He’s Bean There, Done That

May 8, 2019 Aliza Friedlander

Hanan Y. “Bean” Sibel: “I have always had pushkes in my home and office, and I wanted to reacquaint these young children with that tradition.” (Photo courtesy of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore)

The iconic Hanan ‘Bean’ Sibel will be the recipient of Jmore’s first ‘Legend Award.’

For decades, Hanan Y. “Bean” Sibel has been a pillar and respectedmember of both Baltimore’s business and Jewish communities. As a philanthropist,Sibel, 87, has spent his life looking out for others.

“I think when you are able, there is an obligation to giveback,” says Sibel, a Pikesville resident and Beth Tfiloh congregant. “It’s beena personal commitment of mine to support causes, especially ones that help theJewish community.”

A father of three and grandfather of seven whose late wife,Carole, passed away in 2015, Sibel’s latest philanthropic endeavor focuses onteaching younger generations the importance of giving back through a children’sbook called “The Little Penny and the Pushke.”

“The pushke [tzedakah box] has been a tradition for manyJewish families,” says Sibel, who co-wrote the book with Allan Charles, founderand chief creative officer at TBC. “I have always had pushkes in my home andoffice, and I wanted to reacquaint these young children with that tradition.”

Along with the book comes a colorful tzedakah box for childrento collect their own charitable donations.

“I hope kids will put pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters intheir boxes and realize they can help people even though they don’t have largesums of money. Every penny counts,” he says.

A Baltimore native, Sibel graduated from Baltimore CityCollege before going to the University of Maryland. After college, he was drafted and spent twoyears in the military before heading back to the University of Maryland Schoolof Law. After graduating, Sibel joined his father-in-law’s business, ChaimsonFood Brokerage. When his father-in-law retired, Sibel took over the company andserved as chairman of the board, CEO and owner for 43 years.

“Chaimson Food Brokerage was a small company when itstarted,” Sibel says. “Eventually, I bought a company in Pennsylvania and onein Virginia. I also merged and partnered with a broker in New England, andtogether we opened in New York, Pittsburgh and the rest of Pennsylvania. By thetime the company sold, together we were representing 40 percentage of thenational food dollar.”

Sibel was an active board member of First Mariner Bank, theUniversity of Maryland Board of Visitors and has been involved in statepolitics. In addition, he served as vice president of the Jewish National Fundand chairman of Israel Bonds for the state of Maryland.

He also is a major supporter of Friends of the IDF and co-founderof the Maryland/Israel Development Center, which is now an agency of TheAssociated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. MIDC’s Hanan Y. Sibel Maryland/Israel BusinessLeadership Award was named in his honor.

“Israel means a lot to Jews worldwide,” Sibel says. “It’s asafe haven.”

Today, Sibel is an investor in Caves Valley Partners. “You have to do something you want to do if you are going to start a business,” Sibel says he advises budding entrepreneurs. “You have to create something that gives you pleasure and satisfaction while allowing you an opportunity to be creative and make a living.”

Join Jmore for our 2nd annual celebration of Baltimore’s Jewish Entrepreneurs — JBiz Entrepreneur — on June 4 at the Maryland Historical Society.