JACK R. BERSHAD

BERSHAD
JACK R.

90, born May 20, 1930, died August 20, 2020, son of William and Anne (nee Goodman) and brother of Edward (deceased). A man of integrity, charm, intelligence and kindness, Jack is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Helen (nee Jay), his sons, Thomas, Daniel and Robert, his daughters-in-law, Marjorie and Laurie, and his grandchildren, Sandra, Adam and Rebecca. Born in Depression-era Philadelphia, Jack graduated from Central High School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Temple University in 1951, and in 1954 received a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard Law School, which he attended on a full scholarship, and served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.In 1957, Jack proposed to Helen two weeks after they met, and they married three months later on April 7 at the Curtis Arboretum in Wyncote, Pa. They waited the three months only to give Helen's mother, Annabelle, time to prepare the wedding. Jack served as law clerk to Judge Harry Kalodner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1956 to 1957. In 1958, directly from a year as staff counsel for the Small Business Administration, he joined Blank & Rudenko, later named Blank Rome, as its 16th lawyer in the Commercial Department, which he later led. He was admitted to partnership in 1964, served as chair of the firm from 1990 to 1999, and retired in 2003. From building his successful practice and developing into a sophisticated business advisor to some of Blank Rome's most important and long-standing clients, to serving the firm in a number of leadership roles, his commitment to the firm's success and passion for developing the next generation of lawyers was unparalleled, according to the firm. Throughout his distinguished career, Jack played an integral role in many of the firm's most transformative decisions, including its geographic expansion into Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. Jack was an avid lover of fine arts and culture, and a strong proponent of his Jewish heritage and the nation of Israel. A valued advisor and counselor, he served in key board positions with many organizations, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Middle East Forum, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and the American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, which raises funds and awareness for the University and the Negev Desert across the United States. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in the name of Helen and Jack Bershad to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 1001 6th Avenue 19th floor, New York, NY 10018 or at AABGU.org. Funeral services are private.

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