Seymour Persky
1922 – 2015
Honorary Board Member
Seymour Persky accepted founding Maxwell Street Foundation member Elliot Zashin’s invitation to be on the board of the Maxwell Street Foundation in 2004, and became an Honorary Member of its Advisory Council in 2012. Seymour grew up near Maxwell Street and was an architectural preservationist. Seymour was a member of the City of Chicago Commission on Chicago Landmarks when the Maxwell Street Foundation presented its nomination applications for a Maxwell Street Historic District in both 1994 and 2000, and it is believed that his silent support helped elevate the nomination at the city level. Within the Jewish community, Seymour had numerous leadership roles including Jewish United Fund, Jewish National Fund, The American Jewish Congress, Israel Bonds, and the Chicago Loop Synagogue. He also served on the Boards of the Israel Cancer Research Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League, Friends of the IDF, Skokie Valley Synagogue, YIVO, National Jewish Theater, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, Arie Crown Day School, Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago and the Hillels of Illinois. Seymour was also recognized for creating the term “Wrigleyville” to describe the residential area surrounding Wrigley Field. Seymour Persky accepted founding Maxwell Street Foundation member Elliot Zashin’s invitation to be on the board of the Maxwell Street Foundation in 2004, and became an Honorary Member of its Advisory Council in 2012. Seymour grew up near Maxwell Street and was an architectural preservationist. Seymour was a member of the City of Chicago Commission on Chicago Landmarks when the Maxwell Street Foundation presented its nomination applications for a Maxwell Street Historic District in both 1994 and 2000, and it is believed that his silent support helped elevate the nomination at the city level. Within the Jewish community, Seymour had numerous leadership roles including Jewish United Fund, Jewish National Fund, The American Jewish Congress, Israel Bonds, and the Chicago Loop Synagogue. He also served on the Boards of the Israel Cancer Research Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League, Friends of the IDF, Skokie Valley Synagogue, YIVO, National Jewish Theater, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, Arie Crown Day School, Associated Talmud Torahs of Chicago and the Hillels of Illinois. Seymour was also recognized for creating the term “Wrigleyville” to describe the residential area surrounding Wrigley Field.