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HealthRise Solutions employees show company spirit.

Journey Of Commitment

Adam Finkel | Contributing Writer

D

avid Farbman is a Renaissance
man — a hunter, a philanthropist,
a serial entrepreneur, a committed
Jew. He’s certainly not your typical young
Detroit businessman.
Take his penchant for hunting, for
instance. Several deer heads are mounted on
his office wall. He could tell you about the
three years he spent hunting a “savvy old
buck” named Elvis in northern Michigan —
and never bagged him. He’s so connected
to the outdoor activity — suggested by his
father long ago — that he named his three
sons Hunter, River and Fischer.
If Farbman had outsmarted Elvis, it
would have been a proud day. But likely not
an iota prouder than on Tuesday, March
15. On that day, Farbman — on the hunt
for meaning, like all of us — had found his
match.
At a meeting of the board of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit,
Farbman announced a $1 million commit-
ment to Federation. In just about four min-
utes, life had come full circle for him.

Businessman David Farbman makes pledge
to the Jewish community … and Detroit.

David and Nadine Farbman with sons Fischer, Hunter and River

Farbman began by looking at his own
Jewish journey and the pride he feels with
his children’s confidence in their Jewish
identity, which his wife, Nadine, is a vital
part of nurturing as well.
Then he told an anecdote about how
Rabbi Avi Cohen of Partners in Torah —
during a friendship over many years —
inspired him to see how philanthropy is like
letting sunlight into your neshamah (soul).
Standing next to Nadine, he got emotional
announcing he’s “all in” to his philanthropic
commitment to Jewish Detroit.
He’s not just a check writer, but a next-
generation donor willing to leverage his
resources to keep the community strong and
successful.
Instantly, he became the youngest major
donor to the Federation’s Centennial cam-
paign. Half of that $1 million will be allocat-
ed to Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills,
where his children are students. Hillel’s
influence on his sons has created a Jewish
shift at their home in Bloomfield Hills,
Farbman says. During the interview, he
spoke about becoming more serious about
his own Shabbat observance.

continued on page 12

10 March 31 • 2016