Researching Morris Silverman

He was born and raised in Troy, New York, where he also opened a gas station which he successfully used to help pay for his college tuition. After attending New York University and Albany Law School he moved to New York City with his wife, Dorothy (who died in 1985), to go into business. He joined the U.S. Army and became a Major during World War II, earning two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, two Bronze Star Medals, four Battle Stars, and a Combat Infantryman Badge.

Most of his money came from selling his company, National Equipment Rental, which he started after returning home from World War II. He sold the company in 1984 after it grew to be the largest privately held leasing company in America. After selling the company he founded the Marty and Dorothy Silverman Foundation.

One of his largest contributions was a $50 million pledge to found the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research.

Silverman was born on November 19, 1894 in Newburgh, New York, the son of Lena (Friedland) and Simon Silverman, who were Russian Jewish immigrants. He edited the High Holiday Prayer Book, popularly known as the "Silverman Machzor" in 1939 which became the official prayer book for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for the United Synagogue of America of the Conservative Movement for over half a century. He published it through his publishing company, Prayer Book Press, now a subsidiary of Media Judaica.

Silverman edited the and Festival Prayer Book, which was the official prayer book for the Conservative movement until the late 1980s.

Silverman's primary literary output was liturgical books, many of which he co-wrote with his son, Rabbi Hillel E. Silverman, including Siddurenu, a prayer book for school children, a prayer book for summer camps, a haggadah for the Passover Seder

Silverman was the long-time Rabbi of The Emanuel Synagogue, a Conservative synagogue in West Hartford, Connecticut.

He came from a family of clergy and writers. His wife, Althea H. (Osber), wrote many children's books and his son Rabbi Hillel continues to write Judaic books. His grandson is actor Jonathan Silverman. His great-nephew, Richard Sillman, was the youngest (among the first) cable TV directors in the United States.

Silverman was a 1953 recipient of the George Washington Honor Medal from Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge for Editorial.