They immigrated to the United States when he was a child, settling in New York City. Hemoved to Detroit, Michigan after getting his architecture degree in NewYork, and made his career at a t i m eof great growth in the city. He attended local public schools, where he learned English. He also became in- volved with Yiddishtheater, which was very active while he was growing up. He acted in several plays. At the same time he was busywith advanced studies, and received an architecture degreefrom the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan, New York in 1913. Finkel moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he began his architecture career in 1915. The city was described as a boom town, growing rapidly along the auto indus- try. He designed more than 200 structures, from apartment buildings and houses, to help accommodate the increased population, to a great variety of commercial and entertainment buildings, including movie theaters. His works include what is now known as the Ossian H. Sweet House, built in 1919; the 1,700-seat Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which opened in 1928; and the Michigan Theatre in Jackson, Michigan, which opened in 1930. Each of these buildings is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He designed more than 200 buildings, including grand movie palaces, apartmentsand houses, and commercial structures.