Gilbert and Lila Silverman were lifelong Detroiters. Since the 1960s, they were active community members of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan. They always believed in giving back to their Synagogue, Hospitals, the city of Detroit and their many communities.
Gil was a successful real estate developer and manager, building and operating thousands of apartment units in Southeastern Michigan. Together, Gilbert and Lila were avid art collectors, especially focused on very modern and contemporary art. They travelled the world visiting Museums and significant Historical sites. Both during their lives and after they passed, they donated significant art collections to three museums: The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.