Remembering Bookie

I would like to add to Michael Berenbaum’s wonderful July 26 obituary for Hyman Bookbinder by going back one administration earlier than Michael’s memories. For a year and a half, I served as the Jewish liaison for the Ford White House. During that time, Bookie, whose personal political proclivities were pretty much on the other side of the aisle, offered the most sage advice, and never with the object of promoting himself. Particularly in light of some of the recent events in Washington, what I would focus on about Bookie was not that he would compromise, but that he actually knew the path to take to get something done.

David H. Lissy

Executive Director and CEO

Masorti Foundation

New York, N.Y.

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