Sam Margolin Tribute Dinner December 18, 1994

REMARKS BY IRA A. LIPMAN

CHAIRMAN OF THE DAIS AT THE

SAM MARGOLIN TRIBUTE DINNER BARON HIRSCH SYNAGOGUE

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

DECEMBER 18, 1994

MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE SEATED SO WE CAN BEGIN.

I’M DELIGHTED TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE TONIGHT. THIS IS A GREAT EVENT FOR OUR CONGREGATION, AND I’M HAPPY YOU COULD BE HERE TO CELEBRATE IT WITH US.

I WILL NOW ASK OUR GUESTS OF HONOR TO TAKE THEIR SEATS:RABBI AND MRS. DAVID SKOPP MR. AND MRS. BERNARD LIPSEY MY LOVELY WIFE, BARBARA MR. AND MRS. SAM MARGOLINRABBI AND MRS. RAFAEL GROSSMAN GOVERNOR-ELECT AND MRS. DON SUNDQUISTMR. SIDNEY ABRAHAM.

WILL EVERYONE NOW PLEASE RISE FOR THE SINGING OF HATIKVA, THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF ISRAEL, AND THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER BY RABBI CANTOR DAVID SKOPP.

THANK YOU, RABBI. THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

NOW RABBI ADAM LITT WILL DIRECT THE BARON HIRSCH YOUTH CHOIR.

THAT WAS MAGNIFICENT! ISN’T RABBI LITT DOING A GREAT JOB WITH OUR

YOUNG PEOPLE? HOW ABOUT A HAND FOR THE RABBI

WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO WASH, PLEASE DO SO NO AND THEN I WILL ASK DR. ROBERT FISK, SAM MARGOLIN’S SON-IN-LAW, TO LEAD US IN HAMOTZE, THE BLESSING OVER THE BREAD

THANK YOU.

DINNER WILL NOW BE SERVED. MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE.

SIDNEY KATZ, SAM MARGOLIN’S SON-IN-LAW, AND ONE OF THE FINEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER KNOWN, WILL NOW LEAD US IN BIRKAT HAMAZON, THE BLESSINGS AFTER FOOD.

THANK YOU, SIDNEY.

FOR OUR MUSICAL INTERLUDE, WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING WITH US THE MEMPHIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BRASS QUINTET, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND REQUESTED ENSEMBLES WITHIN THE SYMPHONY’S MUSICAL FAMILY.

THE MEMBERS OF THE QUINTET ARE: GREG LUSCOMBE, TROMBONE; SCOTT MOORE, TRUMPET;SUSAN ENGER, TRUMPET;JILL WILSON, FRENCH HORN; AND CHARLES SCHULZ, TUBA.

OUR THANKS TO THE MEMPHLS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BRASS QUINTET.

WE NOW HAVE THE HONOR OF HEARING FROM THE NEW GOVERNOR-ELECT OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE. WHILE IN CONGRESS, DON SUNDQUIST PROVED TO BE A SUPERLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE, AND RECENTLY HE PROVED THAT HE ALSO KNOWS HOW TO RUN ONE HECK OF A CAMPAIGN. I AM SURE I AM NOT ALONE IN BELIEVING THAT HE WILL ALSO PROVE TO BE THE BEST GOVERNOR IN THE HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. PLEASE WELCOME GOVERNOR-ELECT SUNDQUIST.

THANK YOU, GOVERNOR-ELECT SUNDQUIST. IT’S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU, AND IT’S A SPECIAL PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU AND YOUR LOVELY WIFE WITH US TONIGHT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WELL-KNOWN TO ALL OF YOU. PERSONALLY, I AM VERY PROUD THAT HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS CONGREGATION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WHOEVER FOLLOWS IN HIS FOOTSTEPS WILL HAVE A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. MR. BERNARD LIPSEY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…

TONIGHT WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HONORING A GREAT MAN.

YOU ALL KNOW SAM MARGOLIN, OR YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT HIM. YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT HE WAS ONCE PRESIDENT OF THIS CONGREGATION. OR MAYBE THAT HE WAS A LAWYER, OR THAT HE IS NOW CONSIDERED A WEALTHY BUSINESSMAN. BUT FEW PEOPLE KNOW THE WHOLE STORY.

BECAUSE LIKE ALL REMARKABLE PEOPLE, SAM MARGOLIN HAS LED AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE.

OF MANY PEOPLE, YOU CAN SAY, “HE IS A BANKER” OR “HE IS AN ACCOUNTANT” OR “SHE IS A DOCTOR?’ THOSE LABELS SUM UP WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE AND TELL YOU A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THEM. BUT HOW CAN WE CHARACTERIZE SAM MARGOLIN? WHAT SORT OF DESCRIPTIVE LABEL CAN BE ATTACHED TO A MAN WITH SO MANY TALENTS, VARIED INTERESTS, AND TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS? Page 11 of 24Sam Margolin Speech December 18, 1994WE COULD SAY HE’S A LAWYER. HE PRACTICED LAW FOR TWENTY YEARS, AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS HE WAS AN ELOQUENT AND POWERFUL ADVOCATE.WE COULD SAY HE’S AN EDUCATOR. HE NOT ONLY FOUNDED HIS OWN LAIN SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS ONLY TWENTY-TWO YEARS OLD AND TAUGHT THERE. BUT HE ALSO FOUNDED MEMPHIS HEBREW ACADEMY.WE COULD SAY HE’S A BUSINESSMAN. HE AND HIS BROTHERS BUILT A START- UP COMPANY INTO A HUGE SUCCESS.

WE COULD SAY HE’S A MAN DEVOTED TO OUR FAITH. THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, HE HAS CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

AND WE COULD SAY HE’S A FAMILY MAN, WHO HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO HIS WONDERFUL WIFE, ROSE, AND THEIR FOUR DAUGHTERS, 17 GRANDCHILDREN AND 28 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. ALL THAT IS TRUE, BUT A MERE RECITATION OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS FAILS TO CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF THIS MARVELOUS MAN. THERE MUST BE MORE TO THE STORY OF SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH AND SO MUCH GOOD—IN ONLY ONE LIFETIME.THE STORY BEGINS—AS SO MANY JEWISH STORIES BEGIN—IN RUSSIA IN 1905, WITH ONE OF THE WORST POGROMS IN HISTORY. SAM’S FATHER, RAPHAEL, CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AND SETTLED IN MEMPHIS, SENDING FOR HIS FAMILY WHEN HE HAD SAVED THE MONEY FOR THEIR PASSAGE. LIKE MANY OTHER IMMIGRANTS, RAPHAEL PEDDLED GOODS WITH HIS HORSE AND WAGON TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY. AND WHEN HE DIED A YOUNG MAN, HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN. SAM WAS ONLY TEN YEARS OLD.

THE FAMILY WAS NOT WELL-OFF. SAM’S MOTHER, GOLDIE, HAD TO TAKE IN BOARDERS TO HELP MAKE ENDS MEET. SAM HAWKED NEWSPAPERS—THE MEMPHIS PRESS AND NEWS-SCIMITAR—ON MAIN STREET TO HELP PUT HIMSELF THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

THE 1920’s IN MEMPHIS WERE A BUSTLING TIME. IT WAS AN ERA OF OPTIMISM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND PEOPLE BELIEVED ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE THROUGH HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE, AND DETERMINATION. THE MARGOLINS HAD ALL THREE IN SPADES.

BUT SAM ALSO HAD A DREAM, INSTILLED IN HIM BY HIS MOTHER. OTHERS MIGHT HAVE SAID IT WAS A PIPE-DREAM, AS SAM SOLD HIS NEWSPAPERS AND HIS MOTHER DID ALL THE GRUELING, TIRESOME WORK THAT COMES WITH TAKING IN BOARDERS. BUT IT WAS THEIR DREAM. SOMEDAY, SAM MARGOLIN WOULD BECOME A LAWYER.

HE HAD TO DO IT THE HARD WAY, WORKING ALL DAY AND ATTENDING CLASS

AT NIGHT. BUT HE DID IT. AND HE FINISHED AT THE HEAD OF HIS CLASS.

HE STARTED HIS OWN PRACTICE, AND ONLY A FEW YEARS LATER—IN 1932—FOUNDED HIS OWN LAW SCHOOL, SOUTHERN LAW LTMVERSITY. WHILE THE ENTIRE NATION WAS IN THE THROES OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, WHEN SKILLED AND TALENTED PEOPLE WERE SELLING PENCILS ON STREET CORNERS AND DESPAIR CHOKED THE HOPES OF MILLIONS, SAM MARGOLIN BEGAN AN ENTERPRISE THAT WOULD NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT THRIVE. BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO A BELIEF IN HARD WORK, PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION, HE HAD WHAT MANY OTHERS LACKED— A VISION.

SAM SAW THAT MEMPHIS NEEDED AN OUTSTANDING LAW SCHOOL WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE, ENDOWED ONLY WITH AN INSISTENCE ON SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION BY FACULTY DRAWN FROM THE BEST PRACTICING ATTORNEYS THAT THE CITY HAD TO OFFER. AND IT HAD TO HOLD CLASSES AT NIGHT, SO OTHERS LIKE SAM—ENDOWED ONLY WITH THEIR NATIVE INTELLIGENCE AND GRIT—COULD REALIZE THEIR DREAMS.

THE FACULTY INCLUDED SUCH LEADING ATTORNEYS AS JOSEPH BEARMAN, HERSCHEL FEIBELMAN, SAM MYAR, JR., AL THOMAS, JUDGE IRVING STAUCH, JUDGE GREENFIELD POLK, AND SAM HIMSELF.

IN THREE DECADES, SOUTHERN LAW UNIVERSITY GRADUATED MORE THAN 750 MEN AND WOMEN WHO WOULD GO ON TO BECOME THE LEADING LIGHTS OF THE MEMPHIS BAR AND JUDICIARY. A SURVEY IN THE EARLY 1960’s SHOWED THAT FAR MORE MEMPHIS ATTORNEYS ATTENDED SOUTHERN LAW UNIVERSITY THAN ANY OTHER LAW SCHOOL.

IN 1964, SAM MERGED THE LAW SCHOOL INTO THE NEW SCHOOL OF LAW OPENED BY MEMPHIS STATE UNIVERSITY. BUT BEFORE ITS DOORS CLOSED FOR THE LAST TIME, IT HAD WRITTEN A CHAPTER IN THE LEGAL HISTORY OF MEMPHIS THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.

A SUCCESSFUL CAREER, BY ANY STANDARD AND FOR ANY MAN. BUT SAM IS

NOT JUST ANY MAN.

YEARS EARLIER, HE HAD GIVEN UP HiS PRIVATE PRACTICE TO GO INTO BUSINESS WITH HIS BROTHERS, BEN AND JOE. THE POST-WORLD WAR BOOM WAS ON, AND THEY SAW AN ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY IN THE NEW DEMAND FOR HOUSING CREATED BY THE GI BILL. FOR 45 YEARS, THE MARGOLIN BROTHERS SUCCEEDED AS FEW OTHERS HAVE BEFORE, IN BUILDING SUPPLIES, CONSTRUCTION, REAL ESTATE, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, AND FINALLY MORTGAGE BANKING.

TODAY—ON DECEMBER 18, 1994—THE NATIONAL MORTGAGE COMPANY THEY FOUNDED IS THE TWENTY-FIFTH LARGEST MORTGAGE SERVICING FIRM IN THE UNITED STATES. FROM NOTHING, SAM AND HIS BROTHERS BUILT A COMPANY THAT SERVICES $14 BILLION IN LOANS, EMPLOYS 800 PEOPLE, AND HAS 10 LOAN OFFICES AND 300 LOAN CORRESPONDENTS.

THIS GREAT BUSINESSMAN AND FINANCIER—WHO LIKE MIDAS, HAS THE GOLDEN TOUCH WHO IS SO ADEPT AT MAKING MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DEALS—ONCE TOLD A REPORTER, “MONEY IS IMPORTANT IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT?’ Page 17 of 24

WHAT A MAGNIFICENT, SIMPLE, AND TRUE STATEMENT FOR SUCH A MAN TO MAKE! “THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.”

ONE THING THAT IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO SAM IS OUR FAITH. AT THE TENDER AGE OF 83, HE MADE HIS SECOND BAR MITZVAH. AND THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER—THROUGHOUT HIS TWO CAREERS—HE HAS FOUND THE TIME TO HELP STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH BOTH IN ISRAEL AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

BESIDES SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THIS CONGREGATION, HE ALSO SERVED IN A VARIETY OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, INCLUDING PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHEAST REGION OF THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA.

SAM’S DEEP DEVOTION TO ORTHODOX JUDAISM LED HIM TO FOUND ANOTHER SCHOOL, MEMPHIS HEBREW ACADEMY, AND PROTECT IT, WATCH OVER IT, AND NURTURE IT AS BOTH PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. IT IS A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO HIM AS FOUNDER, SUPPORTER, AND GUIDING LIGHT THAT THE SCHOOL ADDED “MARGOLIN” TO Hs NAME. THE MARGOLIN HEBREW ACADEMY WILL HELP PRESERVE THE FUTURE OF OUR FAITH. AS SAM ONCE SAID, “FROM WHERE WILL COME THE FUTURE LEADERS OF OUR PEOPLE—IF NOT FROM OUR CHILDREN, WHO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED IN THE IDEALS OF JUDAISM AND AMERICANISM.”

SAM’S DEVOTION TO HIS RELIGION IS EQUALED BY HIS LOVE OF FAMILY. WHO HAS EVER KNOWN A MORE DEDICATED FAMILY MAN OR A GREATER PATRIARCH? AND WHAT JOY HE TAKES IN SEEING BEFORE HIM THE GENERATIONS HE HAS FATHERED! IT IS NO WONDER THAT 17 OF HIS FAMILY MEMBERS WORK FOR HIS COMPANY, AND THAT SO OWN STOCK IN IT.

LAWYER, TEACHER, BUILDER, FINANCIER, A MAN OF FAITH, AND A PATRIARCH—IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY WE CAN’T SUM HIM UP IN A WORD. HE IS TOO COMPLEX, TOO MULTI-FACETED, TOO VARIOUS, TOO TALENTED, AND TOO SUCCESSFUL IN SO MANY AREAS OF LIFE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACE THROUGH TIME THE IMPRINT OF ALL THAT WE DO. ONLY IN OUR MEMORIES ARE OUR ACTIONS ISOLATED MOMENTS, CUT OFF FROM THE STREAM OF TIME. IN FACT, EVERYTHING WE DO RIPPLES OUTWARD, AFFECTING OTHERS IN WAYS WE CAN NEVER HOPE TO KNOW.THAT IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF A MAN LIKE SAM MARGOLIN, WHOSE LIFE HAS TOUCHED SO MANY OTHERS.NO ONE CAN EVER KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE EVEN AT THIS MOMENT OWE THEIR FAMILY VALUES, THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS, AND THEIR EDUCATIONS TO THEIR PARENT, GRANDPARENT OR GREAT-GRANDPARENT WHO RECEIVED HIS OR HER LAW DEGREE FROM SAM MARGOLIN’S SOUTHERN LAW UNIVERSITY.

NO ONE CAN EVER IMAGINE HOW MANY DESCENDANTS OF FAMILIES HERE IN MEMPHIS AND ELSEWHERE FOUND THEIR DREAM IN A HOME THAT SAM BUILT OR FINANCED.

NO ONE CAN EVER REALIZE WHAT IT HAS MEANT TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES OVER THE YEARS WHO WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE SAM CREATED JOBS FOR THEM.

NO ONE CAN EVER PLACE A VALUE ON THE EDUCATION OF ALL THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE ATTENDED THE HEBREW ACADEMY SAM FOUNDED.

SAM MARGOLIN, THE WORLD IS A MUCH BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF YOU— BECAUSE OF YOUR VISION, YOUR UNDERSTANDING, YOUR INTEGRITY, YOUR STRENGTH, AND YOUR LOVE. YOU HAVE TAKEN WHAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU AND ADDED TO IT MANY TIMES OVER. WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN THE WORLD IS MUCH GREATER THAN WHAT YOU RECEIVED.

AND MAYBE THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS GREAT MAN, THE THREAD THAT TIES TOGETHER HIS MANY FACETS. BECAUSE RECEIVING A LEGACY, TREASURING IT, MAKING IT THE CENTER OF YOUR EXISTENCE, ADDING TO IT, AND PASSING IT ON TO THOSE WHO COME AFTER IS THE PROCESS BY WHICH TRADITION SURVIVES TO FOSTER CIVILIZATION. AND TRADITION IS AT THE HEART OF LAW, EDUCATION, FINANCE, THE FAMILY—AND ABOVE ALL—HASHEM.

MAYBE IT WAS OUT OF THE WELLSPRINGS OF TRADITION—OUT OF A DEEP AND ABIDING RESPECT FOR MEMORY, FOR JUSTICE, AND FOR HISTORY—THAT SAM’S LAW SCHOOL WAS LOCATED IN THE SAME HOME ON ADAMS STREET WHERE HIS MOTHER FIRST GAVE HIM THE DREAM OF BECOMING A LAWYER.

SAM MARGOLIN, WE HONOR YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENTS, FOR THE MODEL YOU OFFER OUR CHILDREN, FOR ALL THE GOOD YOU HAVE DONE, AND FOR YOUR LIFELONG DEDICATION TO PRESERVING AND STRENGTHENING ALL THE TRADITIONS WE HOLD MOST DEAR. MARGOLIN FAMILY WOULD NOW LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.

OUR SENIOR RABBI, RAFAEL GROSSMAN, WILL NOW PRESENT A SPECIAL AWARD TO OUR GUEST OF HONOR.

TO OUR GUEST OF HONOR.