Gert Levin

Gert (Hertz) Levin, age 85, of Minsk, Belarus, and later St. Louis Park, Plymouth, and Crystal, Minnesota, passed away on March 7, 2026.

Gert was born in Smolensk, Russia, in January 1941 to Moshe Levin and Fanya Rozenbaum just before the start of World War II in Russia. As an infant, he survived the Holocaust when his mother fled the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union to protect her family. He grew up in Minsk, Belarus, alongside his two sisters, Sima and Rosa Levin, who later joined Gert in Minnesota.

In his early adulthood, Gert completed his required military service and went on to pursue higher education, graduating from university and engineering college. He built a distinguished career as a mechanical engineer, working for organizations in Belarus and later for multiple companies in the United States, earning patents for his innovations and technical contributions.

In 1979, Gert emigrated from the Soviet Union with his family as part of the early wave of Soviet Jewish immigrants seeking freedom in the United States. They settled in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, where they began building a new life.

During the early 1990s, Gert and his beloved wife, Liza, played an important role in helping dozens of Soviet Jewish families immigrate to the United States. Many of those families ultimately made Minnesota their home, and Gert and Liza were proud to help them build new lives and communities.

Gert was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 53 years, Liza Levin. After her passing, Gert moved from Plymouth, Minnesota-where he lived from 1986 to 2023-to Crystal, Minnesota, where he lived on Twin Lake in a twin home with his son, Alex Levin.

He is survived by his two sons, Alex Levin and Michael Levin, both of Minnesota, and by his grandson, Daniel Levin, also of Minnesota.

Gert will be remembered for his resilience, intellect, generosity, and deep devotion to his family and community. His life journey-from wartime survival in Eastern Europe to building a new life and helping others do the same in Minnesota-stands as a testament to perseverance and compassion. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Funeral service 11:00 AM on MONDAY, March 9th at Hodroff-Epstein Memorial Chapels, 126 East Franklin Ave., Minneapolis.