Special Report ON THE COVER Future from page A20 2006 • • At the Jewish high school's fourth commencement ceremony, it was renamed the Jean and Samuel Frankel Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit, honor- ing the $20 million gift from the Frankel family that endowed and helps operate the school. • Establishment of community pillars for the future – Jewish education and the elderly, with a goal of $50 million each. 2007 • • Continued development in P2K Central Galilee region in Israel. Funding of the PACT (Parents and Teachers Together) program in Netanya. Israel Emergency Fund raised $15 million that made a tremendous impact in Israel fol- lowing the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. 2008 • • Israel at 60 celebration, including a community concert at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit and "A Fair To Remember," which drew 16,000 people in August to the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit for a tribute to Israel. • No Family Stands Alone, a response to emergency needs in our community through Housing Assistance Funds. • Steinhardt, Davidson and Applebaum families – special projects nationally and globally. Source: Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit A20 October 23 • 2008 JN Aronson with philanthropists Nancy Grand and Max Fisher in 2000 U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, with Aronson at 'A Fair to Remember' this past August. helped us and guided us and personally encouraged me to find new vehicles for philanthropy. I've learned a lot from Bob — how to structure gifts, how to use a gift to encourage other gifts and create momentum in the community — and hope to continue learning. I look forward to his continued involvement in the com- munity. He's a great mentor and friend!' tion as possible, and for this community to continue to be strong and grow — a legacy he'd like to leave to this community" Aronson, who lives in Bloomfield Hills, and his former wife, Laura Aronson, have raised his three children here — Max, 23, who works in TV production in Los Angeles; Natasha, 21, a University of Michigan senior; and Isaac, 14, a freshman at Birmingham Groves High School. "What's special about Detroit is the people — the extraordinary people and the community:' Aronson said. "It's absolutely true. We're an unusually warm, close-knit, giving, humble community. Not flashy and not based on material acquisitions like others!' Penny Blumenstein, search committee chair, said, "We've been very lucky; people don't stay in place that long. Bob is ingrained in our society here. People don't think of the Detroit Federation without thinking of Bob Aronson. "Hopefully, we'll find a good per- son to manage and integrate into the community. You always think when someone is changing posi- tion, how can we do without them? You grow and get new direction and inspiration. Bob has been an excep- - Edgar M. Bronfman tional person. How often do you get someone of his caliber — not only in raising money, but with a vision of what our community should look like, who then goes out and raises money to get it done. We are in a very good position keeping a top professional doing what he does best. It's win-win for everybody" New York philanthropist Michael Steinhardt, chairman of the Ns parent company, Jewish Renaissance Media, looks forward to contin- ued work with Aronson on such initiatives as Birthright Israel. "He's a guy whose potential capacity I'm not sure has been fully tapped;' Steinhardt said. "He's an able guy who can do great many things; he has never with me seemed to be unable to do anything I've asked him to do. I know sometimes he has plenty more to do, but he's still able to fulfill any mission I've asked of him. Because of his success in Detroit and as a fundraiser, and his success as an innovator, I think he's in great demand, and I don't know how that will ultimately wind up. I'm pleased to be associated with him!' Aronson, too, is uncertain about his long-term career. He knows it will not be to another full-time job, but it will involve working with philanthropic families, which he finds "fun and a great experience?' Maybe, with the transition, he will find more time to work in his art studio at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he creates etchings inspired by his drawings. "My eventual goal," Aronson said, "is yet to be written!' Toward The Future "The challenges are clear — bringing young people back home, meeting people's needs in this economic spiral and building lead- ership as our community ages,"Aronson said. "The economy impacts every part of life. We have to ensure Jewish life is accessible to those in need so they don't have to jump through hoops. That's a fundamen- tal short-term challenge. I hope the day never comes when we can't afford assistance to families. "We have a greater shared Jewish destiny — the obligation to care for other Jews around the world, and this community should be a light to other communities;' Aronson said. He sees job creation as the key to attracting Detroit's young adults back home. "The quality of Jewish life in Detroit is at the top in America;' he said. "Now is an opportunity. There are a lot of young people with MBAs and in financial services who move to New York who won't find jobs, and many already are out of work. If we can develop a job bank quickly, we could recapture some young people!' In Los Angeles, where Federation recently had an outreach event, he said he could tell the difference in the Detroit young adults. "They understand Israel; they go to synagogue; they connect with each other; and most will find leadership roles because of who they are as Detroiters," he said. Aronson hopes to continue to influence the shaping of Jewish Detroit, but says it depends on the new CEO and the leadership. "As the boss, you get to launch crazy ideas like the Millennium Campaign — people thought it was crazy and we'd never do it," Aronson said. "I will be myself, and that's part of the package!' He does admit that he will miss sitting at the head of the board- room conference table. "It will be hard to leave some things behind, but if they have value, they will continue to grow in strength and influence beyond my tenure," he said. "Federation will be a priority for Bob," said current Federation President Nancy Grosfeld."He has deep roots here and he cares about this community. The goal is to make this as smooth a transi- "I am quite confident that Bob will be able to do on the national and perhaps international scale what he has so ably done in Detroit." ❑ For a related Editor's Letter, see page AS.