22 March 14 • 2019
jn
R
abbi Daniel B. Syme, rabbi
emeritus at Temple Beth
El, has been chosen as a
“Distinguished Warrior” by the
Urban League of Detroit and will be
honored at its 40th annual dinner on
Thursday, March 21, at the Detroit
Marriott in the Detroit Renaissance
Center.
The Urban League supports pro-
grams and operations in youth devel-
opment, workforce development and
training, adult education, economic
enrichment, and health and wellness.
Throughout his career, Syme has
been a vocal advocate
of suicide prevention.
He created “Hand of
Hope,” an educational
resource program
teaching kids and
parents about the
warning signs of sui-
cide. He partnered
with national sports
teams, celebrities and
athletes to spread
awareness and raise
money to curb the
epidemic of suicide.
He is the co-executive
producer of a documentary called
Death is Not the Answer and is the
founder of the Single Soul Suicide
Prevention program of Jewish Family
Service.
That was not the reason he was
chosen as a Distinguished Warrior,
however, according to N. Charles
Anderson, president and CEO of the
Urban League of Detroit, “although
his work in preventing and ending
suicide is certainly a bonus,” he says.
“The reason we chose Rabbi Syme,”
Anderson says, “is because of his
years of work building relationships
between the black and Jewish com-
munities and his work in breaking
down the walls of discrimination.
He’
s never stopped working.”
But, more importantly, Anderson
says, “He draws on his life’
s experi-
ences to bring compassion, caring
and determination that accomplish-
ments alone cannot convey.”
His late father, Rabbi Robert M.
Syme, became active in the civil
rights movement when Syme was just
a child. “
African American leaders
such as Judge Damon Keith, Rev.
Charles Adams and Rev. Nicholas
Hood visited our house,” said Syme,
who is a member of the advisory
board of the Coalition for Black and
Jewish Unity.
Syme shared his
father’
s vision and has
spent his career work-
ing to strengthen the
relationship between
Detroit’
s Jewish and
black communities as
well as building interfaith
bridges where he could.
“When we were dis-
cussing candidates for
this year’
s Distinguished
Warriors, I could not
believe Rabbi Syme had
not already been cho-
sen!” Anderson said.
Syme is the first rabbi chosen
for the honor. He will join fellow
Distinguished Warriors Glenda Price,
president emeritus of Marygrove
College; James Thrower, president
and CEO of Jamjomar Inc.; Vernice
Davis Anthony, president and CEO
of VDA Health Connect; and, post-
humously, Lawrence C. Patrick Jr.,
an attorney and civic leader, at the
March 21 dinner, which begins at
5:30 p.m.
Sponsorships are available; tickets
are $200. The organization hopes
to raise $300,000 at the dinner to
support its work. To get tickets, con-
tact Ruselda Villanueve Johnson at
Ruselda.johnson@deturbanleague.org
or call (313) 831-5573. ■
JACKIE HEADAPOHL MANAGING EDITOR
Distinguished Warrior
Urban League to honor Rabbi Daniel Syme
at its 40th annual dinner March 21
.
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Rabbi Daniel Syme