Joseph H. Lerner

LERNER--Judge Joseph H., of South Orange, NJ and Sunny Isles Beach, FL died on November 22, 2008. As far as his family was concerned, Judge Lerner died a premature death at the age of 94. His sharp mind, his keen sense of humor, his boundless love of his family, and his unfailing support for President-Elect Barack Obama were with him until he died. Born in Newark, NJ, to Russian immigrant parents, Judge Lerner received a Bachelor's degree from Upsala College and a law degree, with honors, from Rutgers Law School. He went on to become an attorney for the Draft Board in World War II, a Municipal Judge in Newark and Director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control, a cabinet position, in the Administration of Governor Brendan Byrne of New Jersey. A renowned civic leader, he rose to be a National Vice President of the Zionist Organization of America, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of Congregation Beth El of the Oranges and Maplewood in South Orange and President of its Men's Club. He also served on the board of The Anti-Defamation League. In 1947 he traveled to Palestine with the ZOA on a mission to secure statehood for Israel. Israel officially became a state in 1948. Judge Lerner with his first wife, Bea, spearheaded many Democratic events, including The Governor's Ball for then candidate John F. Kennedy which attracted nearly 100,000 supporters to the Newark Armory. Noted guests included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh and Adlai Stevenson. President-Elect Kennedy attributed much of his win in New Jersey, a crucial swing state, to this decisive event. Judge Lerner's first wife, Bea, succumbed to Alzheimer's in 1992. He is survived by his second wife, Joyce; his son, Rabbi Michael Lerner, the activist and Editor of Tikkun in Magazine, who resides in Berkeley, CA with his wife Rabbi Debora Lerner; his daughter, Trish Vradenburg, a TV comedy writer, Playwright and Alzheimer's Activist who resides in Washington, DC with her husband, George Vradenburg, philanthropist and former chief counsel of CBS, FOX, and AOL-Time Warner; three grandchildren and their spouses: Alissa Vradenburg and Michael Sheresky of LA, Akiba and Sunny Lerner of San Francisco and Tyler and Jeannine Vradenburg of Chicago; and five great-grandchildren: Ellie, Jeremiah, Maxine, Gavin, and Harrison. Donations in his honor may be made to The Alzheimer's Association/Rally for Research c/o Meryl Comer at 9826 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895 or Tikkun Magazine, 951 Cragmont Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708.