Friday, March 4, 2005

Detroit News file photo A trip to Israel in 1954 turned Max Fisher into an advocate for the young Jewish state. During the next two decades, he formed or led every leading Jewish organization in the U. S., including the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.

The Jewish community

'He is everything to us,' Metro Detroit Jews say

Advocate helped smooth Israeli-U.S. relations, nurtured future leaders.

By Ron French / The Detroit News

Detroit News file photo Max Fisher talks to youngsters in Israel in March 1959. He was considered the voice of American and world Jewry. Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

Born into a family that changed its name to sound less Jewish, Max Fisher grew up to become the voice of American Jewry, influencing U.S-Israeli relations for decades and forging the nation's most powerful Jewish organizations.

"What's the movie they show every Christmas? 'It's a Wonderful Life'? The Jewish community without Max Fisher would be like that town without Jimmy Stewart," said Bob Aronson, director of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. "He is everything to us."

Fisher's impact on the Jewish community, locally, nationally and internationally, is hard to overstate. He was the biggest donor, greatest fund-raiser and leading organizer of numerous causes for decades. He smoothed the frayed relations between the United States and Israel in the 1970s and eased the immigration of Russian Jews to America in the 1980s.

Most importantly, Fisher helped nurture a new generation of Jewish leaders who are carrying on his vision.

"He leaves a legacy of a thriving Jewish community in Detroit," Aronson said. "His legacy is people who are committed to giving, caring, to being motivated to help their community."

Fisher's parents, Velvil and Malka Fisch, emigrated from Russia at the turn of the last century. As was common among Jewish immigrants, they changed their name to fit in, becoming William and Mollie Fisher. As a youth, Max Fisher was denied admission to the YMCA because he was Jewish.

In 1932, as a young businessman, Fisher donated $5 to a Jewish charitable organization, and never stopped giving. Longtime friend Bill Berman said it's hard to say how many millions Fisher donated over the years to various Jewish causes, and he helped raise tens of millions from his wealthy friends.

A trip to Israel in 1954 turned Fisher into an advocate for the young Jewish state. Over the next two decades, he formed or led every leading Jewish organization in the United States. He served as president and national chairman of United Jewish Appeal (1965-67), president of the Council of Jewish Federations (1969-72), chairman of United Israel Appeal (1968-71), president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit (1959-64) and founding chairman of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel (1971-83).

Berman flew with Fisher on Fisher's private airplane to Israel at least 12 times from the 1960s to 1980s, as Fisher used his position as confidant of U.S. presidents and Israeli prime ministers to keep relations between the nations warm.

"Max was the most influential man in our community, and was for half a century," Aronson said. "His influence went beyond Detroit; he was committed to the entire Jewish world. But Max always believed that Detroit came first."

"There was no one as powerful or influential as him," Aronson said. "Everyone would take his phone calls."

"He has been the voice of American Jewry and world Jewry for decades," said Rabbi Irwin Groner of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield. "He was a major contributor, but he was more than that. His leadership was composed of his ability to persuade and guide. He was universally respected, because he sought the welfare of the community."

For all his accomplishments, Fisher was a humble man, Groner said. He wouldn't have wanted a fuss made over his death, though a fuss is inevitable.

"He took comfort in the realization that he was able to achieve so much in life," Groner said.

You can reach Ron French at (313) 222-2175 or rfrench@detnews.com.