Diane Klein

Interviewed by Susie Pappas

April 30, 2018

Max M. Fisher Federation Building, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Diane Klein
Video 00:50:56

Abstract


In this oral history interview, Diane Klein talks about her upbringing in a secular Jewish household.  Though she describes her family as non-religious, her mother was a member of the Jewish Parents Institute and she attended Sunday School where she learned culture and history. She says that philanthropy was important to her mother, who was a Zionist, and a president of their neighborhood’s Hadassah chapter.

Klein talks about attending University of Michigan and being involved in her sorority, as well as organizing the program for a song fest.  She talks about her involvement as a camp counselor at Tamarack and how important Jewish camping is.  Klein mentions that it was after college, and after she had married Emery Klein that she got involved with Federation.  She describes a rally she attended when the Six-Day War broke out.  It was soon after that Emery started chairing the Mercantile Division and they went on a mission to Israel.  After the mission, Klein was asked to attend the leadership training, and then became part of the Education Department.  She describes a program where a fake grocery store was put together so women could experience how it was to shop for groceries in Israel at the time.

Klein then speaks about her husband, Emery, and his involvement with Federation.  She talks about how her children reacted to her involvement and talks about how it may have influenced her daughter as an adult.

Klein describes the organization of Women’s Philanthropy at the time she was president and talks about the road that lead her to the presidency.  She talks about fundraising activities and her duties as president. She mentions a time that she and Emery served as bus captains for the first Miracle Mission.

Klein mentions her mentors in Women’s Philanthropy. She then talks about her experiences as the chair of the National Midwest Region Federation and her time spent at conferences.  She talks about the interaction between Women’s Philanthropy and the general campaign, and finally discusses the concept of the women’s gift.

History of Narrator


A native Detroiter, Diane Klein has served as president of Federation’s Women’s Department and president of the Greater Detroit Chapter of Hadassah. She has also been involved with Fresh Air Society, National United Jewish Appeal, and National Council of Jewish Federations boards and National Board of Hadassah. With her late husband, Emery Klein, she has two children.

Transcript


Important Subjects


  • Camp Tamarack
  • Fresh Air Camp
  • Hadassah
  • Michigan Miracle Mission
  • Women's Division/Women's Philanthropy

Important Names


  • Doreen Hermelin
  • Dulcie Rosenfeld
  • Emery Klein
  • Jane Sherman
  • Penny Blumenstein
  • Sally Krugel

Credit as: Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Diane Klein Oral History Interview, April 30, 2018.