54 | AUGUST 12 • 2021 

Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Remembering Danny
W

hen I began working with 
the Detroit Jewish News 
Foundation in 2012, I 
soon learned there was a legend in 
the house. This fellow was much 
like “Elvis,” the type of celebrity that 
needs no introduction. At the Jewish 
News, that person was “Danny.” And, 
the more I worked with the William 
Davidson Digital Archive 
of Jewish Detroit History, 
I understood why Danny 
Raskin had earned and 
deserved his far-reaching 
reputation.
First, on sheer volume, 
Danny was a winner. His 
name appears on more 
than 10,000 pages in the Davidson 
Archive. As he had a weekly column in 
every JN since the first issue on March 
27, 1942, that is, of course, a distinct 
advantage. 
Danny began writing for the JN when 
he was only 23 years old. World War 
II was raging and that was a primary 
topic for Danny. His poem in the Oct 
23, 1942, issue of the JN, “When Hitler’s 
Goose is Cooked,” was widely read, 
but I thought his work in the Feb. 2, 
1943, JN, was much more poignant. “To 
Master Sgt. Meyer Levin” is a poem 
about a bombardier on a combat flight. 
It was dedicated to Sgt. Levin, who 
was unfortunately killed on a bombing 
mission.
After the war, Danny’s weekly 
“Listening Post” continued and was 
more popular than ever. As he tran-
sitioned from youth to young man 
to middle-age (I don’t think he ever 
became old, did he?), his column would 
relate news of people, places and events 
in Detroit’s Jewish community. One 
might say that, before the advent of dig-
ital social media, Danny was a “news-
print blogger” extraordinaire. 
In 1964, Danny debuted a second 

column, the “Best of Everything,” that 
he continued to write for every issue 
of the JN until the last few weeks of his 
life. Allegedly, the “Best of Everything” 
was a review of local restaurants. Upon 
reading his work in the Archive, how-
ever, it was soon apparent to me that 
Danny’s columns were never just about 
eating out. Although they always had 
news about local restaurants, each 
entry might also include social com-
mentary, community news, human 
interest stories and, of course, his 
favorite jokes. 
Above all, Danny’s columns were 
fun. For example, I appreciated 
“Slipp’ry Sliders” in the Aug. 8, 2010, 
issue of the JN, which was about locally 
famous slider hamburger joints like 
the Top Hat and Green’s. “Oldies but 
Goodies” (Sept. 8, 2011) was an ode 
to five bridge playing friends — Larry 
Stocker, Morton Lazar, Aaron Berg, 
Abe Pearlman and Bud Shiller — 
who at the time collectively had a 
total age of 478 years. “Just a num-
ber,” Danny said. Indeed, he knew 
the truth of this fact.
And this brings me to one last 
point, Danny was a pretty good 
historian. He had a fine memory 
and stories in his column were 
his personal oral histories, if 
you will, that give an archivist/
historian like me insight into the 
recent history (meaning the last 
102 years) of Detroit and Michigan 
Jews.
It is not easy to write about a legend. 
One can only relate a few highlights 
from an extraordinary life. Luckily, 
the Davidson Archive has preserved 
Danny’s work forever, and maybe that 
is a more fitting tribute. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN 
Foundation archives, available for free at www.
djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

column, the “Best of Everything,” that 

until the last few weeks of his 

life. Allegedly, the “Best of Everything” 
was a review of local restaurants. Upon 
reading his work in the Archive, how-

Danny’s columns were never just about 

“Slipp’ry Sliders” in the Aug. 8, 2010, 

which was about locally 

famous slider hamburger joints like 
the Top Hat and Green’s. “Oldies but 
Goodies” (Sept. 8, 2011) was an ode 
to five bridge playing friends — Larry 
Stocker, Morton Lazar, Aaron Berg, 

102 years) of Detroit and Michigan 

