th century."
dictorian of his senior class. Last year,
The case set the principle that state .legislatures,
she moved to New York to be near •
both the House and Senate, had to apportion
her children and grandchildren. Her
Froni top:
seats on the basis of population rather than geog-
son is married to pediatrician Dr.
Jeff Sachs celebrates his 50th birthday last. Nnember with his family,
raphy. The case empowered urban voters and led
Sonia Ehrlich Sachs, and they have
Adam, 19; Lisa, 22; wife, Sonia; and Hannah, 9.
to Democratic gains in Michigan and many
three children: Lisa, 22; Adam, 19;
other states. El
and Hannah, 9.
-- Don Cohen
Jeff Sachs with his mom, Joan, and late father, Ted
Harry Weberman of Farmington

Honoring Ted Sachs

W

%TN'

4/28

2005

17

