Miami Herald - November 15, 2002
Christine Dolen, cdolen@herald.com

But make no mistake: The quiet but passionate former Chicagoan isn't just a ticket buyer. In some cases, he has given an organization money from The Burstein Family Foundation, which he runs. In others, he gives of his time as a board member or volunteer. Often, he is giving both money and time, usually to groups with ties to the arts or to Jewish, gay and lesbian, and AIDS-related causes.

"I started coming here as a snowbird in 1994, then I moved here in 1998," says Burstein, 51. "I found there were a lot of things that needed to be done. In Chicago, I was one of many. Here, I could be a big fish in a small pond."

Burstein prefers the term "activist" to "philanthropist," getting involved in situations like the politics surrounding founder Robbie Rosenberg's departure from the Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

Those he helps support believe, however, that Burstein isn't driven by the desire for personal recognition.

"Harvey has never asked for his name to be attached to anything," says Dennis Edwards, board chairman of Maximum Dance.

'When he came to town, because of his foundation's wealth and his own, he could have made a big splash with the highfalutin' social set at Miami City Ballet or Florida Philaharmonic. Instead, he became ingrained at Miami Light Project, New Theatre and Maximum Dance. It's like we're one big family under Harvey."

Burstein's own family -- particularly his late father, Samuel A. Burstein -- provided both the model and the money for his generosity. Though his mother, Zel Shaffer, and father divorced when Harvey and his twin brother Stuart were 10, father and sons remained close. Samuel Burstein was in the candy business. But his heart was in the arts.

"He was a workaholic, but theater was his time for play," Burstein says.

The senior Burstein's life was difficult in ways his family didn't know, his son says.

"He was HIV-positive for 10 years and never told us," Burstein says. "He had AIDS, and died of it."

Harvey Burstein, too, had trials to overcome.

"I worked for my father for 10 or 11 years," he says. "And for 20 years, I had a problem with drugs, with Quaaludes. I overdosed 18 years ago. I hit rock bottom and went into rehab; now, I don't drink or do drugs. My dad knew my heart was not in the business. But he had so much respect for the time I put in delivering meals to people with AIDS."

In 1993, two years before he died, Samuel Burstein came to Harvey and said, offhandedly, "I've set up a foundation." Thus The Burstein Family Foundation was born. And after the senior Burstein's death, Stuart assumed control of the business, Harvey the foundation.

The foundation, which was distributing $400,000 to $500,000 per year before the economy started slipping, gives money in each of its interest areas for personal reasons. Though not religious, Samuel Burstein "never forgot he was a Jew," says his son, so half of the foundation's money goes to Jewish causes.

Because of the economic downturn, Burstein has had to delay payment or reduce pledged donations to groups like the Miami Light Project, Maximum Dance and New Theatre. He hopes that after two years of frugality, his foundation will be able to start giving more generously again.

But those to whom he gives understand.

"That's happened a lot with corporations and foundations," says Miami Light Project Executive Director Beth Boone. "Harvey is a gem. He's everything you could ask for in a donor. He really cares about the programs, and he attends everything."

Ellen Wedner runs Creative Arts Enterprises, which produced the gay-themed interactive play Jon and Juan's Wedding in Miami Beach; the company intends to reopen the play at Miami Beach's Richmond Hotel for three months starting Dec. 28. Her group's board is just one of many on which Burstein serves. She confirms that Burstein is exactly as he says he is.

"Harvey is so down-to-earth, with no pretensions," she says. "And he does everything. He'll lick envelopes for mailings. One Sunday, we were short a volunteer, so he came over and worked the box office."

More established groups, too, have received crucial funding from Burstein's foundation.

"Harvey has been very generous. We've named our stage the Burstein Family Stage at New Theatre," says Rafael de Acha, the co-founder and artistic director of the company.

Looking at South Florida's arts landscape, Burstein sees several immediate needs. For Miami Beach, he'd like more performance spaces, and a star-studded fundraiser at the Jackie Gleason Theater that could benefit smaller arts groups.

"We also need to motivate people to give money. To do that, you let them come free a few times. You get them addicted -- and it's a good addiction," he says.

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