22 March 14 • 2019
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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