Ruth Broder
Interviewed by Sharon Alterman
June 22, 2005
Max M. Fisher Federation Building, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Ruth Broder
Video 01:00:32
Ruth Broder
Audio 01:00:32
Abstract
Ruth Broder speaks about the immigration of both her mother’s and father’s side of her family, and briefly mentions her early childhood memories of her family members. She mentions that the Marx family, from her mother’s side may be the largest Jewish family in Michigan. She relates some memories of visiting her uncle in Oscoda, MI.
Broder talks about her parents, their careers, and their involvement with the Federation. She mentions her first solicitation job at 16, urged by her mother, who was heavily involved in the Women’s Division.
Broder then mentions meeting and marrying her husband, Brewster, and how both of them were involved with the Junior Division at the time. Broder talks about her fundraising jobs in political campaigns at this time and then speaks more about solicitation within the Women’s Division of Federation.
Broder speaks about her experiences working for Senator Carl Levin as his Special Assistant, and eventually her trip to Israel with Levin and Senator Chris Dodd. She discusses about her involvement with Miracle Missions, then family missions and how the missions continue to evolve.
History of Narrator
Ruth Kahn Broder was born in 1929 in Detroit to Vera and Ivor Kahn. She has a long history of volunteerism within the Detroit Jewish community. She was actively involved with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit’s Women’s Division, serving many positions including campaign chair. She served on the board of Federation, Jewish Family Service, JVS and United Israel Appeal.
She also served Federation as chair of the Missions committee and directed Michigan Miracle Mission III. Additionally, she is a longtime volunteer and committee member of the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Broder has the distinction of being named Federation’s first recipient of the Sylvia Simon Greenberg Award for young leadership in community volunteerism. She also received Federation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.
In addition to her volunteer activities, Broder worked as a staff member for Senator Carl Levin. She was married to N. Brewster Broder (z”l) and is the mother of four children.
Transcript
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Credit as: Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Ruth Broder Oral History Interview, June 22, 2005.