jews in the d
continued from page 14
“I won’t say these are unsolvable problems
in Detroit. Making progress is not only
hard; it’s unlikely. But they are important,
so let’s keep working on them. We might
make a diff erence.”
— STEVE BALLMER
What Is
Your Plan?.....
Call Us.
The Probate Law
Firm of Thav, Ryke
and Associates
www.michprobate.com
24725 West 12 Mile – Ste. 110
Southfield, MI 48034
1-800-728-3363
16
November 22 • 2018
jn
their families. These grants include
support for healthy eating and edu-
cation-oriented investments readying
children for four-year schools or
technical certifications that lead to
living-wage jobs. Second, grants that
support community groups to help
them advocate for what they need.
Third, Community Development
Corporations (CDCs), communi-
ty-based partnerships, managed
locally, that draw support and exper-
tise from businesses, nonprofits, com-
munities and the government.
GROWING UP JEWISH
A thread of violence in cities and
countries permeated Steve’s past. His
mother’s father from Belarus avoid-
ed persecution as a Jew in the tzar’s
army. In his 20s, his Swiss father,
not Jewish, was an interpreter at the
Nuremberg Trials and at the war
criminal trials in Dachau. And Steve’s
hometown was up in flames when he
and his family returned in 1967, after
living three years in Belgium where
his father worked for Ford.
Steve describes himself as an ethnic
Jew, not religious, yet he decided later
in life to learn more about Judaism as
a religion. He studied for a year and a
half and had a bar mitzvah in 2015 at
Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue.
Asked about the effect of the
11 Jews recently murdered in the
Pittsburgh synagogue, Steve says,
“It caught me by surprise … There
was plenty of talk growing up about
the persecution of the Jews, and this
incident took me back to those times.
Maybe I didn’t expect it here. I had
a different kind of pain and sadness
and outrage.”
Later, he adds that he recalls
another synagogue murder — when
Rabbi Morris Adler was shot and
killed in 1966 on the bimah at
Congregation Shaarey Zedek. “Its
effect,” he says, “stays with you.”
AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM?
Many foundations in Detroit are
working on intergenerational pover-
ty. Can the Ballmers realistically help
turn the tide?
First, the Ballmer Group is not a
foundation but an LLC, which allows
it to work on social policy to support
its community efforts. Second, Steve
is not sure they can succeed, but,
he says, “Connie believes it’s worth
trying. Whatever we do, nobody gets
hurt and a few kids might benefit.”
In terms of resources, the Ballmer
Group is probably the largest donor
working on intergenerational poverty
and the related issues in the country.
As a result, he says, “We’re able to
shine a light on the issues.” And
many have nothing to do with
the schools, which is why he and
Connie’s interests extend into other
areas, including criminal justice, edu-
cation reform, mentoring programs
and homelessness.
At the end of his interview, Steve
says he enjoys returning to Detroit
and looks forward to the next Pistons-
Clippers game here this winter.
So, who’s he rooting for?
Bold and direct, with laughing
eyes, he bursts out, “Oh, come on!
Well, we did trade one of our super-
stars [Blake Griffin] to the Pistons
last year.”
True. But, hearing his family sto-
ries, you know he will always hold a
special place for Detroiters.
Both a realist and an optimist with
a sense of humor, he balances many
different, sometimes conflicting ideas.
But he’s aware of the gravity of what
he and Connie have set out to do.
“I won’t say these are unsolvable
problems in Detroit,” Steve says. And
“making progress is not only hard,
it’s unlikely. But they are important,
so let’s keep working on them. We
might make a difference.” ■