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38 | DECEMBER 12 • 2024 
J
N

O

ver the past decade, Jay 
Feldman has established 
himself as one of Michigan’s 
most impactful philanthropists. 
Starting his career in the automotive 
industry at just 15, selling cars at 
his father’s Chevrolet dealership in 
Milford, Feldman demonstrated an 
entrepreneurial spirit early on. By 
age 25, he owned his first dealership. 
Through strategic acquisitions 
and partnerships, he expanded his 
business from a single dealership to a 
thriving network.
Today, the automotive mogul and 
Northwood University graduate 
combines his business acumen with a 
deep sense of compassion. Partnering 
with actor and business associate 
Mark Wahlberg, Feldman has raised 
millions for causes close to his heart, 
supporting children’s hospitals, 
abused children, first responders and 
wounded veterans.
Feldman’s portfolio includes 
numerous car dealerships and RV 
centers across Michigan and Ohio, 
many co-owned with Wahlberg. 
While running his automotive 
empire occupies much of his time, 
philanthropy has become a second 
full-time passion.
“Jay’s generosity and philanthropy 
are impressive,” said Rabbi Michael 
Moskowitz of Temple Shir Shalom 
in West Bloomfield, where Feldman 
is a member. “We’ve had many 
conversations about the importance 
of giving back to the community. 
His work with the Children’s Miracle 
Network is truly inspiring, and we 
look forward to seeing the continued 
impact of his efforts.”
Dr. Jeffrey Ditkoff, senior vice 
president and chief quality officer 
of Corewell Health, echoed this 
sentiment: “We are extremely 
grateful for Jay Feldman’s support. 
His generosity and commitment have 

greatly benefited our patients and 
health system.”
At the recent Feldman Automotive 
Children’s Miracle Celebrity 
Invitational golf outing, which 
supports the Children’s Miracle 
Network, I had the opportunity to 
sit down with Feldman to discuss his 
philanthropic drive and vision for 
lasting change.
 
A CONVERSATION WITH 
JAY FELDMAN
Rabbi Jason Miller: Where does your 
drive to give back come from? Was 
this instilled in you growing up? 
 Jay Feldman: Absolutely. My dad 
was always very charitable, though 
he preferred to give anonymously. 
I remember him quietly paying for 
funerals or helping family members 
in need. Watching him taught me 
the importance of giving back. His 
example of quietly helping others left 
a lasting impression on me.

For me, success in business has 
provided a platform to make a 
real difference. We’ve grown from 
one dealership in Milford to 21 
dealerships across three states. That 
success enables us to host large-scale 
events like our golf fundraiser — the 
largest of its kind in Michigan — 
where we raised $1.6 million last 
year.
RJM: Tell me about your Jewish 
upbringing. Did it shape your values? 
 JF: I grew up in a connected 
Jewish household. I had my bar 
mitzvah at Temple Israel and 
attended Andover High School in 
Bloomfield Hills before graduating 
from Northwood University.
Bar mitzvahs weren’t as elaborate 
back then, but mine, which was at 
Nifty Norman’s, had a guitar theme 
because I’ve played guitar all my life. 
While mitzvah projects weren’t a big 
focus then, I’ve come to see giving 
back as central to living a meaningful 

life.
RJM: You’ve made a significant 
commitment to the Children’s Miracle 
Network. What does this organization 
mean to you? 
 JF: Over the past 20 years, our 
company has grown significantly, 
allowing us to make a greater impact 
both locally and nationally. About 
nine years ago, I became friends with 
Mark Wahlberg, and that friendship 
evolved into a partnership. Together, 
we’ve donated to many causes.
During COVID, Mark’s brother, 
Jim Wahlberg, approached us 
with the idea of donating tablets 
to hospitals so patients could stay 
connected with their families. We 
ended up donating 1,300 tablets 
to hospitals like Beaumont (now 
Corewell Health), Providence and 
Wexner Medical Center.
That initiative inspired us to 
launch our annual golf outing. We 
were debating doing it in Columbus 

The automotive mogul’s 
passion is philanthropy.

Jay Feldman: 
Driven to Give Back

RABBI JASON MILLER 
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jay Feldman and 
Mark Wahlberg at 
the golf invitational