Mountain States Spotlight with Marvin Levy
Former Regional Chair and Life Member of ADL’s National Commission and of ADL’s National Executive Committee Marvin Levy shares insights from his 25 years on the Mountain States ADL Board and his love of Oreos.
How did you first become involved in ADL? How are you involved now?
Throughout my career with Miller Stockman, a maker of Western wear, and its parent company Miller International, Inc., I was involved with a number of civic organizations. I became chair of several organizations in Denver, including the Colorado State Chamber of Commerce (also known as the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry), the Denver Better Business Bureau and Channel 6 Public Television KRMA. However, I had never been involved with any Jewish organizations.
I met my wife Bebe on a blind date engineered by four ladies playing tennis on an adjacent court. Bebe encouraged me to get involved in the Jewish community. Although I’m not a very theological Jew, I’ve always been a supporter of Israel, and ADL’s mission and values spoke to me.
This January, I’ll be celebrating my 25th anniversary on the ADL Regional Board. Since getting involved with ADL, I’ve chaired most committees, am a Life Member of the National Commission, a member of the National Executive Committee, and was honored to serve as the Regional Board Chair from 2004-2006.
What do you do in your professional life?
I am the retired Chairman of Miller International, Inc., which is the parent company of the Rocky Mountain Clothing Co. I am very busy in my retirement with travel, reading and spending time with my friends. I find that if I have a book, I’m never bored. Right now I’m reading Harper Lee’s Go Set A Watchman, the companion of To Kill A Mockingbird. I don’t like it very well, but I’m stubborn, so if I decide to start reading a book, I finish even if it’s painful. I have a wide range of interests, so I’ve read everything from Constantine’s Sword to Fifty Shades of Grey. I read everything.
I’ve also been very invested in cultivating relationships with my close friends. Of my civic involvement, my number one priority continues to be ADL.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a professional athlete. I loved tennis. Also, for about five days, I wanted to be a rabbi.
What’s your favorite food?
Oreo cookies.
What’s a special place you have visited?
Bebe and I have been all over the world. I’d have to say that my number one all-time favorite trip was to East Africa – Kenya and Tanzania. The animals were extraordinary. We are going to India on December 1st. I’ve been getting culinary lessons (eating, not cooking) from ADL Education Project Director Tara Raju. So, I’m prepared.
Of course being involved as I have been on the national level with ADL, I’ve gotten to travel with (former National Director) Abe Foxman. Traveling with Abe is like being with a head of state. He and I didn’t always see eye to eye, but one thing I can say is that in challenging environments – at the Vatican, at Arafat’s compound with Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority – he could make the case not only for ADL, but for the Jewish people. His boldness had real value in that time and place.
Tell me a story that immediately pops into your mind that was a defining or significant moment for you.
A number of years ago, there was a referendum in Denver that would fund early childhood education. ADL was very active in the discussion, but most of the leadership was concerned with potential challenges to the separation of church and state, since a lot of the funding would have gone to help students enrolled in preschools held in religious institutions, such as churches and synagogues. I felt very strongly that it would be such a huge benefit to such vast numbers of children that we should support it anyway. I think the vote was something like 50-1, and you can guess who the holdout was. In the end, the referendum passed, and when it came time last year to renew, there were mechanisms in place [that ADL helped to craft] to ensure that the separation of church and state would be maintained, and that the children could benefit.
Why do you choose to make a financial investment in ADL?
The mission of ADL – to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all – is unassailable. I am a very strong believer in the value of debate and exchange of ideas, and love the opportunity to have conversations on issues of importance with my ADL friends and colleagues. The sophistication of the organization, along with the mission, makes it enjoyable, challenging and worthwhile for me to participate at a high level. For several years I’ve been involved in the development committee, encouraging others to support the organization financially as I continue to do.
As a legacy donor, why have you chosen to invest in ADL in this way?
Very simply, because I can. I feel it’s the right thing to do. I actually chaired the legacy committee for a number of years, so this issue is very important to me. If I’m as committed as I say I am to the mission of the organization, I should be as supportive as I can be.
As a 25-year veteran of the Mountain States Regional Board, what advice do you have for the organization and its supporters?
There comes a time when you’ve held all the positions and spent time in all the different areas. I’m turning 80 in December, and I feel that I’m on the downside of the curve of involvement. I would love to see an increasing number of younger people with new ideas and energy get involved in the organization and on the board. I look forward to continuing my involvement as needed, but am also looking forward to seeing those with longer horizons bring new perspectives to this organization that I love.
Complete this sentence: For me, the ADL is …
… the most effective Jewish agency focused on a wide range of important social issues and civil rights.