February 7 • 2019 7
jn

Bluma and Robert (
z”l)
 Schechter'
s Centennial Gift 
Supports Teens,
 Seniors and the Jewish Community as a Whole

As my late husband,
 Robert,
 often said,
 ‘After we take care 
of our family’
s basic needs,
 we need to take care of others 
who need our help.
"
 These are the words of Bluma 
Schechter who,
 together with Robert,
 has been a longtime 
supporter and champion of Jewish life and welfare in 
Detroit.
 Born and raised here,
 the Schechters have been 
involved with Federation as well as a variety of other Jewish 
organizations including ORT,
 Yad Ezra and Israel Bonds.
 
 
“Robert and I want to make sure our beloved Jewish 
community always can take care of its own here and 
abroad,
” she says.
 “This has been a great lesson for our 
children and grandchildren as well.
” With that in mind,
 
Bluma has created a Centennial Fund to support 
Federation’
s Youth Mental Health Initiative and Jewish 
Senior Life (JSL),
 along with establishing a Perpetual 
Annual Campaign Endowment (PACE) Fund.
 

“Because I love children and have worked with them in so 
many different capacities,
 I feel that the Youth Mental 
Health Initiative is a very important program that needs our 
dollars and immediate attention,
” notes Bluma,
 a former 
teacher and drug and alcohol counselor.
 “We also chose to 
support JSL to help ensure that seniors always have a place 
to go along with the support of their larger community,
 
especially since this program was so important to Robert’
s 
father,
 Hy,
 after he lost his beloved wife,
 Lee.
 And we 
decided to make a PACE gift because,
 after we die,
 we need 
to make sure that our Jewish community—both here and 
abroad—will always thrive and take care of those who need 
help.
” By supporting these critical areas,
 the Schechters'
 
Centennial commitment truly embodies the mission of 
taking care of the needs of our community’
s future.
 

