Occupation: Lawyer (Retired)
Born: Chicago, Illinois
Education:
JD, DePaul University College of Law (1965)
AB, The University of Chicago (1962)
Diploma, Bown High School, Salutatorian
Bar Admissions:
Supreme Court of the United States (1972); State of Illinois (1965)
Career:
Retired Lawyer (2015)
Sole Practice, Chicago, IL (1981-2015)
Associate, Marvin Sacks Ltd., Chicago, IL (1981)
Associate, Bellows & Associates, Chicago, IL (1974-1981)
Associate, Max & Herman Chill, Chicago, IL (1967-1974)
Associate, Axelrod, Goodman & Steiner (Now Axelrod, Goodman, Steiner & Bazelon), Chicago, IL (1966-1967)
Career Related:
Basketball Press Director, The University of Chicago (1967-1974); Researcher and Consultant, Genealogy; Scholar-in-residence, Camp Chi, Lake Delton, WI; Teacher, Jewish Genealogy Course, Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, IL
Civic:
Member, Board of Directors, Congregation Rodfei Zedek (2000-2011); Nominating Committee, Hyde Park Cooperative Society (1997-2008); Officer, Congregation Rodfei Zedek (2002-2004); Officer, Congregation Rodfei Zedek (1979-1983); Board of Directors, Congregation Rodfei Zedek (1978-1993); Board Member, Vice President, Congregation Rodfei Zedek; Chairman, Ritual Committee, Congregation Rodfei Zedek; Chief Gabbai, (Sexton), Congregation Rodfei Zedek; Congregation Bikur Cholim, South Chicago, IL
Creative Works:
Author, “The Last Jew of the South Shore Gardens,” Chicago Jewish News (2010); Co-author, “The Jewish History of Barack Obama’s House,” Chicago Jewish News (2008); Consultant, Researcher, Editor, “Eli: The Story of a Patriarch,” Eli Field, Chicago, IL (2001); Contributor, “Encyclopedia of Jewish Genealogy,” eds. Arthur Kurzweil & Miriam Weiner, Northvale, NJ and London, England (1991); Author, “The Rothschilds of Nordstetten: Their History and Genealogy,” Chicago, IL (1989); Co-author, “From King David to Baron David: The Genealogical Connections Between Baron Guy de Rothschild and Baroness Alix de Rothschild,” Elizabeth, NJ (1989); Co-author, “Torah and Technology: The History and Genealogy of the Anixter Family,” Chicago, IL (1986); Author, “The Descendants of Moritz Loeb, A History of Community Service,” Chicago, IL (1986); Consultant, “The Margolis Family,” Dr. Neil Rosenstein (1984); Consultant, “An Orphan in History,” Paul Cowan, Doubleday, Garden City, NY (1982); Consultant, “Finding Our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy,” Dan Rottenberg, Random House (1977); Author, “Chaya Ralbe Hovsha and Rabbi Yechiel Michel Hovshva and Their Descendants”; Sports Editor, Chicago Maroon, The University of Chicago; Co-announcer, Basketball Games, Campus Radio, The University of Chicago; Board of Editors, DePaul Law Review; Researcher, Author of Scripts, Leader, Bus Tours of Jewish Historical Interest, Chicago, South Chicago, IL and Fort Wayne, IN; Speaker, “The Genesis of Chicago Jewry: Chicago Jewish History from 1841 to the Eve of the Civil War”; Contributor, Articles on Law, Chicago Jewish History and Jewish Genealogy, Magazines and Professional Journals
Achievements:
Discovered Hillary Clinton had a Jewish step-grandfather, Max Rosenberg, earning him an appearance on NBC news and a page-length article in the Chicago Jewish News; Researched Jewish ancestry of Senator John Kerry for Lynn Sweet, head of the Washington Bureau of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Awards:
Recipient, Second Century Award, The Jewish Theological Seminary (1999); Recipient, Kovod Award, Rodfei Zedek Men’s Club (1998); Recipient, My Brother’s Keeper Award, American Jewish Congress (1977); Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award (1963)
Memberships:
Director, Jewish Genealogical Society (1977-Present); Founding Member, National Museum of American Jewish History (2010); Director, The Chicago Jewish Historical Society (1977-2009); Vice President, The Chicago Jewish Historical Society (1979-1982); Treasurer, Executive Committee, Chicago Pops Orchestra Association (1975-1981); Treasurer, The Chicago Jewish Historical Society (1977-1979); Founding Member, Jewish Genealogical Society (1977); Founding Member, The Chicago Jewish Historical Society (1977); Program Chair, The Chicago Jewish Historical Society; B’nai B’rith International; Nu Beta Epsilon; Chicago Historical Society; Art Institute of Chicago; American Jewish Historical Society; Decalogue Society of Lawyers; Illinois State Bar Association; The Chicago Bar Association; Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois (JGSI)
Religion:
Jewish
Family:
Son of Norman Bernstein and Adele (Shore) Bernstein
Married: Roberta Luba Lesner (8/7/1968)
Children: Edward Charles; Rabbi Louis Charles; Henry Jacob
Four Grandchildren
Biography Sources:
Who’s Who in America – 2016, 70th Edition (pub. 2016)
Who’s Who in America – 2015, 69th Edition (pub. 2014)
Who’s Who in America – 2014, 68th Edition (pub. 2013)
Who’s Who in America – 2013, 67th Edition (pub. 2012)
Who’s Who in America – 2012, 66th Edition (pub. 2011)
Who’s Who in America – 2011, 65th Edition (pub. 2010)
Who’s Who in America – 2010, 64th Edition (pub. 2009)
Who’s Who in America – 2009, 63rd Edition (pub. 2008)
Who’s Who in America – 2008, 62nd Edition (pub. 2007)
Who’s Who in America – 2007, 61st Edition (pub. 2006)
Who’s Who in America – 2006, 60th Edition (pub. 2005)
Who’s Who in America – 2005, 59th Edition (pub. 2004)
Who’s Who in America – 2004, 58th Edition (pub. 2003)
Who’s Who in America – 2002, 56th Edition (pub. 2001)
Who’s Who in America – 2001, 55th Edition (pub. 2000)
Who’s Who in American Law, 19th Edition, (pub. 2015)
Who’s Who in American Law, 18th Edition, (pub. 2014)
Who’s Who in American Law, 17th Edition, (pub. 2011)
Who’s Who in American Law – 2003-2004, 13th Edition (pub. 2003)
Who’s Who in American Law – 2000-2001, 11th Edition (pub. 1999)
Who’s Who in American Law – 1987-1988, 5th Edition (pub. 1987)
Who’s Who in American Law – 1985-1986, 4th Edition (pub. 1985)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2016, 42nd Edition (pub. 2015)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2015, 41st Edition (pub. 2014)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2014, 40th Edition (pub. 2013)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2013, 39th Edition (pub. 2012)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2012, 38th Edition (pub. 2011)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2011, 37th Edition (pub. 2010)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 2010, 36th Edition (pub. 2009)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 1988-1989, 21st Edition (pub. 1987)
Who’s Who in the Midwest – 1986-1987, 20th Edition (pub. 1985)
Who’s Who in the World – 2016, 33rd Edition (pub. 2016)
Who’s Who in the World – 2015, 32nd Edition (pub. 2014)
Who’s Who in the World – 2014, 31st Edition (pub. 2013)
Who’s Who in the World – 2013, 30th Edition (pub. 2012)
Who’s Who in the World – 2012, 29th Edition (pub. 2011)
Who’s Who in the World – 2011, 28th Edition (pub. 2010)
Who’s Who in the World – 2004, 21st Edition (pub. 2003)
Who’s Who in the World – 2002, 19th Edition (pub. 2001)
Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America – 1987-1988, 1st Edition (pub. 1987)
