Sen. Levin and his brother, former Rep. Sander Levin, were honored by the Jewish Theological Seminary with its Eternal Light Award in 2010 for their impact on the Jewish community.
Sen. Carl Levin’s Jewish roots developed during his Detroit childhood, growing up in a home with parents who were strong Zionists; his mother was very active in Hadassah. The family attended Congregation Shaarey Zedek and Carl went to Central High School, which had a great number of Jewish students.
“His most Jewish connection was that he lived tikkun olam every day of his life with every bone of his body,” says Eugene Driker, a prominent lawyer and former chair of the Board of Governors at Wayne State University. Driker and his wife, Elaine, became friends with Sen. Levin and his wife, Barbara, when the two families moved to Detroit’s Green Acres neighborhood 56 years ago.
“Sen. Levin was a strong supporter of Israel, but he had his own ideas about what support for Israel should look like,” says Driker. “He supported the Iran nuclear accord and parted company with AIPAC over its opposition.”
Driker remembers that Sen. Levin initiated an economic development project between Israelis and Arabs living in Gaza and the West Bank. A small group of businessmen, including some Detroiters, met regularly to build business connections across borders. After the deadly violence of the Second Intifada, however, the project was shelved.
“It was indicative of his character to reach for the stars in creative ways to create peace and harmony,” Driker says.
“Sen. Levin was always concerned about the underdog and always an advocate for underserved populations,” says Bob Aronson, former CEO of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. “He was concerned about social justice, which is a big part of Jewish values.”
Sen. Levin and his brother, former Rep. Sander Levin, were honored by the Jewish Theological Seminary with its Eternal Light Award in 2010 for their impact on the Jewish community.
Sen. Levin was also very committed to Detroit. The Levins were founding members of Detroit’s Congregation T’chiyah — the first new Jewish congregation in the city for many years — when it was established more than 40 years ago. A small group of Jewish Detroiters had been gathering for monthly Jewish observances, says Judy Harris, a Detroiter. Sen. Levin contacted her about creating a more formal organization.
“We had a committee that developed guiding principles, and Carl Levin brought a lot of insight into the process. Many Reconstructionist principles were brought into T’chiyah, which affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement during the mid-1980s. Reconstructionist Judaism is participatory, inclusive and egalitarian,” explains Harris, who served as T’chiyah’s first president.
The congregation met initially on the third floor of the St. Mary’s Church school building in Greektown. When the first two floors were unused, the building was kept locked. Harris remembers that Levin provided a bell that was tied to a rope so that congregants who wanted entry could communicate that they were outside to be let in.
T’chiyah eventually split into suburban and city congregations. The Levins continued to attend T’chiyah after the congregation moved to Oakland County, but then shifted to the new Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit, which remains in the city. According to Matthew Schenk, its president, the Levins participated in some of the congregation’s holiday services via Zoom during the pandemic.
“Carl Levin was a natural Jewish leader,” Aronson says. “He had that aura and personality to be a Jewish leader. He commanded respect. He was a humble man who had a calming influence with a sense of humor and warmth. He was incorruptible.
“He was always there for the Jewish community. If Federation asked him to do something, be on a panel or speak, he would always participate. I remember him speaking after the 9-11 attacks. He was an extraordinary man.”