Page 6 - The Jewish Voice - December '19

Page 6, The Jewish Voice
A Legacy of Jewish Leadership and Philanthropy

How Palm Beach Gardens’ Robert Beren York. “This was
created an unprecedented lineage of fundamentally
prominent Jewish philanthropists and i m p o r t a n t t o
leaders my mother and
father. They not
If you were looking at a list of the most impressive only talked about
national and global Jewish leaders of today, you would being involved,
notice the name Beren appearing several times. In fact, they modeled
the two largest Jewish Federations in North America this behavior
are led by sisters Amy Beren Bressman and Julie in an inspiring
Beren Platt — an unprecedented accomplishment way. Our lives
for any family. Their two siblings, Nancy Beren and revolved around
Adam Beren, are significant leaders in their respective Jewish practice,
Jewish communities and beyond. pa r t i c ul a rl y
You can trace all four of these individuals back poignant because
to their father, Robert M. Beren, a resident of Palm everything was a
Beach Gardens. Robert has created a family legacy deliberate effort.”
of leadership worthy of an Oscar. But his legacy continues role as an investor and serving as a director for two companies Bressman, in addition to her new role at New York’s
even further. All of Beren’s 14 grandchildren went to Jewish on the New York Stock Exchange. Federation, has — like her parents and siblings — donated
overnight camp, all attended Ivy League colleges, and all For Beren and his family, Jewish values always took tremendous time, energy, and resources to the Jewish
are active in their respective Jewish communities. Of his 12 center stage. He served as president of the Mid-Kansas Jewish community, locally and globally. After graduating from
great grandchildren who are of age, all are enrolled in Jewish Federation, as well as president of the Hebrew Congregation in Wellesley College, she had a successful career in marketing
preschools or day schools. Wichita when it constructed a new, better-located synagogue at IBM. Passionate about cultivating Jewish identity and
Now in his 90s, Beren himself is one of the leading center. His late ex-wife and mother of his children, Joan Schiff next generation involvement, she founded the New York
philanthropists in the growing Jewish community of the Palm Beren, also served as president of the Federation. The Joan Couples Division of the UJA Federation of New York and
Beaches. However, the impact Beren has created for the Jewish Beren Jewish Community School in Wichita is named in her chaired its Jewish Life Department. She brought Hillel
people extends far beyond the reaches of Palm Beach County. memory. But the Berens’ leadership in the community extended Foundation to Wellesley College in the 1970s, served as the
beyond Jewish causes. Robert served Wichita as president first woman chair of Park Avenue Synagogue (NY), and was
Raising Compassionate Jewish Children of the Board of Education, chair of the city’s Chamber of honored by Federation with its Humanitarian Service award.
At a time when parents are more than ever seeking insight Commerce, and board member at a prominent bank. Joan, a She also served as board chair of The Town School, a secular
for how to raise their children with strong Jewish values and graduate of Wellesley College, served as chair of the board of school in New York City. She and her husband, Robert (a
connections to their faith, Beren clearly found the golden ticket. trustees of Wichita State University, where she received her lawyer), have three children and two grandchildren.
“All my children are unique, but they all have the same master’s degree.
unabashed love for Judaism — and an eagerness to share it,” The Berens enjoyed weekly Shabbat dinners together, and Coast to Coast Leadership
said Beren. “I am proud to see my children and grandchildren’s their children attended Jewish summer camp — a profound If you head west, the Beren legacy of leadership is
concern for the welfare of the Jewish people and of Israel. I experience they recognize was instrumental in their service as equally prominent in Los Angeles. Another of Beren’s
have been lucky to see them carrying on these positive values.” Jewish leaders today. daughters, Julie Beren Platt, who had a career in corporate
A 17-year resident of Palm Beach County, Beren was born “Camp can be kids’ first time seeing everybody being proud banking, will soon complete her service as board chair for
in Marietta, OH. After serving in World War II and graduating to be Jewish — and having fun doing it,” said Beren. “That’s the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles (the second largest
from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he spent what I want Jewish people to feel.” Jewish community in the U.S.). She is also an executive
50 years in Wichita, KS — home to about 300 Jewish families “Growing up in Wichita, if we wanted a Jewish identity, officer for Jewish Federations of North America, a founding
at the time. There he raised his family and built an independent we had to make it,” shared daughter Amy Beren Bressman,
oil and gas exploration and production company, along with his who recently became president of UJA Federation of New A Legacy of Jewish Leadership on page 7

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