metro
American Dream
JN Foundation Archives paint a full view
of Taubman's life and accomplishments.
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hile the accompanying
ship hat. Taubman was active with the
Apartments in safety and dignity.
pages of today's edition of
Detroit Chapter of Brandeis University
Taubman's business philosophy earned
the Detroit Jewish News
and, by 1960, served as its president. He
him both friends and foes. But Taubman's
capture the extraordinary
was elected a fellow of the
activism earned him the distinction of
life of A. Alfred Taubman
university in 1962. His first
being on the infamous "enemies list" of
and his legacy as a business
notable involvement with
President Richard Nixon, revealed in
pioneer, philanthropic vision-
Israel was in 1960, when
1973 by Nixon aide John W. Dean III.
ary and Jewish community
he was selected to chair the
Other Detroiters on the list included
leader — the Detroit Jewish
Detroit advisory committee
Harold Berry and Vivian Berry.
News Foundation's William
for the newly created Israel
The archive contains pages of testi-
Davidson Digital Archive of
Investment Authority.
mony to Taubman's generosity, especially
Along with Max Fisher
Jewish Detroit History tells a
to the University of Michigan and its
and Henry Ford II, Taubman
compelling story of a young
medical research efforts, the Detroit
Art h u r M.
man climbing the ladder to
was one of the "three amigos" Institute of Arts, Lawrence Technological
Hor witz
the American Dream.
who achieved notable busi-
University, College for Creative Studies
Publi sher/
The archive, compris-
ness success. Most referenced
and the Wayne State University Law
Executiv e Editor were the 1977 purchase and
ing approximately 280,000
School's Damon J. Keith Center for Civil
pages of Detroit Jewish News
sale of the 120-square-mile
Rights. Annually, Taubman made sub-
content dating to its March
Irvine Ranch in Southern
stantial gifts to the Jewish Federation of
27, 1942, first edition, contains almost
California — a parcel displacing almost
Metropolitan Detroit's annual campaign.
900 references to Taubman (access www.
as much acreage as the city of Detroit —
After reviewing each of the book's 116
djnfoundation.org and type A. Alfred
and the 1983 acquisition of the distressed pages with me, Taubman looked up from
Taubman or Al Taubman in the subject
Sotheby Park Bernet auction house. But
the desk in his Bloomfield Hills office,
line). Taubman, a chair of the Detroit
the three also played critical roles in the
pushed his chair back slightly and with
Jewish News Foundation honorary board
Detroit Renaissance project to develop
a twinkle in his eye joked, "With all of
along with Mandell L. Berman, Eugene
the city's riverfront.
things I was doing, when did I have time
Applebaum, the Hon. Avern Cohn and
Fisher and Taubman collaborated on
for my business?"
While a jury in the price-fixing suit
Michael H. Steinhardt, received a "this is
additional ventures, including the Detroit
your life" 116-page book — derived from
Riverfront Apartments and the Michigan
involving Sotheby's and its arch-rival,
archival content about him — in 2014 for Panthers of the United States Football
Christie's, returned a guilty verdict
his support of the Foundation.
League. In 1979, they were poised to
against Taubman in 2001, Taubman told
As thousands of Detroiters have done
purchase the American League Baltimore Detroit Jewish News reporter Bill Carroll
before and since, Taubman placed notices
Orioles from Jerrold Hoffberger, but the
in an exclusive 2004 interview, "If I didn't
in the Jewish News for his impending
deal was not consummated. Taubman
laugh about it, I would cry"
marriages (Reva Kolodney in 1948 and
shared with me that Fisher talked him
Although the Sotheby's verdict was
Judy Rounick in 1982), the births of his
out of buying the Orioles, telling him
the way some media outlets, especially
three children (Gayle Anne on Feb. 4,
they would soon have an opportunity to
the New York Times, chose to frame
1951; Robert Steven on Dec. 27, 1953; and purchase the Detroit Tigers instead. That
Taubman's obituary and define his life,
William Stuart on Dec. 21, 1958) and even
opportunity didn't materialize.
the Detroit Jewish News Foundation's
Gayle's June 6, 1965, confirmation from
Notably, Fisher, Taubman and U.S.
William Davidson Digital Archive of
Temple Israel, with a reception to follow at
Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith
Jewish Detroit History paints a fuller,
his Bell Road home in Southfield.
partnered to help assure that civil rights
fairer and more remarkable picture of a
Parallel to starting a family and
man who was — and will remain — a
icon Rosa Parks lived her remain-
launching the Taubman Company in
community icon.
ing years at the Detroit Riverfront
1950 (and growing it into a builder of
homes, stores, shopping centers and
Speedway gas stations), Taubman also
made time for the Jewish community.
Before the end of the decade, he had
earned leadership positions with the
Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit's
Allied Jewish Campaign, including co-
chair of the carpenter's section of the
real estate and building division and
chair of the full division. Often paired
with Irwin Green, Arthur Howard or Sol
Eisenberg, Taubman continued to ascend
Federation's leadership ranks, attaining
a coveted vice-chairmanship role for the
1965 general campaign. He held leader-
ship positions with the Allied Jewish
Pre-Campaign meeting, 1962: A. Alfred Taubman, Sol Eisenberg, Paul
Campaign through the early 1980s.
Zuckerman, Irving Kane, Max Fisher and Charles Gershenson.
He wore more than one Jewish leader-
❑
14 April 23 • 2015