Robert Aronson 14

September 9, 2003

Abstract

Robert Aronson talks about the difficulty of getting Max FIsher to agree to put his name on the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's building.
Credit: Mort Crim Productions

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Max by the way has always resisted putting his name on anything. Which is a measure of the man. He’s not about recognition. He’s about accomplishment. But he’s about doing it quietly. He’s not about self-promotion, ever. And I would guess without knowing the details, that as he was being asked for this money and as he thought about this money. One of things that probably kept him from making the gift for a while, is his reluctance to see his name on it. Um.. we named our building for Max, our Jewish Federation Building in the community. It’s really the only name that fits, um.. is Max’s name. And we had to.. and I had work like hell to get him to say yes to that. And it wasn’t about the money, it was about, “Do I want my name to be up on a building?” so after the Renaissance, I think this is exactly the right kind of project for Max to have his name on. It is a magnificent cultural institution. It is part of the true revival of this city.