S

en. Carl Levin was memorialized at 
a heartfelt, privately attended service 
at Ira Kaufman Chapel on July 30. 
Rabbi Ariana Silverman of the Downtown 
Synagogue and Rabbi Joseph Krakoff of the 
Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network offi-
ciated. Burial was at Clover Hill Park Cemetery. 
 
 A public celebration of Sen. Levin’s life will 
likely be planned for the next month or two.
At the funeral, Carl Levin’s daughter Kate 
Levin Markel spoke about her dad. 
“He lived life to the fullest — his energy was 
boundless,
” she said. “He was so smart, and he 
used it to solve problems in the most creative 
ways, big and small. 
“Dad was blessed to be born into an 
extraordinary family, to grow up in that fam-
ily, to be a part of that family and get incredi-
ble strength from that family.
”
Also at the funeral, Sen. Levin’s heartbroken 
brother and lifelong best friend, Sander Levin, 
spoke about him. “Carl’s book, Getting to the 
Heart of the Matter, really expressed who he 
was,
” Sander said. “‘Getting to the heart’ meant 
getting to the essence of what it was all about.
“If you read his book, what he liked most 
of all were the examples of where he stood 
on the side of the downtrodden — the 
dispossessed. And for those who ignored 
it — those who thought the main riches in 
life were their riches — he was willing to take 
them on, but never with rancor.
“There could be no bigger heart [than 
Carl’s]. So, that really led him into every effort.

“We grew up together for 85 years,
” Sander 
said. “When we moved, the first thing our 
parents did was to tear down a wall. And I 
think their example got into Carl’s blood-
stream, and his life was tearing down walls. 
“
And after that, we spent so much time 
together, in all of our pursuits, and with all of 
his determination and with all of his love.
“I think our lives together, if I might say 
so, sends a kind of signal of what life is really 
all about.
”

CARL
’S BEST FRIENDS
Rabbi Silverman noted that Sander, three years 
older, and Carl were, in Sander’s words, insep-
arable. “They lived in the same room togeth-
er as kids and did everything with each other,
” 
she said. “They played together, read the same 
books, listened to classical music together, went 
to camp together and snuck up to the balcony 
of Shaarey Zedek during High Holiday services 

together. In endless games of basketball in 
the back yard, Sandy can’t remember a time 
when he and Carl weren’t side by side. 
 “During Carl’s first year at Harvard Law 
School, he and Sandy were able to live togeth-
er again.
” 
The two brothers both served 36 years in 
Congress. “
And in addition to their shared 
pursuit of justice,
” Rabbi Silverman said, “they 
also began their lifelong passion for playing 
squash, which they continued into their 80s.
“Carl called Sandy his best lifelong 
friend, because in 1960 he met his best friend, 
Barbara,
” Rabbi Silverman said. “They were 
set up on a blind date by Carl’s cousin Joe.
“They dated long-distance for a year. She 
was in New York, he was in Detroit, and 
they were married in 1961. Carl, a passionate 
Detroiter would not move to New York, so 
Barbara moved back to her hometown and 
got a job in Detroit.
” 
Within five years, they had three daughters. 
“He adored being a dad,
” Rabbi Silverman 
said. “Carl was a father who was full of ener-
gy, humor, love, playfulness and dedication. 
“Carl was, and remained, Barbara’s greatest 
fan. He adored listening to her play piano. 
He made sure she was able to go to law 
school at Wayne State and pursue her career.
”

A ZEST FOR LIFE
“In every way, Carl’s approach to life was so 
pure and straightforward,
” Rabbi Krakoff 
said. “It was motivated by the desire to serve 
his fellow human beings — to make our state, 
to make our country, to make our world a 
better place than he found it. And he did this, 
each and every day, well beyond measure.
“Carl was a man of deep sincerity and 
authenticity — integrity and modesty. He 
embodied a zest for life that was so clear in 
everything he did. 
“He maintained not one, but two standing 
desks so he could pace back and forth, not 
ever having to sit down while multitasking.
“During his four-and-a-half-year battle 
with stage 4 lung cancer, he pushed himself 
forward every day, as he did with everything 
else in his life. Never for a moment losing his 
fighting spirit,
” Rabbi Krakoff said.
“He did not complain, but only talked 
about how blessed he was. And he did this in 
each and every conversation until taking his 
very last breath.
“May the values, the essence and the bril-
liant legacy of Sen. Carl Levin live eternally 
in the souls of those who were so lucky to 
know him and love him.
” 

Loving Memories 
of Carl Levin

18 | AUGUST 12 • 2021 

THE PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE
SEN. CARL LEVIN

DAVID SACHS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Barbara and Carl Levin

Carl and Sander Levin in 
2010, as they were honored 
by the Jewish Theological 
Seminary of America

