F

ranklin residents Cathy 
and James Deutchman 
are longtime supporters 
of the Technion-Israel Institute 
of Technology.
As a third-generation 
supporter herself, Cathy 
Deutchman (née Brody) was 
preceded by her parents, 
Rhea and Robert Brody, and 
her grandparents, Anna and 
Samuel Brody, as critical sup-
porters of the cutting-edge 
Israel institution.
Now, the Deutchmans have 
received one of the highest 
honors awarded by the insti-
tution as they were given an 
Honorary Fellowship at a 
Technion Board of Directors 
meeting on June 11 at the 
Technion in Israel. 
The Deutchmans were 
joined by their children, 

Andrew Deutchman and Cara 
Peterson, who are ready to 
become the family’s fourth 
generation of supporters.
The Technion Honorary 
Fellowship is given in honor 
of lifelong devotion and 
support of the Technion, 
Israel and education, with 
the Deutchmans also given 
the prestigious honor for 
furthering a multigeneration-
al legacy of support for the 
Technion. They’ve also played 
an essential role in leading the 
American Technion Society at 
both local and national levels.

ADVANCING ISRAEL
Technion is among the world’s 
top 10 science and research 
universities. Its mission 
includes advancing the State 
of Israel and all of humankind 

with essential research in engi-
neering, physics and cyberse-
curity, among other programs.
“It’s a huge honor to contin-
ue my family’s long tradition 
of devotion to the Technion,” 
Cathy Deutchman, 72, and 
a retired educator, explains. 
“I’ve worked really hard for 
the Technion; my husband 
has worked really hard for the 
Technion, and my parents and 
grandparents.”
Cathy Deutchman’s grand-
parents, Anna and Samuel 
Brody, established the Faculty 
of Agricultural Engineering 
Building at the Technion. 
Her parents, meanwhile, were 
active supporters, and her 
father, Robert Brody, served 
as the American Technion 
Society Detroit chapter presi-
dent from 1962 to 1968.

James Deutchman, 74, a 
real estate developer, has a 
different story of how he got 
involved. 
Before marrying his wife, he 
was a Navy officer stationed in 
the Mediterranean during the 
Vietnam war. He received an 
opportunity to leave the ship 
for a short period of time and 
meet his fiancee and her par-
ents in Israel.
Naturally, while in Israel, 
the Brodys were focused on 
the Technion.
While meeting at the insti-
tution, James Deutchman vis-
ited a lab doing experiments 
in armaments — which he 
specialized in as a Navy offi-
cer — and the Israeli faculty at 
the Technion were interested 
in learning about Deutchman’s 
background.
“I was a gunnery officer on 
a big ship, and we were using 
guided bombs in combat,” he 
recalls. “
Amazingly, they were 
working on the same sort of 
item that they were just begin-
ning to use.”
The chance encounter was 
nearly 50 years ago, but it 
solidified James Deutchman’s 
passion and curiosity for the 
efforts of the Technion that, 
when joined with his wife’s 
legacy, made the Deutchmans 
avid and devoted supporters of 
the Israel institution.

BUILDING A FUTURE
Next year, the university will 
celebrate 100 years of opera-
tion since opening its doors in 
1924.
The Deutchmans’ gifts to 
the university help guarantee 
that generations of students 
to come will enjoy the same 
quality of leadership, educa-
tion and grounds as students 
had before them.
Their gifts include the 
Cathy and James Deutchman 
Endowment for the Technion 

Honorary Fellows

28 | AUGUST 10 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

Longtime supporters of the Israel Institute of 
Technology receive one of its highest honors.

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Technion President Professor Uri Sivan with Cathy and James Deutchman

