The prestigious Leonard N. Simons History-Maker Award, first given in 1991, honors those who have made outstanding contributions to the enrichment, conservation, knowledge, and dissemination of Michigan Jewish history.  The award's presentation is the highlight of our annual meeting.

Named for Leonard Simons (1904-1995), founder of the Simons Michelson Zieve advertising agency, the award continues Simons's passion for the preservation of Jewish and communal history.  Simons was legendary for having established the Jewish Community Archives at the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit, supported publication of our annual scholarly journal, Michigan Jewish History, and fostered pride among Michigan's Jewish community.  He was an active leader at Federation, Wayne State University Press, the Detroit Historical Society, and JHSM.