obituaries
The Patriarch Who Led By Example
Esther Allweiss Ingber
Contributing
Writer
I
amily, business and philanthropy
were the three pillars of life for
Jerome "Jerry" Schostak, retired
chairman and chief executive officer of
today's Schostak Brothers & Company in
Livonia.
And Jerry took pride in bringing these
important pillars together whenever pos-
sible, as expressed in the eulogy by son
Robert "Bobby" Schostak.
The commercial real estate company
founded by Jerry's father, Lou, in 1920
now includes a fourth generation focused
on shopping center development, acquisi-
tions, mixed-use, and commercial and
residential land development. More than
25 years ago, the family diversified into
the restaurant industry beginning with
Burger King restaurants throughout
Michigan.
Success in these endeavors has made it
possible for the clan to play together and
stay close, while also taking on commu-
nity leadership roles and making chari-
table gifts.
Jerry Schostak, 80, of Franklin, the
patriarch who always set a good example,
died from multiple myeloma, a blood
cancer, on May 9, 2014. Forty-one imme-
diate family members took comfort in
his surviving the illness 11 years when
doctors predicted no more than three to
five years.
The funeral service on May 12 was
led by Rabbi Aaron Bergman of the Adat
Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills,
where the Schostaks belong.
Jerry was born July 3, 1933, in Detroit
to Goldie and Lou Schostak, formerly of
Milwaukee. A son of Ukrainian immi-
grants, Lou entered the real estate indus-
try rather than join a long line of rabbis
in his family.
After graduating Central High School,
Jerry earned a degree in business admin-
istration from the University of Michigan
in 1954. He remained devoted to U-M
football and basketball and his Sigma
Alpha Mu Fraternity.
Married with four young sons, Jerry
took over the family business when his
father suffered a stroke.
Starting in the 1960s, "Jerry built a
blazing real estate business:' said Rabbi
Bergman. "He was an early developer of
the concept of open air shopping centers:'
Schostak Brothers & Co. developed
Oakland, Livonia, Macomb and the
original Somerset malls. Jerry introduced
the country's first Kmart location with a
parking lot in front.
The Team Schostak Family Restaurants
division of the company develops restau-
rants, including Burger King, Del Taco,
Olga's Kitchen and, most recently, the
Applebee's chain in Michigan.
F
Life Of Achievement
ing of the capital campaign, named the
Hillel campus the "Schostak Family
In 2008, Jerry received his first Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Urban Land
Campus:'
Institute, recognizing his outstanding
Steve Freedman, Hillel's head of school,
leadership in the real estate business.
said Jerry "had a passion for Jewish edu-
cation as a means of keeping family and
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
community together. He believed Hillel
Detroit will acknowledge Jerry with a
Lifetime Leadership
delivered both an out-
Award, its highest trib-
standing general educa-
ute, during Federation's
tion and Jewish educa-
10th Annual Leadership
tion, and Jerry helped to
Awards Night at the
ensure that through his
Berman Center in West
extraordinary generosity
Bloomfield on May 29.
to the school:'
For Federation, Jerry
Executive Committee
member Dan Mendelson,
chaired the Capital
Campaign at Hillel Day
on behalf of Southfield-
School and both the
based Akiva Hebrew
Day School, said, "Akiva
Capital Needs Division
and the Real Estate and
is proud to carry the
Property Management
Schostak name on its
Committee. He was a
campus, and the educa-
Jerry Schosta k
member of the Alliance
tion our students receive
will help carry on Jerry
for Jewish Education
Committee, the
Schostaks legacy. His
Investment Committee, and the Planning
major gift to our school campus impacted
Akiva at a critical time:'
and Allocations Steering Committee.
Additionally, the Schostak Family
Jerry also served as an officer and board
member of Federation, the United Jewish
Foundation Endowed Fund at Oakland
University in Auburn Hills helped to
Foundation and the Jewish Fund.
Along with community leaders Mark
establish a Judaic Studies minor in the
Schlussel and the late Robert Sosnick,
university's College of Arts and Sciences.
Jerry was instrumental in the sale of Sinai
Schostak company co-CEO Bobby
Hospital in Detroit to the Detroit Medical
Schostak, speaking at his father's service,
Center, which retained the Sinai name on
said the foundation was among the earli-
its Huron Valley-Sinai and Sinai-Grace
est donors in establishing the Oakland
hospitals.
University William Beaumont School of
Medicine. The family also gave money to
Attorney David Page, a communal
worker for decades with his friend Jerry,
U-M's Ross Business School, where Jerry's
had represented the DMC side. "You
daughter and son-in-law Stefanie and Joel
Hartman, and nephew Josh Schostak, will
always knew where you stood with Jerry:'
attend this fall.
said Page. "He had strong opinions that
were deeply felt:'
All told, the sale of Sinai Hospital was
Close - Knit Family
a win-win proposition and a highlight of
As sick as he was, Jerry did not miss
Stefanie's wedding on March 30 in Aspen,
Jerry's volunteerism. The DMC benefited;
Colo.
and cash proceeds from the sale of Sinai
"Jerry threw away his walker and took
Hospital established the Jewish Fund, now
my arm, and then Stefanie's, to walk her
boasting $60 million in assets.
down the aisle said his wife of 38 years,
"It has already provided over $50 mil-
Elyse Schostak. After having four boys
lion dollars of support to Jewish and non-
Jewish organizations in the Detroit area,"
from his first marriage, Jerry had two
girls with Elyse. The couple met through
said Scott Kaufman, Federation's chief
sailing, which Jerry learned attending
executive officer.
Camp Tamakwa in Ontario, Canada. The
A Jewish Legacy
Schostaks belonged to Bay View Yacht
Kaufman said Jerry especially "believed in
Club in Detroit.
the importance of building and maintain-
In 2009, Elyse joined the children and
ing a strong Jewish community and was a
a large number of family members when
great supporter of many of our important
they chartered a racing sailboat and won
causes and institutions:'
the Port Huron to Mackinac Race on
Robert Naftaly, a former Federation
Jerry's 75th birthday. Jerry had retired
president who worked with Jerry, agreed:
from racing with several boats called
"Next to his family and business, the
Fujimo in the late 1980s.
Jewish community, Israel and Jewish edu-
"We raced Port Huron to Mackinac,
cation were very important to Jerry and a
coming in first to finish and first over-
big part of his personal identity:'
all:' said Bobby, also fondly recalling his
In 1997, Hillel Day School in
father's early sailboat named Brothers
Farmington Hills, following Jerry's chair-
Four.
Of the Mackinac race triumph, Elyse
said, "We filled up the boat with family to
have one last great time on the water:'
Avid skiers in Aspen since 1976, Jerry
and Elyse built a house in the Starwood
area for their family to gather year-round,
especially during school breaks and major
holidays.
The house is large because "Jerry want-
ed us all to be under one roof' Elyse said.
"All we wanted was for them to look out
for each other:'
Sharing Ethics, Wisdom
"Almost 25 years ago, when I was running
a ski shop in Aspen," Kaufman recalled,
"Jerry and Elyse would frequently invite
me, a lone Jew from Detroit, to many din-
ners at their Aspen home. I never had a
conversation with Jerry where I did not
learn something:'
In his eulogy, grandson Michael
Schostak said that a great CEO like his
grandfather "builds a foundation" and
passes down his wisdom.
Bobby also noted, "Young men begin-
ning their professional lives learned from
him to be ethical businessmen:'
Because of Jerry's career and philan-
thropic contributions, Rabbi Bergman
said, "So many who benefited may never
know that something good happened in
their life because of him:'
Naftaly said, "Jerry's death is a big loss
to our community, but he has great chil-
dren and grandchildren who are following
in his footsteps:'
Jerome Schostak is survived by his wife,
Elyse Schostak; children, Robert (Nancy)
Schostak, David (Elise) Schostak, Tzvi
(Dorit) Schostak, Mark (Lillian) Schostak,
Lindsey (Assaf) Gal and Stefanie (Joey)
Hartman; grandchildren, Michael (Becca)
Schostak, Jeffrey (Rachel) Schostak, Jody
(Fred) Rappaport, Jake Schostak, Dana
Schostak, Naama (Dovy) Singal, Talya
(Ari) Teger, Leora (Avi) Henschel, Itamar
Schostak, Yona Schostak, Josh Schostak,
Danielle Schostak, Seth Schostak and
Lauren Schostak; great-grandchildren,
Olive, Sailor and Reuben Schostak, Aliana,
Maayan and Ariel Singal, and Barak
Teger; and the mother of his sons, Arlene
Tilchin.
He was the devoted son of the late Louis
and the late Goldie Schostak; cherished
brother of the late Dolores Roth; loving
grandfather of the late Jayne Schostak;
dear son-in-law of the late Clarence and
the late Elaine Guttentag; dear brother-in-
law of the late Stuart Guttentag.
Interment was at Clover Hill Park
Cemetery. Contributions may be made
to Reuben Phoenix Schostak Congenital
Heart Research Fund, 1000 Oakbrook
Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, (734)
998-6893, www.victors.us/reubenfund .
Arrangements were by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
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Obituaries on page 142
Obituaries
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May 22 • 2014
141