Jewish Contributions to Humanity # in a series Landmark Court Case Win Three Jews Who Became Football Giants. Ruling means straight-ticket voting remains an option for Michiganders. M ary Ellen Gurewitz, a lawyer at the Detroit law firm of Sachs Waldman and Detroit Jews for Justice (DJJ) co-founder and steering commit- tee member, recently won a historic case for voting rights in Michigan’s straight-ticket voting issue. Straight-ticket voting is a tool that allows a voter to swiftly select every Democrat or every Republican on the ballot by just checking one box. Michigan voters have had the straight-ticket option for 126 years. A law passed focuses on civil rights for African Americans. During the case, Gurewitz estab- lished that African Americans used straight-ticket voting at a much high- er rate than white voters: 80 percent compared with 50 percent. “African Americans mostly vote for Democrats,” she added. “Evidence showed that Republicans in the leg- islature and the party were pushing the elimination of straight-ticket vot- ing in order to help Republicans win elections. The judge ruled that the law had a discriminatory intent.” Three and a half years ago, Gurewitz, a lifelong Detroiter who lives in Palmer Woods, co-found- ed DJJ with Andy Levin and Rabbi Alana Alpert. She has served as presi- dent of DJJ’s fiscal sponsor Congregation T’chiyah and serves on the DJJ fun- draising and steering com- mittees. She specializes in union-side labor law and political and election law at Sachs Waldman. Mary Ellen Gurewitz “The Secretary of State has filed an appeal, but I think it’s very unlikely it will suc- by the Republican-led Michigan ceed,” said Gurewitz, who adds that Legislature and signed into law by Michigan’s November election ballot Gov. Rick Snyder in January 2016 needs to get printed by Sept. 7, allow- aimed to eliminate straight-ticket ing very little time for an appeal to voting. A judicial injunction shortly proceed before the deadline. after prevented the law from taking “This is going to protect voting effect. On Aug. 1, U.S. District Court Judge rights for hundreds of thousands of people in Michigan,” she added. “It’s Gershwin Drain issued a permanent a terrific win. It’s so exciting, and it’s injunction, ruling that Michigan’s so important to be able to fight back elimination of straight-ticket voting against forces that suppress the vote.” violated the Voting Rights Act and Gurewitz says her work on the case the equal-protection clause of the appeals to her Jewish values. “What Constitution. The case preserves I’m doing is advocating for the rights straight-ticket voting as a civil rights of minority citizens, protecting and issue. The judge said in his decision trying to advance their opportunity that the law that previously banned to vote. To the extent that I have straight-ticket voting suppressed the constitutional rights of black citizens been able to do that, I have advanced the cause of justice, and that’s what I by making the voting process more have wanted to do in my legal career. time intensive, deterring folks from “This is a case that affects so many the polls. Gurewitz, along with Mark Brewer, people who have for so long been at the bottom of the economic ladder former chair of the Democratic National Committee, has been a prin- in this country,” she said. “I think it cipal attorney on the landmark court advances the cause of justice, and that’s what we should all be doing.” • case that was brought for a number of plaintiffs, including Common Valeriya Epshteyn of Detroit Jews For Justice Cause and the A. Philip Randolph Institute, an arm of the AFL-CIO that contributed to this story. Al Davis Robert Kraft Arthur Blank AL DAVIS (1929-2011). b. Brockton, Massachusetts. d. Oakland, California. Owner of the Oakland Raiders. The longtime owner of the Raiders franchise was born on July 4 and died on Yom Kippur, fittingly dramatic dates for a man with a remarkable life. From his days as a college student at Syracuse, Davis was fascinated by football. He wasn’t on the varsity team, but snuck into practices to take notes. After college, Davis went on to become a coach for a U.S. Army football team in Virginia, and eventually worked his way up to becoming an assistant coach and recruiter at USC. After a brief stint with the Los Angeles Chargers, the startup Oakland Raiders (he pronounced it Raid-uhs) hired Davis as a head coach and general manager for two years. He was appointed the American Football League’s commissioner, and helped shepherd its merger with the National Football League. Then, he bought partial ownership with the Raiders, soon becoming the face of the franchise. Under his direction the Raiders became one of the most successful pro sports teams, winning three Super Bowls from 1967 to 1985. Davis’s silver-and-black, pirate-logo Raiders in many ways resembled him—resistant to authority and prone to a rebel attitude. That outlook on life also made him a civil rights icon for the NFL. He refused to allow Oakland to play a preseason game in segregationist Mobile, Alabama, and he was the NFL’s first owner to hire a black head coach, Art Shell. ROBERT KRAFT (1941-). b. Brookline, Massachusetts. Owner of the New England Patriots. Born and raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, Robert Kraft’s father wanted his son to become a rabbi. A young Kraft, though, as he has told it, loved football too much and couldn’t focus enough to be a clergyman. Today, Kraft is one of the National Football League’s most accomplished owners, an uber-successful businessman, and one of the largest philanthropists towards Israel. Kraft grew up a New York Giants fan (before the New England Patriots existed), and began his very successful career in business, not football—acquiring the packaging company Rand-Whitney Group and creating Internal Forest Products. His pursuit of the New England Patriots began in 1985, when he purchased an option on the land surrounding the field where the Patriots played. Three years later he purchased the stadium, and, finally, in 1994, he bought the team for $172 million. During Kraft’s reign, the Patriots have been the NFL’s best team, reaching the Super Bowl eight times, winning five, and having a winning record in 21 out of 23 seasons. In addition to giving millions of dollars to Jewish causes in the U.S. like Jewish Federations, Hillels and Yeshiva University, Kraft is a major supporter of the state of Israel. He has brought many New England Patriots players to Israel built the Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem, and created the Israeli Football League. ARTHUR BLANK (1942-). b. Sunnyside, New York. Owner of the Atlanta Falcons. Owner of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United soccer team, co-founder of The Home Depot, philanthropist—what hasn’t Arthur Blank done? Born and raised in Queens, Blank got his start in the business world as an accountant, ran a drug store, and met Bernie Marcus while working for a home improvement center. Both were fired, but then co-founded Home Depot—a decision that made them both billionaires, and gave Blank the wherewithal to purchase the Falcons in 2002. Blank’s Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has donated millions of dollars to charitable causes, including local, national and Israeli organizations as well as institutions providing medical care for children. Original Research by Walter L. Field Sponsored by Irwin S. Field Written by Jared Sichel jn August 30 • 2018 17