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REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY, 2012-2013
2012-2013 Highlights
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•
Board of Directors organized; first meeting held in April
of 2012
•
Creation of six-minute video about the Foundation and
the digitization project
•
ArcaSearch selected to preserve, digitize and make
accessible more than 260,000 pages of Jewish News
content dating to 1942; fully searchable archive on
schedule for public access by end of 2013
•
More than 325 attend presentation by National Yiddish
Book Center Founder Aaron Lansky in October, to
benefit the Foundation
•
•
Nearly 650 people contributed and/or pledged to the
Foundation and the digitization project
Mike Smith, veteran archivist who has directed the
activities of the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State
University, including its Jewish communal holdings,
retained as archival consultant
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29200 Northwestern Hwy.
Suite 110
Southfield, MI 48034
248-354-6060
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jonathan Aaron
Kari Alterman
Pamela Applebaum
Mark Bernstein
Kevin Browett
Daniel Cherrin
Ben Falik
Jonathan Frank
Arthur Horwitz
Lena Epstein Koretzky
Matthew Lester
Donald Lifton
Martin Maddin
Robin Schwartz
Sarai Brachman Shoup
HONORARY CHAIRS:
Eugene Applebaum
Mandell L. Berman
The Hon. Avern Cohn
Michael Steinhardt
A. Alfred Taubman
HONORARY BOARD:
Peter Alter
Robert Aronson
Harlene Appelman
Penny Blumenstein
Eugene Driker
Irwin Field
Dr. Conrad Giles
Dr. Lynda Giles
Nancy Grosfeld
Doreen Hermelin
Larry Jackier
Aaron Lansky
Florine Mark
Professor Deborah Dash
Moore
Robert Naftaly
David Page
Norman Pappas
Dulcie Rosenfeld
Mark Schlussel
Alan E. Schwartz
Jane Sherman
Joel Tauber
Mary Lou Simons Zieve
To make a donation to the
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.thejewishnews.com
and click on the word "donate"
at the top right portion
of the home page.
38
June 20 • 2013
A
s smoke and flames engulfed the Southfield offices of the
Jewish News that terrible day in January of 2002, I remember
feelings of relief and despair. The relief stemmed from the fact
that nobody was in the building at the time. The despair was
triggered by the realization that the entire original archive of the Jewish
News— every issue ever printed since 1942 and containing a deep
history of our community and the tens of thousands of individuals who
helped shape it — was in jeopardy of being destroyed.
But the sturdy bookcases enveloping the original bound volumes
sheltered most of them from irreplaceable damage. And an off-site
set of microfilm assured that content from those volumes that didn't
survive would still be accessible.
The Detroit Jewish News Foundation, Inc., an independent 501 (c)
(3) non-profit organization, was initially formed in 2011. But in many
ways, its birth can be traced to the fire and the realization that the
content of the Jewish News is a community asset for the ages. From
birth and wedding announcements to obituaries, from the names of
Detroit Jewish soldiers in uniform during World War II to the struggles
to combat anti-Semitism to the creation of the state of Israel, this trove
of information had been out of sight and woefully underutilized.
Thanks to your interest, encouragement and financial support,
the entire content of the Jewish News, more than 260,000 pages, is
being preserved and digitized in an easy-to-search online format. The
Foundation board, comprising many of the community's best young
leaders and advised by an esteemed honorary board, is on track to have
the data base and accompanying software tested, refined and ready for
use by the end of 2013.
But more needs to be done to assure that the information will be
accessed and utilized to its fullest potential, and that the long-term
vitality of the Foundation is secured.
In addition to the development of an attractive and easy to use entry
site for the digital archive, continuous updating of software applications
and content (the community's newest history) is a must. The Foundation
is also securing the services of an archivist, assuring content is accessed
frequently and intelligently. And, the Foundation will convene forums,
town hall-style gatherings and other assemblages to "bring to life"
Jewish News content, making it relevant for current community leaders.
If you made a charitable gift to the Detroit Jewish News Foundation,
thank you! We are very appreciative of your continuing support in
2013. If you are considering an initial gift to the Foundation, please
know that you will be helping to assure that our community history,
and your family history, will always be available and easily accessible to
you and future generations.
To make a donation to the Foundation, go to the
website www.thejewishnews.com and click on
the word "donate" at the top right portion of
the home page.
On behalf of the entire board, thank you for continuing to assist us
in preserving and bringing to your fingertips this community treasure.
Appreciatively,
Arthur Horwitz
President
JN FOUNDATION RETAINS ARCHIVIST
M
ichael Smith, a veteran archivist who has directed
intimately acquainted with our Jewish community and its outsized
the activities of the Walter P. Reuther Library
impact on Detroit, the country and Israel."
at Wayne State University, including its
"I am extremely pleased to work with the
Jewish communal holdings, has joined the Detroit Jewish
Jewish News Foundation on this most exciting
News Foundation as its archival consultant.
and important project," Smith stated. "I have
Smith will help guide the Foundation and its board of
learned much over the years working with the
directors in planning and structuring the 260,000-page
Jewish community while reading the Jewish News.
Jewish News archive, which dates to the publication's
I admire the significant contributions that Jews
founding in 1942 and will be fully digitized and available for
have made to the history of Detroit and Michigan,
public access before the end of 2013.
and this project will leave a lasting legacy for the
"We are pleased and honored to have someone of Mike's
community. I am deeply honored to be able to
caliber working with us to unlock, develop and enhance the Mic hael Smith
contribute to its success."
value of this treasure trove of information about our Detroit
Smith has been associated with the Walter
Jewish community and the thousands of people who helped to
Reuther Library since 1985 and served as its director for nine years.
shape it," Jewish News Foundation President Arthur Horwitz said.
He was nominated in 2009 for the position of Archivist of the
"While Mike is a nationally recognized expert whose knowledge
United States and was the 2012 Leonard N. Simons History Award
base straddles the digital and hard-copy archival worlds, he is
winner from the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan.