Eleanor Bernstein

Eleanor Roslyn Sisskin Bernstein was born in Bayonne, New Jersey on November 27, 1922 and passed peacefully in West Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday, September 25,2014 at the age of 91.Eleanor did so many activities on behalf of others that when people asked her what she did for a living, she said she was a professional volunteer. She was a member of Hadassah for over 70 years and served as president of the North Jersey Region of Hadassah for four years. She also served on the National Board of Hadassah -- for so many years that she became anhonorary lifetime board member. And she was named Hadassah Woman of the Year in 1988.In West Palm Beach Eleanor mentored a Hadassah group until this year and was active in the Hadassah chapter of Cypress Lakes. She also became more involved in Jewish Federation, helping with the Fund Raising. In 2010 she was given an award by Federation as a special recognition to a "valued volunteer." And then this year, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's Women's Philanthropy Division created a new award in her honor, stating that "Eleanor Bernstein, at 91 years of age continues to make campaign calls and serve as a role model for women who want to enrich the Jewish community through Federation's and Women's Philanthropy's work." This Eleanor Bernstein Pacesetter Award will, from now on, be given to one deserving woman in the region annually.Aside from her commitment to Hadassah and the Jewish Federation, Eleanor was the recipient of the 'United Jerusalem Award', in recognition of devoted service to Israel and to Jewish life in the Cranford, New Jersey community. Her volunteer activities have included Israel Bonds chairman, chairman of the Women's Division of the United Jewish Appeal and chairman of the Temple Beth EI Religious School Board of Education. She was a member of the committee of the Central New Jersey Jewish Federation and a volunteer worker for the United Fund, Heart Association and Cancer Association as well as a vice president of the American Zionist Federation of Essex and Union Counties. She was also a member of the Women's Interfaith Vigil Group for Soviet Jewry. Eleanor Bernstein is predeceased by her husband Jess, and her grandchildren Billy Bernstein and Tony Bernstein. She is survived by her sisters Gloria Lees and Marlene Serkin; children Rita (and Roger) Walton, Susan Bernstein and Robert (and Andrea) Bernstein; her grandchildren David (and Lia) Walton, Jonathan (and Sarah) Walton, Gregory Bernstein and Karyn Bernstein; and her great-grandchildren Raellie Bernstein, Jayce Walton, Ashlee Coleman, Jesse Walton and Nina Walton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to either the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County or Hadassah. Funeral services were held at the Star of David Cemetery on Sunday, September 28, 2014.