24 | OCTOBER 13 • 2022
of July holiday weekend,
you’re guaranteed to find Art
facilitating the participation
of the JWV in community
parades throughout the Metro
Detroit area — this year
marching in Oak Park.
And what can only be
a fitting conclusion to a
busy year for our veteran
community’s biggest
cheerleader, the Metro Detroit
Veterans Coalition, sponsors
of Detroit’s annual Veterans
Day Parade, has named Art
Fishman, one of their very own
board members, as this year’s
Grand Marshall.
PROUD LEGACY OF
SERVICE
When he’s not helping veter-
ans, Art is helping me. I’ve had
the privilege of featuring many
stories about our Michigan
JWV in the pages of the JN, but
I couldn’t have captured the
full breadth of those stories
without the help of JWV’s offi-
cial PR man and photographer,
you guessed it, Art Fishman.
Art, in turn, regularly makes
sure those stories are submitted
to and covered by The Jewish
Veteran, the quarterly newspa-
per published by the national
JWV based in Washington,
D.C.
Art served in both the Army
Air Corp and Navy. Included
among his tours of duty during
WWII, Fireman First Class
Arthur Fishman participated in
the Yangtze River Patrol mine
sweeping mission in the Port of
Shanghai aboard the destroyer
USS Robinson. He was awarded
the Bronze Star for his efforts.
Of his role during WWII,
Art deflects any attention
directed at himself; instead,
he pays homage to those who
paid the ultimate price. As he
said to the hundreds of people
in attendance at The Michigan
WWII Legacy Memorial
groundbreaking in April:
“Remember the heroes that are
not here. They are the ones we
dedicate this day to.”
The fact is, Art served his
country well during WWII,
but he has dedicated the last
50-plus years in service to his
fellow veterans. As I stated
to Channel 4 reporter Kim
DeGiulio: “
Art just wants to
do the common good for as
many veterans as he can, that’s
the difference. He just never
stops.” For his efforts, folks
affectionately refer to Art as the
“Energizer Bunny.”
In between his current tours
of duty on behalf of veterans,
you’ll find Art organizing any
number of events at Temple
Shir Shalom, including his
ongoing usher duties during
the High Holidays.
The temple feted Art on
March 4, 2017, on his 90th
birthday at an event fittingly
titled “
Artful Living,” which
I wrote about in the Feb. 23,
2017, JN. At the time, Rabbi
Michael Moskowitz described
Art as being “part of the fabric
of Temple Shir Shalom. He is
the first to offer his support, is
tireless in his commitment and
boundless in his energy.”
I’ve witnessed Art being
on the receiving end of many
well-deserved honors over the
years, but from my vantage
point, this “Michigan Veteran
of the Year” honor seems to
hold a special place in his
heart.
“I’m overwhelmed,” said Art.
“I honestly can’t adequately
describe the gratitude I have
for my fellow Jewish War
Veterans who nominated me
for this incredible honor. I
work hard on everything I do,
but I never do it alone. My fel-
low members of the JWV and
all the veteran organizations
I have come to be associated
with, we stand shoulder to
shoulder, one and all, working
for the betterment of those
who have served our nation. In
the process I have been blessed
with years of endearing friend-
ships and a camaraderie that is
second to none.”
Congratulations Art!
Your being honored as the
“Michigan Veteran of the Year”
shines yet another bright light
on the JWV
, who, since 1896,
have been bound their motto
of being “a Jewish voice for
veterans, a veteran’s voice for
Jews.”
continued from page 22
Art Fishman
donates a
brick to The
Michigan
WWII Legacy
Memorial
Art Fishman and Phil Smith (cen-
ter) joined by JWV officers (L-R)
Don Schenk, Mark Weiss, Bill
Glogower and
Larry Berry
OUR COMMUNITY