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John E. Jacobs - Class Of 1964
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John E Jacobs
John E Jacobs, 73, of Huntington Woods, Michigan, died on 01 July 2020.
The Funeral will be A PRIVATE FAMILY GRAVESIDE SERVICE on Friday, 03 July 2020 at 10:00 AM .
Rabbi Matthew Zerwekh will officiate.
Family members include:
Beloved husband of 49 years of Gilda Jacobs; cherished father of Jessica (Joshua) Steinhart, and the late Rachel H. Jacobs; father-in-law of Todd Waldman; loving Papa of Jacob Waldman, Lyle and Ruby Steinhart; devoted son of the late Morton and the late Gilberta Jacobs; son-in-law of the late Hyman and the late Lillian Zalenko; dear brother of Elizabeth Jacobs and Charles Jacobs; brother-in-law of Karen and Robert Wildau; also survived by loving nieces, a nephew, and a world of friends.
Throughout his life, John Jacobs made it his mission to fight for those who could not fight for themselves. A native Detroiter, John attended Mumford High School graduated from Michigan State University and earned his Juris Doctor from University of Michigan Law School. Along the way, he met his wife Gilda and together they raised two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Rachel, of blessed memory.
John grew up at Temple Beth El, but his family did not take an active role in the Jewish community. As an adult, he realized that he missed having a Jewish education. He and Gilda made the decision to created a strong Jewish environment for their daughters and joined Temple Emanu-El. John ultimately assumed the presidency of the congregation.
John served on the Boards of the Jewish Community Center, JVS, and Tamarack Camps and is a past president of Jewish Family Service and the Michigan Regional Advisory Board of the Anti-Defamation League. Additionally, he was chair of the Jewish Eldercare Services Committee (COJES), the Federation Community Services Division and the Government Relations Oversight Committee (GROC).
John had been particularly drawn to serve in places where he felt he could make a difference. In the case of COJES, John recognized the needs of our Jewish elderly and sought to coordinate services for them. At JFS, he felt compelled to help those who were financially challenged or who suffered from domestic abuse, helping to make the Windows Program a reality. At ADL, he helped fight for those who did not have a voice, who would otherwise have been forced to work on Jewish holidays. In his role with GROC, he lobbied legislators for financial support for the Jewish community, ensuring that state dollars were allocated for Jews as well as Chaldeans and Muslims. He also fought to strengthen the Oak Park/Southfield Jewish communities, recognizing the important role that they play in our broad Jewish community. The need to support others was at the very heart of everything he did. From the time he made his first gift to the Allied Jewish Campaign to the present day, John worked to build a better future for everyone. |
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Kenneth Bertin (1964)
John was my best friend in High School. I met him when I moved to Parkside when I was Hampton and he was at Pasteur. He was brilliant, caring and all one could ask for in a friend. Marcy Tatkin Feldman and I fixed him up with his wife Gilda, and they had a wonderful life together, raising two daughters Rachel(of blessed memory) and Jessica. He was a successful attorney and a Life Master Bridge Player. He had medical issues late in life, but they never affected his warm personality. I will miss him beyond explanation.