jews d
BELLO PHOTOGRAPHY
on the cover
in
the
Scholar and Mentsh
Son of Detroit Jewish immigrants will bring a vibrant voice to Harvard as its next president.
KIM LIFTON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T
he official residence of Harvard University’s presi-
dent has had a rich history of owners and tenants
since its construction in 1767, including the father
of gerrymandering, an owner of plantations in Antigua, an
American Revolutionary War loyalist, a Harvard professor
and a romantic poet.
But it’s never had a kosher kitchen. Until now.
Pontiac native Lawrence “Larry” Bacow, who takes over
the helm of Harvard’s presidency July 1 after Drew Gilpin
Faust retires, will hang a mezuzah on the front door of the
residence and kasher the kitchen. It’s what he does; Bacow’s
Jewish heritage is important to him.
He kashered the kitchen at Tufts when he served as that
university’s first Jewish president from 2001 till 2011. (Before
taking the Tufts job, Bacow was the chancellor at MIT.)
“I am a vegetarian and I keep kosher,” explained Bacow,
66, an economist, attorney, professor, environmental policy
expert and one of the most experienced and respected leaders
in American higher education. He will be Harvard’s 29th (and
third Jewish) president. “My wife (Adele) and I started keeping
kosher when we bought our first house. I say the Motzi and
Kiddish and light Shabbat candles on Friday night.”
He follows Jewish presidents Neil Rudenstine (1991-2001)
and Lawrence Summers (2001-2006).
Bacow’s late father, Mitchell, an attorney, came to the U.S.
as a refugee from the pogroms of Eastern Europe when he
was a child; he worked during the day and attended Wayne
TOP: Larry Bacow officiated at the wedding of Randi
Spoon and Mike Evelson, the youngest daughter of
his friends, Alan and Terri (Alper) Spoon. Bacow offi-
ciated at the weddings of all three Spoon children,
Randi, Ryan and Leigh.
ABOVE: Larry Bacow graced the cover of the JN when
he was named president of Tufts University.
State University at night. His late mother, Ruth, was a sur-
vivor of Auschwitz who arrived in the United States after
World War II at age 19. The Bacows lived in Pontiac, and later
Orchard Lake. They attended Congregation B’nai Israel in
Pontiac; during high school, Larry Bacow was the regional
treasurer of Central Region United Synagogue Youth.
“I would not be standing here today, literally, if this coun-
try had turned its back on my parents,” Bacow said during
a news conference following the announcement he would
lead Harvard. “My parents came to this country with literally
nothing. I wouldn’t be here if my father hadn’t had the oppor-
tunity to get a college education.”
Bacow’s road to the top Harvard job was not intentional.
After leaving Tufts in 2011, he began planning for his retire-
ment. When his name emerged as a perfect candidate, he was
teaching and fundraising for Harvard, and was also on the
search committee to replace President Faust.
The Harvard job was tough to turn down. He had already
enjoyed a storied career in higher education with experi-
ence on the teaching and administrative sides, plus a his-
tory of successful fundraising. Perhaps making him even
better for the job was the fact that he is known as a bridge
builder who is not only gifted intellectually, but also com-
mitted to diversity in education — and genuine, understated
and approachable.
“I try to be an effective advocate for higher education,” Bacow
said. “That requires us to engage with all sorts of different people
continued on page 12
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June 28 • 2018
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