Golf Outing Renamed to Honor Hillel Day School Parent

Steven Zack was a lot of things to a great many people—devoted husband and father, trusted friend and respected businessman, to name a few. But perhaps his greatest gift was the ability to be all of those things at once, and have everyone that he touched feel as if they were his highest priority.

“Steven was successful in so many facets of his life,” said Steve Freedman, head of , where Zack was a board member. “No matter what the project, he approached it with tenacity and enthusiasm.”

Zack, who passed away March 7, 2011, was an insurance broker with LSG Insurance Partners by trade; he was also owner of Global Commercial Credit and a former owner of Universco Insurance.

It was Zack’s volunteer and community service, however, that Freedman said had the most impact.

”Steven was an important part of the Hillel community. He lived and modeled our mission and core values," he said.

Zack was a parent of Hillel students, served on the board of trustees for the Farmington Hills school and was chair of the Hillel Golf Classic for six years. He was known to be fiercely dedicated to the success and underlying goal of the golf outing: to raise money for tuition assistance in order to make a Hillel education possible to families who would otherwise not be able to afford one.

In recognition of Zack’s dedication, The Hillel Day School Golf Classic has been re-named to honor his memory. In its 16th year, the Hillel Day School Steven Zack Memorial Golf Classic will be held on Monday, Sept. 12, 2011 at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield.

“We cannot overemphasize how much we miss Steven. He taught every one of us a lot: a little about insurance, but mostly about life. I can think of no better example of this than his enthusiasm for the golf tournament that now bears his name. He didn’t just volunteer in name. He loved it, and shared that with all of us. We are proud to be among the many of his friends to sponsor this event,” Mark Fisher, Vice President & General Counsel at LSG Insurance Partners, said.

In addition to his work with Hillel, Zack was a board member of and Jewish Vocational Services. He was also active in the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, where he served on the Community Services Division, the Planning and Allocations Steering Committee, the Pension and Insurance Committee, and the Joint Purchasing Task Force. He was also a member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Susie Feldman, Senior Endowment Development Manager of Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit said, “Whether it was giving time or money Steven was always actively involved in the community.  He understood the needs of those less fortunate and he worked tirelessly to help.”

As part of his commitment to Federation, Zack served on the Community Services Division (Committee) along with John Jacobs, Chair of the Division. Jacobs feels that “as a member of the Community Services Division Steve made a very meaningful contribution of his time over the years to Federation and its efforts to support less fortunate members of our Jewish community.”

Zack’s wife, Marla, is honored by Hillel’s move to rename the golf classic in her husband’s memory.

“I think what made Steven such an inspirational person was that he chose to guide his life by a simple principle; to do good things for family, friends, co-workers and community. He had a genuine compassion for people and supported a great many causes but was especially passionate about his involvement with Hillel. Steven believed in the value of a good education and it was important to him to help make it possible for those that might not have the same advantages as others to still have access to a solid foundation for learning so that they could also achieve success and help support their community.”

For more information about the Hillel Day School Steven Zack Memorial Golf Classic, including how to donate, contact Cheryl Schanes at 248-539-1488 or cschanes@hillelday.org.