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Samuel & Jean Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation
The Samuel & Jean Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation was established in 2004 to continue the philanthropy of Samuel and Jean Frankel. Samuel Frankel built a...
Samuel & Jean Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation
The Samuel & Jean Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation was established in 2004 to continue the philanthropy of Samuel and Jean Frankel. Samuel Frankel built a significant real estate portfolio in Michigan and beyond, and the foundation today is led by their son, Stanley Frankel, as President and Trustee, alongside his wife Judith Frankel as Secretary and Trustee. The wealth originates from Samuel Frankel's development career and the family's ongoing commercial real estate operations. The foundation's grantmaking focuses narrowly on Jewish heritage, education, and cultural preservation, with substantial support flowing to Jewish studies programs, synagogues, schools, and federated giving initiatives concentrated in Michigan. On the investment side, the foundation's assets are intertwined with the family's real estate holdings rather than a traditional diversified financial portfolio. Known properties include the Somerset Collection in Troy, Michigan, The Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Florida, and the former Kmart headquarters, also in Troy — income-producing trophy assets that fund the foundation's charitable disbursements. Stanley Frankel operates the foundation alongside a network of civic and cultural board commitments that reinforce its mission. He serves as a board member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and as a Trustee of the Jewish Theological Seminary. The family's real estate partnership with Sidney Forbes of The Forbes Company connects the foundation's asset base to a broader commercial property management platform. Additional Michigan holdings include Somerset Park Apartments and Sheffield Office Park, ensuring the foundation's income base remains geographically concentrated in Oakland County. The foundation's structure departs from the standard endowment model in one critical way: its corpus is not a blind pool of financial assets but a collection of named, income-generating real estate properties managed through a long-term family business partnership. This blurs the line between a grantmaking institution and a family operating company, making the foundation's financial health directly dependent on retail and office property performance in the Midwest and Florida.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2004
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Troy
Corporate office
Troy, MI, United States
Principals
Stanley Frankel
President and Trustee
Judith Frankel
Secretary and Trustee
Arthur Weiss
Assistant Secretary
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who oversees the foundation's investment and grantmaking decisions?
Stanley Frankel serves as President and Trustee, exercising authority over both the foundation's grantmaking direction and the oversight of its real estate assets. His wife, Judith Frankel, is Secretary and Trustee. The family's close business associate, Arthur Weiss, acts as Assistant Secretary and legal advisor. The Forbes Company, led by Sidney Forbes, manages the commercial properties that generate the foundation's income.
What is the foundation's primary grantmaking focus?
The foundation concentrates on Jewish heritage, education, and cultural preservation. Grants support Jewish studies programs, schools, synagogues, and federated giving, predominantly in Michigan. The foundation's public record reflects a geographically narrow mandate tied to the Frankel family's philanthropic interests in the Detroit area and select Jewish educational institutions nationally.
How does the foundation's asset base differ from a typical endowment?
Rather than holding a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds, the foundation's corpus consists primarily of direct commercial and residential real estate holdings. Properties include the Somerset Collection mall, the former Kmart headquarters, and other office and retail assets concentrated in Troy, Michigan. This makes the foundation's financial position unusually correlated with Midwest and Florida retail and office real estate performance.
What is the relationship between the foundation and The Forbes Company?
Sidney Forbes, principal of The Forbes Company, is described in public records as a long-term real estate partner to the Frankel family. The Forbes Company manages several of the trophy retail properties that fund the foundation, including the Somerset Collection. This operational partnership is central to how the foundation's real estate assets are professionally managed and monetized.
Does the foundation accept external investment or co-investors?
No. The Samuel & Jean Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation operates as a private, self-funded grantmaking entity. Its assets originate entirely from the Frankel family's wealth and its real estate operations. There is no indication of any external limited partners, pooled investment vehicles, or co-investment structures open to outside participants.
What is Stanley Frankel's connection to Detroit cultural institutions?
Stanley Frankel maintains active board roles with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and is an Associate National Commissioner of the Anti-Defamation League's Michigan chapter. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of the University of Michigan Alumni Association. These roles align with the foundation's broader commitment to Detroit-area Jewish and civic life.
Is there a second Frankel foundation, and how does it relate to this one?
Yes. Public records reference both the Samuel and Jean Frankel Foundation and the Samuel & Jean Frankel Jewish Heritage Foundation. The precise relationship between the two entities — such as whether one is a predecessor, a donor-advised fund vehicle, or a distinct granting entity — is not fully resolved in publicly available materials. Both are understood to advance the same family philanthropic mission.
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