Febraury 14 • 2019 17
jn
JOAN MEYERS JAMPEL
Hometown: Bloomfield Hills
Education: Highland Park High School
and University of Michigan (economics
major)
Personal achievements: Library chair
and coordinator of volunteer services at
the JCC’
s Henry and Delia Meyers Library
& Media Center since 2000; Temple Beth
El board member; a 2013 “Eight over 80”
honoree for Jewish Senior Life.
Immediate family: Husband, Dr. Robert
Jampel, ophthalmologist and retired
director of Kresge Eye Institute; four
children, Dr. Henry Jampel, Delia Jampel,
James Jampel and Emily Sherman; and
12 grandchildren.
HENRY MEYERS
Lived: 1895-1952 in Detroit
Education: Detroit College of Law
Professional: Partner, law firm of
Friedman, Meyers and Keys
Synagogues: Congregation Shaarey
Zedek and Temple Beth El
Personal achievements: World War
I veteran; JCC president, 1937-1941,
overseeing the JCC’
s move to Woodward
and Holbrook; 32nd degree Mason; head
of Detroit’
s USO — largest in the U.S.
— during World War II; Jewish Welfare
Federation Board of Governors; Detroit
Public Library Commission president,
1948-1952; Meyers and Curtis JCC
names Henry and Delia Meyers Library
for him and his wife, 1959, transferring
to the West Bloomfield JCC
Immediate Family: Wife, the late Delia
Meyers; daughters, Joan Jampel and
Elizabeth Meyers Klein.
The presidential letters will be
displayed through Tuesday, March 5,
in Cass Hall, first floor of the Main
Library, 5201 Woodward, Detroit. The
free exhibit is open during regular
library hours: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday
and Wednesday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday; and 1-5 p.m.
Sunday. Free parking is available
Saturday and Sunday in the staff lot
on Putnam Street. For information,
call (313) 481-1401.
details
TOP LEFT: Joan Meyers Jampel.
TOP RIGHT: Mark Bowden, coordinator of special
collections at the library, shows the letters to
patrons.
Jampel purchased the library’
s sec-
ond box. That volume contains letters
from more recent presidents. Through
a dealer, she personally obtained a
letter by George H.W
. Bush and one of
two letters from Carter. When retired
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin heard about the
project, he donated personal letters
he’
d received from George W
. Bush,
Clinton and Obama. The letter from
Obama completes the collection.
“I was raised in Detroit by parents
who were active in Jewish affairs,
”
Jampel said. With them in mind,
she’
s dedicated her life to organizing
and saving the archives at Temple
Beth El in Bloomfield Township
and the Henry and Delia Meyers
Library & Media Center at the Jewish
Community Center (JCC) in West
Bloomfield, which is celebrating its
60th year this year.
“I focused on saving worthwhile
projects that were in danger of being
demolished,
” she explained.
On Feb. 6, Jampel and a few family
members and friends attended the
public opening of the library exhibit.
She said she’
s proud the collection of
presidential letters is available because
“my family believes in giving from
generation to generation.
” ■