Leonard Fein
{{Short description|American activist, writer and teacher}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox writer
|name=Leonard Fein
|occupation=Writer, professor, publisher
|birth_date={{Birth date|1934|7|1}}
|birth_place=Brooklyn, New York, United States
|death_date={{Death date and age|2014|8|14|1934|7|1}}
|death_place=Manhattan, New York, United States
}}
Leonard J. Fein (July 1, 1934 – August 14, 2014), also known as Leibel Fein, was an American activist, writer, and teacher specializing in Jewish social themes.{{cite book |title=Contemporary authors: a bio-bibliographical guide to current authors and their works |last1=Kinsman |first1=C. D. |last2=Nasso |first2=C. |year=1975 |publisher=Gale Research Co. |isbn=9780810300279 |url=https://archive.org/details/contemporaryauth01kins |url-access=registration |accessdate=September 8, 2015}}
Academic career
After studying at the University of Chicago, Fein later received his PhD from Michigan State University.
Fein taught Political Science at MIT in the 1960s. He was then also the Deputy Director of the MIT/Harvard Joint Center for Urban Studies. He joined the Brandeis University faculty in 1970 as a Professor of Politics and Social Policy and the Klutznick Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies.
Jewish community leader
He founded the National Jewish Coalition for Literacy and was co-founder and for 12 years editor of Moment Magazine.[http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/archives/latest-news-briefs-from-the-jewish-telegraphic-agency/article_50c5814d-e342-520d-af4e-cc597552fc7b.html "Latest news briefs from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency"], Cleveland Jewish News, July 27, 2004. Accessed July 29, 2011.{{subscription required}} He was characterized by Daniel Sokatch of the New Israel Fund as "the father of our Jewish social justice movement."Daniel Sokatch, [http://www.nif.org/news-media/out-loud/leonard-leibel-fein/ "Leonard 'Leibel' Fein"] 2014-08-15, New Israel Fund. Accessed 2014-08-15.
Fein is the founder of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, a Jewish hunger-relief organization started in 1985.Dana Evan Kaplan, [https://books.google.com/books?id=0NrIPT7KWTYC&dq=%22Leonard+fein%22+mazon&pg=PT117 Contemporary American Judaism: transformation and renewal], New York: Columbia University Press, 2009; {{ISBN|978-0-231-13728-7}}; pp. 82–83
Fein helped establish Americans for Peace Now.{{cite news |author=Bryan Marquard |date=September 15, 2014 |title=Leonard Fein, at 80; illuminated roles of America's Jews |newspaper=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/09/14/leonard-fein-writer-and-activist-illuminated-roles-and-responsibilities-america-jews/PIzs464sVq3Qy1f3HZGiiM/story.html}}
Author
He was the author of four books and the editor of two, and he wrote extensively for newspapers, magazines, and journals. From 1990, he wrote a syndicated weekly opinion column for The Forward newspaper.
Fein's books include Where Are We? The Inner Life of America’s Jews and Israel: Politics and People. He was a contributor to The New York Times, The New Republic, Commentary, Commonweal, The Nation, Dissent, and the Los Angeles Times.
Family
His father was a professor of Jewish history.
He was the brother of Rashi Fein, Litt. D., Ph.D., a famed health economist termed "a father of Medicare"{{cite news |url=http://www.jta.org/2014/09/09/news-opinion/united-states/rashi-fein-a-father-of-medicare-dies |title=Rashi Fein, a 'father of Medicare,' dies |date=September 9, 2014 |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |accessdate=September 8, 2015}} and Professor of Economics of Medicine, Emeritus, in the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School.{{cite web |url=http://mazon.org/2010/10/26/a-brothers-tribute-to-leonard-fein/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911015740/http://mazon.org/2010/10/26/a-brothers-tribute-to-leonard-fein/ |archive-date=2014-09-11 |url-status=dead |title=A brother's tribute to Leonard Fein |publisher=MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger |date=October 26, 2010 |accessdate=September 8, 2015}}
He was married twice and had three daughters, Rachel, Nomi, and Jessie.
Death
Awards
- [http://www.ameinu.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Olameinu-2009.pdf Ameinu Dreamers and Builders Award], November 2009.
- Honorary doctorate from the Hebrew Union College, 1991{{cite web |publisher=Berman Jewish Policy Archive, Stanford |title=Speech to Hebrew Union College upon receiving an Honorary Doctorate in 1991 |author=Leonard Fein |url=http://www.bjpa.org/Publications/details.cfm?PublicationID=16200}}
- National Foundation for Jewish Culture award for achievement in Jewish scholarship, 1994.
- Jewish Council on Public Affairs, Chernin Award for lifetime contributions to social justice, 1999.
- University of Chicago Alumni Award for "creative leadership in public service that has benefited society and reflected credit on the University", 2000.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://digifindingaids.cjh.org/?pID=364908 Leonard Fein Papers] at the American Jewish Historical Society at the Center for Jewish History
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071110013107/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,841587,00.html Behavior: Two Voices: A Dialogue on Dissension]. Time, January 31, 1969. Fein and educator Rhody McCoy are interviewed on the relationships between ethnic communities.
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Category:American magazine editors
Category:Writers from Brooklyn
Category:Jewish American community activists
Category:American community activists
Category:Jewish American academics
Category:University of Chicago alumni
Category:Michigan State University alumni
Category:MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences faculty