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Federation agency. “He asked me
to sit on a committee, which I did.
It was one meeting, and then it
was over, and I assumed that was
it,
” he said.
Soon after, Mark reconnected
with Naftaly, who told him the
Federation was looking to hire
a new chief financial officer and
suggested he apply. Mark spent
some time learning more about
the Federation and “the complex
ecosystem of the Jewish commu-
nity.
” He applied for the job and
made it to the final interview.
During his interview, he recalls
someone said, “You know, you’re
awful young for this position. We
were kind of hoping for somebody
with a little more gray hair.
”
Mark was asked how long he
planned to stay if hired. “I asked
them how long they would want
me to commit to and they said five
years, and I responded, I can make
that commitment,
” Mark said.
The next day, he received a
job offer from Federation Chief
Executive Officer Bob Aronson.
Mark said, “He told me, ‘I know
you think you’re just an accoun-
tant, but I see more in you. If you
come with me, I’ll show you.
’
“
And that was my gateway to
a deeper understanding of our
Jewish community and the Jewish
world,
” Mark said. “I planned on
staying the five years I committed
to. I ended up staying 12.
”
According to Mark, Bob
Aronson delivered on his promise.
Eventually, he became Bob’s num-
ber two at Federation. “Bob and
I have a deep, rich relationship.
We were in the trenches together.
Bob is a visionary. It was amazing
being his partner, and I am forever
grateful.
”
A LOVE OF ISRAEL
Mark’s first trip to Israel was on
his honeymoon in 1981. The next
one came 15 years later.
In 1996, Bob Aronson told
Mark that Federation wanted to
take some doctors from
Sinai Hospital to Israel and
wanted him to help lead
the mission. “That mission
reignited the flame and my
passion for Israel,
” he said.
“I love Israel and feel
at home there. I feel I’m a
part of it, and I wanted to
contribute by introducing
other people to all that
Israel has to offer, which is
the story of how I started
taking leaders from Michigan to Israel and
the creation of the Michigan Israel Business
Accelerator.
”
Mark has been to Israel more
than 75 times. He’s taken over 200
leaders from Michigan including
CEOs from every sector, state of
Michigan legislators, and partic-
ipated in missions for Governors
Granholm, Snyder and Whitmer,
and for Detroit Mayor Mike
Duggan.
Dr. Conrad Giles, who’s been
friends with Mark since his time
at Federation, recalls a General Assembly in
Jerusalem where they went to the U.S. ambassa-
continued on page 18
Evan Weiner, Gov. Rick Snyder, Mark Davidoff and Bobby
Schostak get together for the Michigan Israel Business
Accelerator. BELOW: Mark with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER