Securing Our Future

Karen and Norman z”l Pollak Honor the Jewish Values of Their Parents
Through a Gift to the Centennial Fund

“I

feel it is important to support the Jewish

Fund will ensure that the Pollaks’ legacy continues to

community and its causes because if we don’t

help their fellow Jews for many generations to come.

support our own, who else will?” These are the words

of Karen Pollak, a longtime supporter of Federation

and Jewish Detroit who, on behalf of her brother

Norman (z”l) Pollak, is a recent donor to the Centen-

nial Fund. “We grew up in a home in which our

The Centennial Fund is the central endowment campaign

for ensuring the long-term security of Jewish Detroit.

Norman was an Orthopedic Surgeon and Karen a school

guidance counselor and both strongly believed in the

power of education. “Jewish education was important to

parents, Perrie and Alexander, donated to many

our parents and always emphasized in our home,” says

Jewish causes and always belonged to a synagogue.

Karen. “Knowing how critical security is for our day

Norman would often quote my father as saying

schools in the present climate, I decided to name Jewish

‘you take care of your own.’” In particular, Karen

School Security as one of the beneficiaries of this gift.”

remembers her parents’ support for their fellow Jews

The donation will also support Escorted Transportation.

who had been in the Holocaust and their love for the

“Our mother lived to be 101 and there were times when

state of Israel. This deep commitment formed the

she needed transportation,” she recalls. “Respect and

basis of Norman and Karen’s own commitment to the

good treatment of our elders is an important Jewish

Jewish people. Throughout his life, Norman was an

value that we were taught growing up. Tzedakah is

advocate and supporter of both Israel and his local

something that was ingrained in us from a very early age

Jewish community, and he remained a generous,

and I am very happy to keep this tradition alive with this

though quiet, donor. Their gift to the Centennial

donation to the Centennial Fund.”

June 9 • 2016

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