Dulcie Rosenfeld
Interviewed by Michael Berke
August 1, 2018
Max M. Fisher Federation Building, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Dulcie Rosenfeld
Video 00:45:00
Dulcie Rosenfeld
Audio 00:45:00
Abstract
In this oral history interview, Dulcie Rosenfeld talks about her time spent as chair and as president of what is now called Women’s Philanthropy. Rosenfeld speaks about being involved with Hadassah at a young age and eventually, after marrying Norman who was involved with the Young Adult Division at the time, got involved with Federation in the Women’s Division.
She mentions the women she worked with and was mentored by, and the training she went through. She talks about the place of women in Federation at the time.
Rosenfeld talks about her husband, Norman, and the areas of Federation that he was active with. She mentions her children and how they are active within their own communities outside of Detroit. From here, Rosenfeld talks about her first mission trip to Israel, and then talks about the NextGen Program. She talks about how she became the president of the Women’s Division and the challenges Federation faced during those years, and what was accomplished while she was in office.
Rosenfeld then talks about her experiences as chair of Women’s Division and explains the Jewish Information Service. She speaks about the staff of the Federation and the relationships between professional and volunteers.
History of Narrator
Dulcie Rosenfeld was born in Detroit in 1928 to John and Adeline Krasnick. Her family moved to Birmingham where her father opened a drug store. With few Jewish people in Birmingham, they traveled to Detroit regularly to attend Temple Beth El. Instead of attending high school in Birmingham, Rosenfeld attended Central High School. The family moved to Detroit and became charter members of Temple Israel.
She married Norman Rosenfeld in February of 1949 and had four children. Her family lived in Detroit, where Norman’s business headquarters for Sibley Shoes was located. Already active in Hadassah, Rosenfeld embarked on a volunteer career that has spanned over 50 years. A member of Federation’s board, Rosenfeld is a past vice president. She has also served as president of the women’s campaign and Education Department and chair of its Annual Campaign.
Rosenfeld has served as a trustee of the Jewish Home for the Aged, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Vocational Service, Alliance for Jewish Education, the Sinai Guild, National Council of Federations, United Way, Roundtable of Christians and Jews, the Greening of Detroit, and Gleaners Food Bank. She is a founder of the Jewish Information and Referral Service, and a past president of the Friends of Hillel at the University of Michigan.
Rosenfeld’s longtime contributions to Detroit’s cultural life include board and committee positions to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Wayne State Theater, the Detroit Historical Society, and the Detroit Institute of Arts, include chairing the Precious Legacy Exhibit, a collection of Jewish religious artifacts confiscated by the Nazis.
Transcript
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Credit as: © Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Dulcie Rosenfeld Oral History Interview, August 1, 2018.