Nancy Grosfeld
Interviewed by Sharon Alterman
February 7, 2012
Max M. Fisher Federation Building, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Nancy Grosfeld
Video 00:36:30
Nancy Grosfeld
Audio 00:36:30
Abstract
In this interview, Nancy Grosfeld talks about her childhood in Detroit. She remembers many of her extended family members visiting often and having big celebrations for holidays at her childhood home.
She talks about her Jewish education at Temple Beth El and notes how her religious upbringing was with an orthodox father and a conservative mother. She mentions her father’s sports career at University of Michigan Football team, as well as her mother’s various Jewish community involvements.
Grosfeld talks about her first volunteer experiences for the Michigan Humane Society, her first volunteering experience with JARC and with Federation working on Super Sunday. After this, she became involved with the Women’s Department.
Grosfeld speaks about her work experiences, from starting off in Social Work, to becoming a RN and working as the Head Nurse at Fairlaw Center, a part of the Pontiac State Hospital. She also speaks a little more about her experiences with the Michigan Human Society and other local and national animal organizations.
Grosfeld mentions her mentors in the Federation. Then she speaks about her trips to Israel, and talks about how she became involved with the general campaign, and then became president of the Federation. She speaks about events and programs that she had worked on while president, such as Israel at 60, and other programs that were initiated and created while she was in office. She then talks a little about the Grosfeld Leadership Fund.
Grosfeld lightly touches on the specific challenges she may have faced as a woman being president of Federation. She speaks on creating the Centennial Fund, as well as being involved with Next Gen. She speaks at length about Bob Aronson and mentoring Scott Kaufman. Finally, she ends the interview encouraging young women to get involved in the community.
History of Narrator
Nancy Grosfeld was born in Detroit to Sylvia and Sam Babcock. She received her B.A. from Michigan State University in 1965 with a major in Social Work and went on to get her degree in nursing. After graduating college, she worked at Fairlawn Center, a residential psychiatric facility for emotionally challenged children and adolescents.
A past president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Ms. Grosfeld has a long and distinguished record of service to her community. Her leadership roles have included: campaign co-chair of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, president of the Women’s Department of the Jewish Federation, president of Michigan Humane Society, vice-president of JARC, board member of the Detroit United Jewish Foundation and the Women’s Council of Cranbrook/Kingswood Schools, and an advisory board member of Hospice of Michigan. She has also chaired numerous fundraisers and served on committees at the MHS, JARC, and the JFMD and is a trustee of the Detroit Jewish Women’s Foundation.
Ms. Grosfeld is married to James, and they reside in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Together they have been a driving force of Federation’s Annual Campaign, underwriting the Challenge Fund for the Campaign in 1999. In 2001, the Grosfeld’s established the Grosfeld Leadership Program through their gift to the Millennium Campaign for Detroit’s Jewish Future. In 2004, they established the Nancy and James Grosfeld Social Impact Fund to address the community’s most critical social service needs.
Transcript
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Credit as: Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Nancy Grosfeld Oral History Interview, February 7, 2012.