Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
Gerald Wolpe Obituary
RABBI GERALD I. WOLPE, May 18, 2009, of Philadelphia PA. Husband of Elaine (nee Ring). Father of Dr. Steve (Deborah) Wolpe, Dr. Paul (Valerie) Wolpe, Rabbi David (Eliana) Wolpe and Rabbi Daniel (Susan) Wolpe. Also survived by 8 grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to Services Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at 1 P.M., at the Har Zion Temple, 1500 Hagys Ford Road, Penn Valley PA. Interment will be private. Shiva Memorial week will begin Tuesday evening at Har Zion Temple (Minyan 7 P.M.), there-after at the late residence. The family respectfully requests that contributions in Rabbi's memory be made to Har Zion Temple or to the Aphasia Center at Moss Rehabilitation.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Gerald Wolpe
5 Entries
Susan Block
May 10, 2025
Despite my quirks, Rabbi Wolpe always made me feel welcome. Now as I care for my husband with post-stroke aphasia, the care that Rabbi Wolpe gave his beloved wife inspires me in our darkest hours. A wonderful rabbi!
Mark Arnold
May 29, 2009
Judy and I were deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend and cousin, Jerry Wolpe. I knew his mother Sally well, as well as the aunt and uncle he and Sally shared the house in Roxbury with, Dave and Bessie Copeland, who had a catering business, and his/my dear Uncle Mulke and Aunt Ida. As a child growing up in Newton, MA, I remember him as a young man just out of seminary,courting a young lady friend in Cambridge (Elaine Ring) and come to show his cousins Edith and Iz Arnold (my parents) his shiny new car. He boasted he would be earning $25,000 a year in his first pulpit. I remember him visiting us a few years later, upon leaving his pulpit in South Carolina. "I knew it was time to leave," he said, "when my son complained: 'It's so hot here that the sidewalks is leavin' the groun'.'" Years later, I spent a Rosh Hashanah with him and Elaine and their then-three small children in Harrisburg while I was a "summer soldier" at Indiantown Gap, PA. He insisted I take a front-row seat at High Holyday services, where I heard him deliver one of his famous sermons. We grew closer when I was editor/publisher of the Jewish Journal/Boston North (2002-2005), and he and Elaine were guests in our home a few years ago where we gathered cousins to "talk family talk." In recent years he and I kept up a stimulating email correspondence. He sent me many of his writings to review, including the one about the profound religious experience he had one night as a camp counselor at Bauercrest that destined him for the rabbinate. Jerry was a deep-feeling man, a brilliant writer, and a monumental figure in the lives of many people. We will miss him the rest of ours. Love, Mark Richard Arnold, Swampscott, MA
penny weiner
May 19, 2009
with deepest sympathy
Carol Buchler
May 19, 2009
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Evy and Joel Udell
May 19, 2009
We are so saddened to learn that this very wonderful Rabbi and mentor to generations has passed away. He was an integral part of the lives of teenagers in Harrisburg in the late '50s and made Judaism come alive for so many of us. May the memories of the special person that he was comfort you, Elaine, and your family as you mourn his loss.
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 results
Make a Donation
in Gerald Wolpe's name
Memorial Events
for Gerald Wolpe
How to support Gerald's loved ones
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?
What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?
Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?
We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.
Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Cope With Grief
Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you.
Read more
Estate Settlement Guide
If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.
Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast
Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.
Read moreWays to honor Gerald Wolpe's life and legacy
Obituary Examples
You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.
Read more
Obituary Templates – Customizable Examples and Samples
These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.
Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?
Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.
Read more
