Sandy Schwartz
Interviewed by Esther Mintz
February 6, 2018
Max M. Fisher Federation Building
Sandy Schwartz
Video 00:34:44
Sandy Schwartz
Audio 00:34:44
Abstract
In this oral history interview, Sandy Schwartz talks about moving to Detroit after marrying her Detroit-native husband, Alan. She talks about feeling out of place since she did not grow up with the other women in the community. She joined the Sisterhood of Shaarey Zedek and eventually was asked to become president.
It was when she was asked to participate in a Leadership Training Program that she was introduced to Federation and started to become active.
Schwarz talks about some mentors she had at the time in Federation. She talks about becoming president of Women’s Philanthropy and some of the things she worked on during her term. She mentions staff members that she worked with. Schwarz then discusses the differences in the solicitation styles of men and women. From here, she talks about the relationship between Women’s Philanthropy and the general Federation. She speaks about her hopes for more outreach for the future.
Next, Schwarz talks about the Jewish Women’s Foundation. She describes what it is and what they do and talks a little bit about the grant-writing process and why it is important for women to have their own foundation.
History of Narrator
Sandy Schwartz was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Newcomb College, the women’s college of Tulane University. While working in Boston, she met a lawyer named Alan Schwartz and they were married soon after.
After the couple moved to Detroit, Sandy became a community leader, including serving as president of Congregation Shaarey Zedek’s sisterhood, the Sinai Guild, and Women’s Philanthropy at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. She has been active on the boards of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation, the Sinai Foundation, the Greater Detroit Area Health Council and the Detroit Medical Center. She also served as chair of the Lion of Judah committee and is a trustee of the Jewish Women’s Foundation. Sandy was the recipient of the 2008 Kipnis Wilson-Friedland International Lion of Judah Award.
Additionally, Sandy is the co-creator of the Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish Women at Jewish Family Service.
Transcript
Important Subjects
Important Names
Credit as: Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Sandy Schwartz Oral History Interview, February 6, 2018.