32 | DECEMBER 26 • 2024 
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ive men were named to the 
Pillars of Excellence Class of 
2024 by the Michigan Jewish 
Sports Foundation and honored at 
the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of 
Fame induction banquet.
Jim Berk had a five-decade career 
as a sports broadcaster in television 
and radio. Now he’s a senior swim-
mer extraordinaire.
Michael Fishman is the most dec-
orated U.S. basketball player who has 
competed at the Maccabiah Games 
in Israel and the Pan Am Maccabi 
Games in South America.
Gary Gerson played football 
at Vanderbilt University, for the 
Amsterdam Rams in Europe and at 
the University of Windsor. He’s also 
written a book about the Jews of 
Hamblen County, Tenn.
Steve Matz earned medals in inter-
national competitions in swimming 
when he was young man, and he now 
climbs mountains (23,360 feet on Mt. 
Everest) and is a sea kayaker who 
kayaked the width of Chile.
Mort Plotnick, former executive 
director of the Jewish Community 
Center of Metropolitan Detroit, now 

The J, was an early advocate for the 
JCC Maccabi Games, an event with 
competitors from across the world. 
Here’s more about the Pillars:

NAME: Jim Berk
AGE: 70
HOMETOWN: West Bloomfield
OCCUPATION: Former sportscast-
er, now exercise teacher.
HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE: 
Lincoln (Neb.) East High School; 
University of Texas.
What are your thoughts on being 
named a Pillars of Excellence recip-
ient?
“I was so pleasantly surprised. It 
means so much to me, something I’ll 
cherish forever.”
Of all the accomplishments on 
your Pillars of Excellence resume, 
which are you most proud of?
“I spent decades interviewing 
the top athletes in the world. I’ve 
competed successfully in senior 
swimming events, won a collegiate 
weightlifting championship, and have 
been proficient at the basketball free 
throw line. They all mean a lot to me. 
But as I reflect on all of it, maybe the 

most important thing is perhaps I’ve 
been a role model to someone who 
looks up to me and wants to emulate 
what I’ve done. That would be a most 
meaningful legacy.”
What is something people may 
not know about you?
“Using my lifeguarding skills, I 
saved two lives in 1977 swimming 
into the Colorado River in Austin, 
Texas, and rescued a women in a cap-
sized canoe. She was pregnant. Her 
husband, a Saudi American National 
Guard lieutenant training at Lackland 
Air Force Base in San Antonio, 
drowned in the incident. God put me 
in the right place at the right time.”

NAME: Gary Gerson
AGE: 61
HOMETOWN: Bloomfield Hills
OCCUPATION: Educational consul-
tant and transportation specialist.
HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE: 
Morristown-Hamblen (Tenn.) High 
School West; Vanderbilt University; 
Grand Canyon University.
FAMILY MEMBERS: Wife, Shelley; 
children Madlyn, 22, Elijah, 21, and 
Isaac, 17.

What are your thoughts on being 
named a Pillars of Excellence recip-
ient?
“When I got the call from my old 
friend Steve Bernstein, I thought he 
was pulling my leg. I really didn’t 
believe I was worthy of such an 
honor. Then he started listing all the 
things I’ve done over the years, and 
it kind of made sense. I was honored 
and proud when it sank in.”
Of all the accomplishments on 
your Pillars of Excellence resume, 
which are you most proud of?
“I’m most proud of my dedica-
tion to Cranbrook football and the 
innovation I brought to the program 
when I was the coach, especially by 
installing a spread offense (one of the 
first at a high school in Michigan) 
with these very smart boys. We led 
Oakland County in all passing statis-
tics for three seasons (2003-05). The 
9-0 team in 2004 was full of schol-
ars ... all 11 seniors were accepted 
into Ivy League-caliber universities. 
They’re doctors, lawyers and business 
owners now, and terrific men. I hope 
they remember me as a key part of 
their development as human beings 
first, family men second, scholars 
third and football players further 
down the priority line.”
What is something people may 
not know about you?
“I developed the initial concep-
tual physics program at Cranbrook, 
won an Oakland Press Innovation in 
Teaching award for it, and wrote the 
lab and exercise book that was used 
for years. I’ve also developed some 40 
educational videos and was an early 
YouTube educator.” 
 
NAME: Michael Fishman 
AGE: 60 
HOMETOWN: Birmingham 
OCCUPATION: Attorney and entre-
preneur. 
HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE: 
Birmingham Groves High School; 
University of Michigan. 
FAMILY MEMBERS: Daughter 
Dylan Fishman, 19, son Brett Werner, 
34.
What are your thoughts on being 
named a Pillars of Excellence recip-
ient?
“I was honored. I was moved that 

MASSERMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Meet the 2024 Pillars of Excellence recipients. 
Fab Five

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Pillars of Excellence recipient 
Mort Plotnick celebrates with Don 
Rudick (left), executive director 
of the Michigan Jewish Sports 
Foundation, and Stuart Raider, 
the foundation president. 

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

