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in both political parties.”
Those who know him say Bacow is
well prepared for the financial and other
responsibilities that come with running
one of the world’s richest universities.
“I was not surprised he was offered
the job,” said his cousin, Joel Bacow of
Huntington Woods. “But I was surprised
he took it. He is genuine and approach-
able with a larger-than-life personal-
ity that is completely disarming. It’s so
inspiring to our family how humble he is.
Larry is always aware of where he came
from.”
Bacow On Higher
Education
At a family bar mitzvah
in 2012 in Pontiac: Adele
Bacow, with husband,
Larry (behind her), and first
cousins Gary and Elissa
Davis (seated) and Arnette
and Billy Davis.
Are colleges out of touch and
out of reach?
“The gap in lifetime earnings between
college grads and non-grads is bigger
than ever. While real cost has increased,
the return has never been higher. We
need to do a better job of explaining this
to students and their families and explain
the degree to which financial aid is avail-
able. At Harvard, if total family income is
$65,000 or less, [a student] pays nothing
to attend. About 20 percent of the stu-
dents at Harvard come from families that
meet that test.”
JEWISH TEACHINGS AND VALUES
No matter what he is doing, Bacow
imparts the musings of Talmudic scholars
into his philosophy. He has “picked up
Talmud from his friends who are rabbis,”
notably Wes Gardenswartz of his current
shul, Temple Emanuel in Newton, Mass.,
and Jeff Summit, the Hillel rabbi at Tufts.
He has taught at some of the world’s
greatest institutions (Harvard, MIT and
Tufts) and says he learns just as much
from his students as they learn from him.
“I am who I am,” Bacow said. “There is
a lot of richness in our Jewish teachings
that goes to important issues of values. I
have spent a lot of time in my life talking
to students. I learn from all people. I have
learned much from my teachers, more
from my colleagues and most from my
students. We can learn from anyone; it’s
important to understand that.”
Bacow recalls learning one of his great-
est life lessons from a student at Tufts.
Anna was homeless when she arrived on
campus. He was her academic adviser.
After her first week on campus, Anna
showed up to his office in tears.
She had not enrolled in student health
insurance because she was trying to save
money. She received a standard email
from the registrar, saying if she did not
enroll or demonstrate that she had health
insurance, her registration would be with-
drawn.
“She was in hysteria,” he recalled. “If
her registration were canceled, she would
have no place to live.” He helped Anna
work it out, but the situation was eye-
opening. Today, she is working on her
doctorate degree in sociology.
“I learned from her the struggles that
students who don’t have families that pre-
ceded them to college, who are on their
own, the issues they deal with in trying to
accommodate to Tufts, that we needed
to do more than admit them. We had to
ensure that once they arrived on our cam-
pus, they would thrive.”
The Jewish values Bacow’s parents
taught him have stayed with him and fol-
low him wherever he goes. He references
the Talmud when he delivers speeches,
and he often talks about the concept of
tikkun olam or repairing the world.
“I don’t know anyone who thinks the
12
June 28 • 2018
jn
world we live in is perfect,” he said. “If you
don’t think it is perfect, it is your respon-
sibility to repair it. It’s important for each
member of our community to engage. It’s
our responsibility to make the world a
better place.”
UNDER THE CHUPPAH
Bacow has been married for a long time.
In fact, he and Adele recently celebrated
their 43rd wedding anniversary. “They are
an amazing team; Harvard is lucky to be
getting them both,” Joel Bacow said. The
couple has two grown sons, Ken and Jay.
On the side, he’s officiated at four wed-
dings. In Massachusetts, the governor
can authorize a person to be a justice of
the peace for one day. That made it easy
for Bacow to say yes to a request from
his best friend, Alan Spoon, also from
Detroit, to officiate at the first of his three
children’s weddings. He served as justice
of the peace for the other two children as
well.
“Who knew my kids better?” said
Spoon, his friend of 48-plus years. “He
conducted the ceremony in Hebrew with
explanations. We had a cantor there, too.
“Larry talked about the kids because
he knew each of them. Then he told the
bride and groom to turn around and look
at the faces of love that were looking at
them.”
Added Bacow: “I probably shared some
advice Adele and I got from our mothers.
1) Treat your spouse as well as you would
treat a stranger. 2) It’s not a 50-50 proposi-
tion. Sometimes it is 90-10.”
Spoon, a partner at Polaris Partners (a
venture capital firm) in Boston, a member
of the MIT corporation and former presi-
dent of Newsweek and president, COO
and a director of the Washington Post
Company, described Bacow as “family.”
Ironically, the two never crossed paths
while living in Detroit. But they knew
about one another and finally met during
MIT’s freshman orientation in 1969. They
each joined the school’s sailing team and
roomed together at Harvard Law School.
Spoon said his friend is a perfect fit for
the top Harvard job.
“He is unflappable and as gracious as
can be, and grateful for the life he has
had,” Spoon said. “He is sensible. He
understands everything from science and
tech to current politics and how to run a
university.”
PROUD OF DETROIT ROOTS
Bacow has strong ties to Detroit. His
father’s sister Evelyn and brother Marty
still live in Detroit. He keeps in touch
often and visits Detroit a few times a
year. He came to Detroit last spring for
Joel and Deneen Bacow’s youngest son’s
bar mitzvah held at Temple Emanu-El in
Oak Park. He doesn’t like to miss family
gatherings.
And, while he could not get to Detroit
for Pesach, he called his aunt and uncle
the morning of the first seder to check in
and offer holiday greetings.
“He is a great nephew,” his Aunt Evelyn
Grant boasted. “We are so proud of him.
He is very family-oriented and keeps in
touch, always.”
Added Uncle Lou Grant, “He gives us
bragging rights.”
Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Lou, along with
their daughter and son-in-law, Steve
and Linda Munson of Orchard Lake, are
among the Detroit relatives making the
trek to Cambridge for the July ceremony.
There, an academic procession will
feature representatives of universities
from around the world. Thousands of
members of the Harvard faculty, staff,
students, alumni and the community are
expected to attend. His bonus family, the
Spoons, are saving the date and planning
to attend the festivities as well. •
Kim Lifton, a former Jewish News reporter, is
president of WowWritingWorkshop.com.
Your thoughts on rising tuition and
decreasing government funding?
“When I was at Tufts, I testified at
the Massachusetts State House for
increased funding to the University of
Massachusetts. Costs have gone up in
Michigan because the state has with-
drawn support for universities, shifting
the costs to students and families. That’s
shortsighted. I hope to be an advocate for
that. I am worried about state support and
federal support.”
Advice to students who want
to get into Harvard?
“Study hard. Have the courage to find
your passion and then pursue it. There are
many great universities. I never applied to
Harvard (undergrad). All great universities
are looking to attract students who are
willing to push themselves and try and be
true to themselves in what they do.”
Advice to a parent who asks if you can
get a child into Harvard?
“Admissions is above my pay grade,” he
jokes.
“Where a kid goes to college is not a
grade on their parenting skills. It’s not a
feather in their cap. It’s about their child,
not about them. Kids feel too much pres-
sure from their parents.
“I would say, as parents, relax a little
bit. They should help their son or daughter
achieve what they want to achieve and
find a place that is good for them You can
get a good education almost anywhere as
long as you make the big decisions right.”
Advice on picking the right college?
Bacow poses four basic questions
to consider.
1) Do they want big or small?
2) Urban or rural?
3) To get on an airplane to get there?
4) Do they want to wear flip-flops in
January?
“Beyond that, you can be happy almost
any place. Kids can find their niche within
any school because there are great teach-
ers everywhere.” •