metro

Let h

A Lifetime Of Giving

U-M Hillel's former director Michael Brooks
is honored for his distinctive leadership.

Michael Brooks, longtime executive
director of the University of Michigan
Hillel, received the Hillel International
Edgar M. Bronfman Award in late May
at the organization's Renaissance
Gala in New York.
The award is presented to a Hillel
professional who has served the
movement with distinction and honor.
"Thanks to Michael's leadership,
the University of Michigan Hillel is
among the most active and broadly
based centers of Jewish life in North
America," said Eric Fingerhut, Hillel
International's president and CEO.
"We are truly grateful for his 30
years of dedicated service."
Now retired, Brooks continues

t k car

• IV

OTT)

With great ra
even better sta
speediest buse
business, trust
to get you to th
Qwik as a fl

Zachary Berlin
Special to the Jewish News

EMS

H

0 0

Save ti
Reserve o
qwikpark.

7782 Merriman Rd., Ro

SMITH RD

10 ,

W

E

DTW

Exit 198 from 1-94
Exit 20 from 1-275

S

<PAR16.

1.888.844.7275 • qwikpark.c

200293

14

e sits in the lobby of Hillel at

the University of Michigan,
wondering whether or not he
should take the job as executive director.
A few students trickle in every hour or
so. They seem happy, but it's a bit slow
and quiet.
This could be good, he thinks. I will
have plenty of time to teach a few stu-
dents, continue studying Torah and help
build a Jewish community on a great
college campus.
After more than 30 years with
Michael Brooks as Hillel's executive
director, much of this is still true; but
one thing has changed — the building is
far from slow and quiet.
Currently supporting more than 60
student organizations, Hillel is one of
the most active and dynamic groups on
campus. On a Friday night, it's common
to see hundreds of students, professors
and administrators from all different
backgrounds enjoying a Shabbat dinner
together at Hillel.
Anyone who has had a conversation
with Michael knows he is a person who
believes in 11 principles. One is that "if
we really want to leave a legacy, it's best
that we don't get credit for it:' Because
of this, it's almost impossible to truly
summarize all of Michael's accomplish-
ments, both as executive director of
U-M Hillel and as one of the more
prominent leaders in our Jewish com-
munity.
During his tenure, he constantly
played a role behind the scenes. He
helped connect the dots for students

to lecture and consult widely on
strengthening and stretching the
boundaries of the Jewish community
and creating an institutional and
community culture that will signal
to Jews that it is a privilege to be a
part of, participate in and support
the Jewish community.
In 1997, Brooks also received the
prestigious Covenant Award, which
annually honors the country's top
Jewish educators.
On June 24, he was honored
locally by U-M Hillel at a Golden
Apple Award reception at the
Berman Center for the Performing
Arts in West Bloomfield. U-M's
Golden Apple Award was Brooks'

The true work he has
accomplished is in
improving our culture
and attempting to
create a more
perfect world.

trying to accomplish their goals. He
helped to clear obstacles that stood in
the way of an organization's success. He
helped start and guide student groups
that attempted to create a more perfect
world.
One group is Consider Magazine, a
point-counterpoint publication that
exposes students to contradictory view-
points and shows that in this age of
polarization you don't have to take sides;
something can be both right and wrong.
Another is TAMID, an organization
started when Hillel students were rattled
by divestment movements on campus
and wanted to ensure investment from
colleges across the country would always
go to Israel. The program now teaches
students the fundamentals of investing,
consulting and even sends a select num-
ber of students to Israel each summer
to intern for Israeli tech startups, banks
and venture capital firms.
And, under Michael's guidance, this
program has a full-time staff, headquar-
ters in Washington, D.C., and has spread
to more than 20 universities across the
country.

brainchild, a way for students to
recognize teacher excellence at the
university.
Proceeds from this reception go
to the new Michael Brooks Legacy
Fund, which will support priori-
ties important to Brooks, including
leadership initiatives, innovative
programming and staff development.
To donate, go to www.michiganhillel.
org/michaelbrookslegacyfund.
Brooks was introduced at the
reception by Zachary Berlin, a U-M
graduate from Farmington Hills who
headed Consider Magazine on cam-
pus, a project supported by Brooks.
Berlin offers the following tribute to
his friend and mentor.

His Real Work

But the true work he has accomplished
is in improving our culture and attempt-
ing to create a more perfect world.
There's an anecdote Michael often
tells to some of the leaders he advises
about creating sustainable organiza-
tions. The story is about two musicals:
the Sound of Music and Mary Poppins.
In the Sound of Music, a woman
comes in, fixes up a family and, at the
end of the story, that woman marries
the husband and stays with the family
forever.
In Mary Poppins, a woman comes in,
fixes up a family and, at the end of the
story, opens up her umbrella and flies
away. And, the improvements she makes
are there for good.
Although Michael's time as executive
director has ended, he has transformed
University of Michigan's Hillel into one
of the best in the country. He has cre-
ated a culture where students can voice
different ideas, are inspired to take
action and lead, and can find success if
they are willing to work for it.
We all know the world is far from
perfect and often college campuses
can be a battleground for bigger global
issues such as race, gender, identity and
religion. There's still too much crime
in the world. There are still too many
transgressions in churches, temples and
mosques throughout our country. There
are still too many injustices in our cities
and on our streets.
But because of Michael Brooks, the
world will forever be a more perfect
place for everyone. And that's just the
beginning of his legacy.

❑

