My parents and the Sapersteins became friends in the 1950s, but the two families settled in different cities before my birth so I didn’t know them. Still, protocol required me to contact them when I moved here in 1997. How lucky I was! From that first tentative phone call, they welcomed me into their extended family. Harriet has called me an “adopted niece,” which puts me in excellent company alongside dozens of international visitors, Detroit diehards, and passionate people from every walk of life.

If the Saps’ hospitality and commitment to connecting people were their only gift to the community -- dayenu. But there’s much more. A physics professor, Al took very seriously scientists’ responsibility to make their work useful to society. He played a central role in nuclear disarmament advocacy and was active in creating and advancing formal scholarship on processes for building peace.

Harriet’s professional life included community development leadership in both public and private agencies. Detroit’s jewel of a riverfront today, directly descended from Harriet’s vision in the 1970s, is just one of many places her mark is visible. Many of you have experienced one of Harriet’s tours of the city -- a verbal waterfall that douses listeners with fascinating details of local racial, economic and social history.

Individually, Al and Harriet have touched many lives. As a team, their contributions are also extraordinary. They have donated time, ideas and funds to Wayne State’s Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. And they have been stalwart, active members of multiple Jewish institutions, including Congregation T’chiyah, the Reconstructionist Congregation of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Jewish Council and the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan. They were charter donors to DJJ and have continued to support this essential work.

I hope you’ll join me in celebrating Harriet and Al at the Myra Wolfgang Awards on September 11th, 2025 from 7-9 PM at the Imani Humphrey Banquet Hall. It is a privilege to be part of their story – and to emulate their generous support of causes they hold dear.

Warmly, 

Tova Perlmutter (she/her)

P.S. If you are able, please consider honoring all this year’s award recipients by donating $360 to join the event host committee. DJJ will put all funds raised to good use in campaigning for justice in metro Detroit.