Bernard I. Levinson

Bernard I. Levinson died peacefully on October 30, 2024, in Haverford, PA at age 99. As his granddaughter pointed out, he died while taking a nap, which was one of his favorite things to do.

Born in Lithuania in 1924, Bernie emigrated to New York with his parents in 1929. He grew up in Boston, where he attended Boston Latin School and then Harvard.

In college, Bernie was involved in Zionist groups and studied economics. He graduated in 1947 after a brief stint in U.S. Army Intelligence during World War II. He went on to earn his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1949.

Bernie began his career at Grossman's Lumber before moving to Buffalo, NY in 1956 to start a business selling prefabricated houses. That same year, Bernie met and married Judith Morrison in Buffalo NY. They had two children, Monte and Rani. In 1966, he returned to academia as the Assistant to the Dean of Faculty at Brandeis University. His career culminated as the Executive Vice President of the Jewish Publication Society in Philadelphia, a position he held until his retirement in the 1980s. 

One of the highlights of his time with JPS was leading delegations from the Association of Jewish Book Publishers to the biennial Moscow book fairs. The 1985 Moscow trip earned him a mention in the New York Times when his visa application was delayed. He was driving to New York to hand off materials to one of the other delegates. When word came in that his visa was approved, Judy called the NJ State Police to flag him down on the NJ Turnpike to let him know that he could turn around and come back home.

Bernie had a lifelong interest in literature and music that he continued to pursue in his retirement. He was an avid reader, tackling works like Ulysses and Remembrance of Things Past. He participated in reading clubs and delivered Meals on Wheels. He also adopted a stray dog, Taki, much to the surprise of his family, and the two were devoted companions. 

Bernie enjoyed summer vacations in Wellfleet and concerts and rehearsals at Tanglewood. He led tours at various Philadelphia institutions, including the Rosenbach Museum, the University of Pennsylvania Museum, and the Kimmel Center.

In 2002, Bernie and Judy moved to the Quadrangle retirement community, where he served as President of the Residents' Association and the Quadrangle Board. He was proud to oversee loosening the dress code for dinner in the Quadrangle dining room.

Bernie’s friends and family will always remember his love of walks, chocolate, and bagels, as well as his devotion to The New York Times and The New Yorker. He is survived by his wife Judy, his children, Monte (Rachel Hart) and Rani, and his grandchildren, Lila and Neve. As Bernie would have said, he had a good run, and it could have been a lot worse.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Philabundance (philabundance.org), Mazon (mazon.org), the Quadrangle Board, or a non-profit of your choice.