20 | OCTOBER 13 • 2022
B
en Rosenthal will be presented with
the Fred M. Butzel Memorial Award
for Distinguished Community
Service at the Jewish Federation/United
Jewish Foundation’s 2022-23 annual meeting
on Oct. 13. The award, Federation’s highest
volunteer honor, is named for the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s first
president and is presented every fall to a com-
munity member for his or her leadership and
devotion.
Rosenthal, who will receive the honor in
the Jewish Community Center’s Berman
Center for Performing Arts, says it’s emotion-
al to be recognized in this way for his work
helping fellow Jews. “It’s an enormous honor
for somebody who’s involved in Jewish life in
Detroit.
” he says.
During his tenure with Federation,
Rosenthal has held leadership roles with its
executive committee and became President of
the United Jewish Foundation. He has chaired
the Community Services Division, taken part
in a subcommittee for elder care, chaired the
accounts receivable committee, and chaired
as well as acted as associate chairman for
Michigan Miracle Missions. He helped lead
the Agency for Jewish Education and been
recognized by ORT several times for his work
with the Jewish education and vocational
training-focused organization.
Bob Aronson, Federation’s past
CEO, points to Rosenthal and his
wife Marta (Marty) as making
significant contributions as com-
munity leaders and with Israel
engagement.
“They epitomize what Detroit
is all about, what our community is all about,
”
he says. “Ben has been an active volunteer
and a leader in our community for basically
his entire adult life. I’ve seen him grow up in
the community over the years as one of our
most steadfast and committed and creative
leaders. He richly deserves this award.
”
Beverly Liss, Federation’s
immediate past president,
says she’s learned a lot from
Rosenthal, who she’s known for
years through Federation and
missions to Israel they chaired
together. “I really saw Ben in
action, I saw how incredibly sen-
sitive he was, how he was not always the one
that talked the most, but he sure knew how
to listen, and then he took what he learned
and put it into action,
” she says. “I think he is
enormously familiar with the Detroit Jewish
community and all the agencies, and all the
work and projects that have come through
Federation, so he was able to put all of those
skills to work as he became a foundation
president.
”
She says she considers him a mentor, the
kind of person ready to lend an ear and brain-
storm solutions. He’s well-deserving of such
a prestigious award, she says, adding that in
addition to being a community leader, a man
devoted to his wife, daughters and grand-
children, he’s been a champion of women in
leadership roles. “He’s a great golfer,
” she adds.
“
And he’s just an overall good guy.
”
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
The Rosenthals have been deeply involved in
the community, she adds. “[He and Marty]
worked side by side,
” she says. “I was very
impressed.
”
Though Ben Rosenthal’s family wasn’t
involved in Federation growing up, they
were very connected to the Jewish world,
he says. His paternal grandfather was one of
the founders of Detroit’s Congregation B’nai
Moshe, and he and his three brothers grew
up as members of Adat Shalom. He wore
his Judaism on his sleeve, he recalls. As an
adult, he got involved in Federation’s Junior
Division, originally attending a lecture series,
and then taking on leadership roles as a board
member, executive committee member and
then president.
“Throughout my life, my Judaism has
played an enormous part in who I am and
continues to do so,
” Rosenthal says. “I attri-
bute that to my parents, my upbringing and
my grandmothers and what they wanted
to instill, which I only wish would be more
prevalent in our community — helping each
other. My father always said only Jews will
help Jews.
”
Howard Neistein, Federation’s chief offi-
cer of strategic partnerships, has worked for
Federation for close to 29 years, working
closely with Ben and Marty. He
says Ben Rosenthal’s service to
the local and global Jewish com-
munities, which include serving
as president of the United Jewish
Foundation, leading a Miracle
Mission of well over 1,000 and
A Steadfast Leader
OUR COMMUNITY
Federation honors Benjamin F. Rosenthal
with Butzel Award at annual meeting.
Bob
Aronson
Beverly
Liss
KAREN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Howard
Neistein
Marty
and Ben
Rosenthal