Courtesy of Yeshiva University
To realize that my beloved friend of seventy years, Rabbi Julius Berman, has left this world, is extremely painful.
Just six months ago—when I celebrated my big birthday at the annual siyum at Yeshiva University—Julie surprised me by appearing—in his wheelchair—and we danced together with all the young men.
Julie, my brilliant chavrusa, is no longer here; he is gone, but what remains are the memories of a lifetime more than well lived. He was a quiet giant who accomplished more than most men I know.
Curiously, just recently, I found an old copy of Jewish Action in my home from before it became a full-color, glossy magazine—dated 1984. An organizational newsletter, it featured the news that Julius Berman was to receive the Keser Shem Tov Award from the OU—its highest honor. There was a picture of Julie and Rav Yosef Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l, and next to the photo: a tribute to him from Joel Schreiber. It seems I have been doing this for quite some time!
I remember clearly the first day I left the shiur by the Rav, entered the beis midrash, and saw Julie sitting with Stanley Rosenberg, a”h. I asked whether I could join them. Julie said, “of course,” and thus began a friendship that lasted the rest of our lives.
Rabbi Julius Berman with US President Jimmy Carter as part of a delegation of the World Jewish Congress-North America, in 1978. From left around the table: Freida Weiss, president of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America; Rabbi Arthur Scheiner, president of WJC-NA; President Carter; unidentified; Herb Berman, officer of WJC-NA; Rabbi Berman, president of the OU at the time; Rabbi Joseph Karasick, OU chairman of the Board and former OU president; and Rabbi Joseph Shern. Courtesy of Mark Karasick
Julie was a talmid chacham in the finest sense of the word—a talmid muvchar as well as a talmid ne’eman of the Rav. Whenever he spoke of the Rav—or remembered being with him—tears would come to his eyes! That closeness was beautiful.
An example: Julie told me that one day—when he returned to his office at the law firm Kaye Scholer—his secretary told him that the Rav had called. Julie ran to the phone, called the Rav, and asked if there was something awry. The Rav said, “Calm down—did you ever just feel like talking to someone?”
Again, one day—during shiur—the Rav realized that Julie was not present. He said, “I miss him. When he smiles, I know my line of reasoning is good.”
Julie’s list of accomplishments is staggering. Somehow, while working full time as a top lawyer, he did the following (not a complete list):
• Was a founder of the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA)
• Was president of the Orthodox Union
• Chaired the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
• Chaired the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
• Chaired the American Zionist Youth Foundation (AZYF)
• Chaired the Jewish Telegraphic Association (JTA)
Here is another lawyer with a bloated time sheet! How could he have done all that in one lifetime?
The thought has passed through my mind that when he appears before the Yeshivah Shel Ma’alah and presents his accomplishments, they may look at him and say: “Here is another lawyer with a bloated time sheet! How could he have done all that in one lifetime?”
His days in the beis midrash were unusual, for after graduating from Yeshiva University with honors, he enrolled in the NYU School of Law at night and in the semichah program at Rabbeinu Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary by day! Quickly making Law Review, he graduated first in his class at NYU. His unusual ability to reduce the Rav’s shiurim to key sentences, coupled with a devotion to academic endeavors, yielded both semichah and a law degree at the same time.
During those years, Julie developed the talents of a scribe—in addition to the voluminous notes required for law school, he committed each of the Rav’s shiurim to writing. Many were the talmidim who sought after those notes!
A copy of Jewish Action—when it was an organizational newsletter—dated 1984 featured the news that Rabbi Berman was to receive the Keser Shem Tov Award from the OU and included a photo of Rabbi Berman and the Rav.
I remember clearly sitting and learning together on a Sunday morning in the beis midrash. We began discussing dates we had had the evening before. He told me about someone he had dated for the first time. Her name was Dorothy Gewirtz—he was quite complimentary—and this turned out to be the best “acquisition” he ever made in his lifetime. In one swoop, he had a wonderful wife, a full-time driver, an accountant and an investment counselor!
In a sense, Julie shaped the world I became involved in. Not only the daily learning we engaged in, the many weekends we spent at yeshivah reviewing shiurim, but also the organizational work I became involved in.
I remember celebrating his ascendancy to the presidency of the OU under the guidance and inspiration of the Rav. Julie called me the next day: “Joel, you are joining me as vice president.” He also nominated me for board membership of RIETS and to ultimately serve as its chairman.
Would any of this have happened if not for my friend Julie?
I loved Julie, and I feel now as King David felt upon losing Yehonasan: “vayishku ish es re’eihu, vayivku ish es re’eihu . . . leich leshalom—and they kissed one another and wept with one another . . . ‘Go in peace’” (I Samuel 20:41–42). Julie, I will never forget you.
Joel M. Schreiber is chairman emeritus and co-founder of Jewish Action.
This article is adapted from Mr. Schreiber’s hesped delivered at Rabbi Berman’s levayah.
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The Dispositive Word: A Tribute to Rabbi Julius Berman by Rabbi Menachem Genack