H. Irwin Levy

West Palm Beach - One of the most impactful individuals in the history of the Palm Beaches and on global Jewry, H. Irwin Levy passed away at the age of 97 on July 31, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Fla. surrounded by his loving family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, visionary businessman, and the patriarch of the Palm Beaches' Jewish community.

Born in 1926 and raised in Scranton, Penn., Irwin joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944. After the war He attended and graduated from Penn State University, going on to attend law school at Cornell University and after his marriage to Jeanne Siskin, seeing that Florida had a booming future, transferred to the University of Miami Law School for his final year receiving his Juris Doctorate. He became a member of the Florida and the Palm Beach County Bar and remained a member for 70 years. He was a lawyer of great renown. During his law career, he argued successfully in front of the Florida Supreme Court. He handled major business and real estate restructurings and took companies public. He formed a renowned law firm in Palm Beach that continued long after he stopped actively practicing law in 1969.

Irwin and his first wife, Jeanne (who passed away in 1990), moved to the Palm Beaches in 1951. His vision and professional talents inspired him to found Cenvill Communities and develop Century Village in West Palm Beach, a landmark project that sparked a new industry and a population boom, particularly among the Jewish community. He was CEO and chairman of the board of Cenvill Communities inc. from 1969. With Irwin as the driving force, it went on to build three more Century Village properties and Wynmoor Village. Cenvill was the largest builder of condominiums in the U.S. at one point and built 37,000 homes across South Florida.

Irwin, in partnership with his late wife Jeanne S. Levy helped build the Palm Beaches into a thriving Jewish community and supported millions around the globe. Irwin and Jeanne were dedicated parents to their two children, while taking on the roles of "parents" of Jewish Palm Beach by establishing a network of Jewish organizations to support the community. Irwin was a founding leader of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, the Mandel Jewish Community Center, Meyer Jewish Preparatory School, Joseph L. Morse Geriatric Center, The Kravis Center and Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews. He was a past president of Temple Beth El in West Palm Beach and a member and supporter of Temple Emanuel in Palm Beach as well as continuing the legacy of his own father, Jacob Levy, with support for Temple Israel in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Irwin married Ellen Schwartz in 1994 and was a devoted husband and stepfather to Ellen's children and her grandchildren. He is survived by Ellen; daughter and son-in-law Lynn Levy Peseckis and Frank Peseckis of Singer Island, Fla.; son and daughter-in-law Mark F. Levy and Stacey K. Levy of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; grandchildren Noah Peseckis of Jupiter, Fla. and Sara (Lawrence) Peseckis of Greenwood Village, Colo.; Jourdan (John) Levy Bizanes of Jupiter, Fla. and Joshua Levy of New York City; great-grandchildren Liam, Evan and Ari Peseckis and William and Blake Bizanes; and Ellen's children Adam (Lauren) Schwartz, Lara Lerner and their seven children. He is also survived by two sisters in law, Lillian and Ceil Levy, brother-in-law Phillip Siskin and his wife Leah Siskin and many loving nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. He was predeceased by his four brothers, Bernard, Myron, Benjamin and Robert Levy.

Irwin was a fervent supporter of Israel. He was directly responsible for securing $1.6 billion in U.S. grants to The United Israel Appeal for the Jewish Agency for Israel to rescue nearly one million persecuted Jews from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia as they relocated to Israel. He was passionately involved with National United Jewish Appeal (UJA), United Israel Appeal (UIA), The Jewish Agency for Israel, American Friends of Hebrew University, City of David in Jerusalem, and The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He and his first wife built the Jeanne and Irwin Levy Day Care Center in Hod Hasharon, Israel.

His devoted immediate family, Irwin's wife Ellen, son Mark F. Levy, daughter Lynn L. Peseckis, daughter-in-law Stacey K. Levy and son-in-law, Frank Peseckis, continue his legacy of leadership.

Irwin was honored with nearly every recognition possible in the Jewish community. In 1996, the Palm Beach Jewish Times named Irwin "Man of the Century." He received the National Scopus Award from the American Friends of Hebrew University, Visionary Leadership Award from The Jewish Agency for Israel, and the John C. Randolph Award from the Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Irwin and his family were the subjects of a recent exhibit mounted by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County at 1 Harvard Cir., Ste. 100, West Palm Beach, FL 33409, or The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 1111 19th Street NW - Suite 500, Washington D.C. 20036.