metro

Berman Gathers
National Acclaim

Robert Sklar

I Contributing Editor

M

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12

May 23 • 2013

andell "Bill" Berman, at
age 95 the dean of Detroit
Jewry's philanthropists and
a giant among supporters of Jewish
education and Jewish demographic and
archival research, has earned a pres-
tigious honor rooted in the American
Revolution.
On April 19, the Franklin resident
learned he was elected a Fellow of the
American Academy of Arts & Sciences,
Wide Ranging Support
principally because of his humanitarian
The Mandell and Madeleine Berman
work through the Mandell and Madeleine Foundation awards about $5 million
Berman Foundation he created with his
each year toward Jewish and non-Jewish
wife of 63 years.
causes at a ratio of
As expressed in
about 60:40.
its 1780 charter, the
In Detroit, the belea-
Academy aims to "cul-
guered city where both
tivate every art and
Bill and Madge grew up,
science which may
the Foundation address-
tend to advance the
es such efforts as hun-
interest, honor, dignity
ger relief. It funds field
and happiness of a free,
trips for Brightmoor
independent and virtu-
neighborhood students
ous people"
and music programs for
"I'm immensely flat- Madeleine "Ma dge" and
charter school students.
tered" Berman, still
For qualifying Detroit
Mandell "Bill" Berman
working a few hours a
residents near gradua-
day at MLB Investments in Southfield,
tion at Wayne State University but lack-
told the IN after receiving notification
ing in funding, the Foundation provides
from Academy chair Louis Cabot. "I'm
scholarships to encourage them to
very proud"
complete their degree and hopefully help
Berman, who got his start in the
reinvigorate the city. This initiative has
building business with brother-in-law
assisted at least 60 students and expects
Bert Smokier in 1946 after serving as a
to help another 35 this year.
naval officer, added, "I'm joining a pretty
The Foundation also funds scholar-
significant group"
ships for Detroit residents attending
the College for Creative Studies and is
Notable Roster
exploring other Detroit-centered schol-
Academy founders included John
arship opportunities.
Adams, James Bowdoin, Benjamin
On the Jewish side, the Foundation
Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George
supports Jewish education and research,
Washington.
Jewish identity building and study of the
Fellows have ranged from Ralph
American Jewish community. In Israel,
Waldo Emerson and Alexander Graham
the Foundation focuses on employing
Bell to John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther
and educating Arab citizens to help them
King Jr., Margaret Mead and Jonas Salk.
assimilate into Israeli society. In Detroit,
Honorary members of the Academy
the Foundation assists Motor City
were Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein
Moishe House, Isaac Agree Downtown
and Winston Churchill.
Synagogue and Hillel of Metro Detroit.
Paul Zuckerman, who founded Velvet
Peanut Butter and became a philanthro-
There's More
Berman is founder of the North
pist before his death at age 73 in 1986, is
American Jewish Data Bank at JFNA in
the only other Detroit Jew elected to the
New York City and co-founder of the
Academy.
Berman Jewish Policy Archive at New
Berman Imprint
York University.
In Ann Arbor, Berman built the Hillel.
The Academy boasts 4,600 American
Fellows and 600 foreign honorary
He relishes having imagined the con-
members. The 2013 class of 198 people
cept for the Detroit Federation's Jewish
will be inducted Oct. 11-12 at House of
Experiences for Families, a program that
the Academy in Cambridge, Mass. The
became a national model.
Academy honors exceptional achieve-
Says Berman: "I just enjoy what I
ment, drawn from science, scholarship,
do" ❑

-

LOWER SCHOOL:

provides its students with a

business, public affairs and the arts.
Berman earned an undergraduate
degree and a MBA from Harvard. He is
former president of the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit and the Jewish
Federations of North America (JFNA).
He has been a lead funder of national and
local Jewish population studies.
In 2009, the Bermans gave $4 mil-
lion toward the Berman Center for
the Performing Arts at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield.

mi