The art of hospitality

RORY RICHARDS

Welcome to our new occasional column profiling business leaders in our community. With each instalment, Rory Richards will ask local movers and shakers to spill the beans about what makes them tick and what makes them proud to be Jewish.

We begin with Daniel Frankel, president of the Daniel Group, who was recently named by Business in Vancouver as one of the city's Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders.

Name: Daniel Frankel.

Hebrew Name: Daniel Haim.

My mother was born in Haifa, Israel.

My father was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Occupation: Businessman.

Company: Point Group/Daniel Hospitality.

Age: 31.

Marital status? Single but attached.

Kinder? None.

Pen and paper or Blackberry? Both.

How many voicemails a day do you get? 18-36.

What book are you reading right now? The Tipping Point and Blink – both by Malcolm Gladwell.

Do you do any volunteer work? Who for? Yaffa Housing (housing for mentally challenged young Jewish adults).

Most memorable trip to Israel? I was born in Israel and lived there the first five-and-a-half years of my life. I went back many times and have wonderful memories of family and friends and simple daily life. The most memorable trip was three years ago when I went to my grandmother's funeral (Fanny Seelig). The entire family came from all over the world, which was a great tribute to her and a great sense of family and togetherness for all of us. She's still bringing the family together!

Favorite charity? Yaffa Housing.

Last time you were in shul? Six weeks ago for my grandmother's yahrzeit (at Beth Israel Synagogue).

What role does Judaism play in your life? Judaism is my identity, it's my culture, my family. It's a sense of identification with history and with destiny – I identify with both and I feel that I am part of both – the past, as well as the future. Judaism is the one big constant in my life.

If you asked me 10 years ago to write down five things that describe myself, I would probably say: I'm a son, a student, an artist, I'm single and I'm Jewish. Today, my answer would be: I'm a businessman, a boyfriend, a Vancouverite, I'm ambitious and I'm Jewish – so Jewish remains the constant in my life.

What makes you most proud to be Jewish? I am proud of Jewish values, especially the value of tzedakah. I am also proud of being identified with the People of the Book, the respect for learning and education and enlightenment. I am proud of being part of a long-lasting tradition but, at the same time, a tradition that is open to dialogue, to changes, to negotiation and to constantly asking questions.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? An artist (painter/sculptor).

My Hebrew is good enough to write (a) a letter, (b) a sentence, (c) a novel. I can certainly write a [Hebrew] letter; not a novel.

Who is your favorite Jewish comedian, actor or artist? I like Roy Lichtenstein and Louise Nevelson. I also like Jacques Lipchitz and Max Lieberman, but my favorite Jewish artist is my late grandfather and famous Israeli painter, Heinz Seelig, who continues to inspire me to this day.

Do you have a Jewish mentor or someone you look up to? I can't call him a mentor, but I recently read Viktor Frankl's book Man's Search for Meaning and I love his quotation of Nietzsche: "He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how."

Sage advice? "Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe" (Byrde Frankel, my grandmother).

Favorite website: www.danielhospitality.com.

Rory Richards is co-owner of Richards and Chan, a Vancouver public relations and event firm, www.richardsandchan.com.

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