Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History accessible at www.djnfoundation.org
A Book Fair to Be Proud Of
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n Nov. 6-14, the 70th Jewish Book Fair will be held. The oldest and largest Jewish Book Fair in the nation is usually held at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. Due to the lingering COVID pandemic, this year’s version will begin this month as an online program the best books from Jewish authors or about Jewish history and culture. The Book Fair has a long and illustrious history. I found more than 2,000 references to the Mike Smith Book Fair in the William Alene and Graham Landau Davidson Digital Archive Archivist Chair of Jewish Detroit History, including several excellent articles. The first Book Fair was a result of a partnership of idea and effort. In 1951, Irwin Shaw became the executive director of the Jewish Community Center with a mandate to increase Jewish education programming. JCC Board Member Louis LaMed had an idea: Why not have Jewish book publishers send their authors to speak at the JCC? Acting upon LaMed’s idea, Shaw went to New York and visited firms that published Jewish books. Initially, the publishers provided little support, but they did send books to sell. The first Book Fair was held at the Dexter-Davidson JCC in Detroit in November 1952. It was a modest dayand-a-half event with three authors. But LaMed and Shaw had planted a seed that would grow swift and strong. Pauline Jackson and Matilda Rubin mobilized volunteers and 25 organizations, largely synagogues, were partners. Henry Meyers chaired the honorary committee. Two years later, the Book Fair had 260 volunteers and involved 34 local groups. It soon became the largest in America. In 1960, the Book Fair moved to
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the Curtis and Myers JCC Building in Detroit. The D. Dan and Betty Kahn building in West Bloomfield became its home in 1976. Over the years, events were also held at the Jimmy Prentis Morris building in Oak Park. Two excellent articles relate the history of the Book Fair. I found one about the Fair’s silver anniversary in the Oct. 1, 1976, JN. This report also includes a photo of three generations of volunteers — Sarah Friedman, daughter Betty Sarkowitz and granddaughter Julie Shiffman — and photos of early pioneers of the Book Fair: Gertrude Oberstein, Pauline Jackson and Phyllis Schwartz. A virtual event this year, the Book Fair has always used the latest technology. In 1957, for example, Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver was scheduled to speak, but he could not attend in-person. Michigan Bell Telephone Co. and Book Fair organizers made arrangements to have him speak by phone and broadcast the conversation live to the audience via loudspeaker. The Book Fair’s 50th anniversary was celebrated in the Nov. 2, 2001, issue of the JN. The story celebrated the role of Shaw and included a timeline of famous authors who presented over the years such as Elie Wiesel, Simon Wiesenthal, Moshe Arens, Mitch Albom, and our JN editor and publisher, Philip Slomovitz. There is also a nice photo of Pauline Jackson speaking at the first Book Fair. So, let’s celebrate the 70th annual Jewish Book Fair. It’s a wonderful Jewish Detroit event. P.S. I will be interviewing Michael Shnayerson about his new book: Bugsy Siegel: The Dark side of the American Dream at the Book Fair on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives for free at www.djnfoundation.org.
