Jews in the D
continued from page 18
20 | SEPTEMBER 12 • 2019
make a real difference in people’
s
lives, so I left what I was doing
and began my career.
How did you two get involved
in Jewish Detroit?
N: What triggered us — as a
couple — was the decision to go
to Israel on a national mission in
1977.
S: Norm had a friend in
the insurance business, Mark
Solomon of Philadelphia. He
was involved in UJA (United
Jewish Appeal) and had led
many missions to Israel. I was
27 and Norm was 29; we had
two young children at home; but
Mark said to us, “Give me 10
days of your life, and it will never
be the same.” Norm and I had
never been to Europe. We had
never been anywhere, just the
two of us. So, we decided, “Yes,
let’
s do it.” And, Mark was right.
It changed our lives.
N: That experience in Israel
really hit home; we realized
we weren’
t doing our fair share
and, when we returned, we
significantly increased our gift
to Federation and committed
ourselves to bringing people to
Israel.
S: After that, Norm and
I started getting calls to get
involved with Federation. That
was our jumpstart.
N: All the attention was a little
embarrassing. I didn’
t like to
be singled out for doing what I
thought was the right thing.
Israel connected us to the
community and sealed our
Jewish identity in a way we
hadn’
t experienced before. After
that first mission, we led a
national mission to Vienna and
Israel in 1980 and, in 1981, we
chaired our first Detroit mission
with Larry Jackier. We believe
that missions to Israel bring out
and develop community leaders
and change lives.
One of my best memories in
Israel? In 1997, I tried out for
the National U.S. Tennis Team
for the Maccabiah Games held in
Jerusalem. I made the team with
five guys in my age bracket. For
doubles, I got paired with some-
one who wasn’
t a great singles
player, but very good at doubles.
We beat the No. 1 team, and
I came home with a silver and
a bronze medal. That was a thrill.
The secret to your dedication to
community service?
N: I’
ve always been interested
in hearing people’
s stories and I
want to help in solving problems
for individuals as well as the
community.
When I was campaign chair in
1992, I heard about a program
the Houston and Philadelphia
Federations were doing called the
Challenge Fund, where funds
are matched to any increase in
giving. I thought why couldn’
t
we do that here in Detroit? The
first year took an incredible team
effort, and it worked! Every
year since then, we have had a
Challenge Fund, which contin-
ues to be vital to our commu-
nity’
s annual fundraising effort.
Without these dollars, we could
not do all the things we do every
year.
S: Norm is committed to
reaching out to others as he is
needed. He also comes up with
interesting ideas. He started the
President’
s Club to bring givers
to the $10,000 level (and is
still using that as a solicitation
approach even though there
isn’
t a formal President’
s Club in
Detroit.) He suggested the idea
of the Breakfast Club so people
could get together and hear
engaging speakers without being
asked to give a gift to attend.
And, of course, it was Norm’
s
idea to start the Innovative
Idea of the Year Award for the
Federation staff. The Pappas
Prize is now in its 21st year. We
look forward to choosing and
presenting this award every year
to someone on the Federation
staff. Everyone appreciates the
recognition.
Norm, who has influenced your
style of leadership?
N: Max Fisher always set the
standard. I enjoyed working and
learning from David Hermelin,
Larry Jackier, Emery Klein and
Bob Naftaly. I also had great
partnerships with Peter Alter
and Nancy Grosfeld, who were
Federation presidents while I was
Foundation president.
What do you see as Jewish
Detroit’
s greatest strengths,
opportunities and challenges?
N: In Jewish Detroit, we have
a downsized population, a lot
of infrastructure and buildings,
many congregations — adding
to many needs competing for
our dollars. We have one of the
oldest Jewish communities in the
country, so we must continually
ask how can we take care of our
seniors? And our kids? How do
we take care of their education?
These are our challenges. But I’
ve
always said, if everybody would
replace themselves — through
PACE (campaign endowment
funds) or other charitable instru-
ments, we’
d be forever strong.
Susie and I are happy to be
able to help our community. As
sponsors of Federation’
s 2017
Annual Campaign Challenge
Fund, we have added our
support to scholarships at
Tamarack Camps and Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah. Federation’
s
Youth Mental Health Initiative,
in partnership with Friendship
Circle, really resonated with us.
We’
re grateful our community is
addressing the mental well-
being of our kids and that we
can support that vitally import-
ant program.
In all your leadership roles,
what have you gained in return?
N: The satisfaction of helping
those in need … tikkun olam.
S: And the fact that we’
ve
done it together … It’
s always
been an integral part of our mar-
riage.
N: We’
ve made wonderful
friends and found our place in
the Jewish community. That’
s
what it’
s all about … period.
Federation’
s Annual Meeting is at 7:30
p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Berman
Center for the Performing Arts in West
Bloomfield. Open to the community.
“We’ve made
wonderful
friends and
found our
place in
the Jewish
community.”
— NORM PAPPAS