David Page
Interviewed by Susie Citrin
June 22, 2005
Max M. Fisher Federation Building, Bloomfield Hills, MI
David Page
Video 00:54:23
David Page
Audio 00:54:23
Abstract
In this interview, David Page discusses his childhood and family while growing up. He speaks about deciding to go to law school, becoming a lawyer and his experiences as a young Jewish man at Harvard Law School at the time. Page talks about his first involvement with the Jewish Community and also the Young Leadership Cabinet and Temple Beth El. He mentions the non-Jewish organizations he is associated with, such as the Children’s Hospital, and Boy Scouts. He goes into detail about the Kresge Foundation and changes in Detroit over the years.
From here, Page talks about his trips to Israel and relates stories about David Hermelin. He speaks more about ORT, the Young Leadership Cabinet, and the Jewish Family Service. He describes his involvement with the general fund, and the committee of Identity and Affiliation. He talks about the results of a study done by the committee.
Page speaks about the Detroit Jewish Initiative, and his memories of when he first became involved with Federation. Finally, Page ends the interview speaking about his ideas about the future and his grandkids.
History of Narrator
David Page was born in 1933 in Detroit to Hilda and Milton Page. Page earned a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and law degree from Harvard Law School. In addition, he was a Fulbright Scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Page was a partner at Detroit-based Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, chairman of Southfield-based Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc. and chairman of the board of trustees at Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation in Detroit until his death.
Page served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards throughout his professional career. He served as president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and co-chaired its Strategic Planning Committee. He also served as board member of Jewish Family Service, Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Fund, Council of Jewish Federations and American ORT. In 1999, he was awarded Federation’s Butzel Award for community service.
His other positions include vice-chair of the Detroit Medical Center, board director of United Way Community Services and Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. He was on the board of City Year Detroit, Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Zoological Society and Detroit Chamber Music Society.
Page died on July 1, 2014 at the age of 80.
Transcript
Important Subjects
Important Names
Credit as: Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. David Page Oral History Interview, June 22, 2005.