FACING PAGE:
“Mr. Shir Shalom”
Art Fishman with
Rabbis Daniel
Schwartz and
Michael Moskowitz
and Executive
Director Andre
Douville.
TOP LEFT: Wearing
his other important
hat: Fishman is a
proud WWII vet
and commander of
Jewish War Veterans
Post 510.
BOTTOM LEFT:
Art in 1942

Rabbi Michael Moskowitz describes
Art as being “part of the fabric of
Temple Shir Shalom. He’s the first to
offer his support, is tireless in his com-
mitment and boundless in his energy.”
Rabbi Daniel Schwartz says, “When
I first came to Temple Shir Shalom,
Art was introduced to me as ‘Mr. Shir
Shalom.’ Whenever you need help,
without being asked, Art is already
there, jumping in and getting to work.”
Shir Shalom president Joshua
Sherbin adds, “Art and my dad
graduated together from Central High
School. From the school pictures, Art’s
smile had the same warmth and ener-
gy it has today! And his work ethic
and humility is a model for us all.”

AMAZING ROLE MODEL
Art’s life outside of temple is equally
fast-paced; much of his time is con-
sumed by his commitment to his fel-
low Jewish War Veterans. A WWII vet-
eran of both the U.S. Army Air Corps
Cadet program and the U.S. Navy, Art
is now commander of JWV Post 510.
He is a champion for all veterans.
He never misses a Veteran’s Day
Parade or the JWV annual Christmas
Day outing to the Battle Creek VA
Medical Center. He’s also a proud
member of the JWV Honor Guard;
always on call to pay tribute for a
Detroit-area veteran who has passed.
The secret to his success? Art
knows how to strike a healthy bal-
ance in his life, even while he owned
a mortgage company, ran Detroit’s
Ethnic Festival for mayor Coleman A.
Young, managed his own commercial
and residential properties in Florida,

and maintained a dozen cars, includ-
ing a vintage Ferrari.
Art has mastered the fine “art”
of multi-tasking, but never at the
expense of his family.
He’s been an extraordinary role
model to his sons Marc, Gary and Rick
and their families. He recognized that
his wife Jeanne, of blessed memory,
was a business woman ahead of her
time and supported her fully in her
pursuit of becoming an accomplished
antiques dealer. And when Jeanne
took ill several years ago, Art dedi-
cated his every waking moment to her
care and comfort.
Ryan Fishman of Birmingham,
Art’s 28-year old grandson, knows his
grandfather personifies tikkun olam
and happily shares his grandfather
with the greater community.
“My grandfather has become a
surrogate uncle, father and grandfa-
ther to hundreds, if not thousands of
people in our community,” he says.
“It’s astounding how often I hear sto-
ries about how he’s touched so many
lives. He is a remarkable point of pride
for us.”
Another Benjamin Franklin quote
offers a fitting conclusion to this
tribute to an extraordinary man.
“Dost thou love life? Then do not
squander time, for that is the stuff
life is made of.”
Art Fishman has not squandered
a single moment in his 90 years. And
his family, temple, country and com-
munity is better off for it. •

To attend Art’s birthday event at 6:30
p.m. Saturday, March 4, at Shir Shalom,
call (248) 737-8700. RSVP by Feb. 28 .

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February 23 • 2017

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