obituaries
Philanthropist Rosalie Gerson
Dies at 95
HEATHER M. ROSS | STAFF WRITER
L ongtime area philanthropist
Rosalie Gerson died on April 26
at Waverly Heights in Gladwyne.

She was 95.

“She was devoted to music, to
Israel, to the synagogue and to Jewish-
American causes,” granddaughter Leah
Popowich said.

She served on several boards of Jewish
organizations, including the board of
trustees for the Jewish Federation of
Greater Philadelphia, the national board
of the American Association of Ben
Gurion University, American Friends
of Hebrew University and Adath Israel
26 MAY 5, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
on the Main Line. She also was presi-
dent of Adath Israel and was involved
with Gratz College, Central Agency
for Jewish Education, HIAS, Jewish
Community Centers of Philadelphia and
the American Jewish Committee.

Her devotion to the arts included
the Opera Company of Philadelphia,
Philadelphia Orchestra, Curtis Institute
of Music and the Academy of Vocal Arts,
among others.

While her philanthropy was a signifi -
cant time commitment, she always tried to
do it while her children were at school so
she could be there for every piano recital
and play, family members said. She took
her children to museums and orchestras
as oft en as she could. Gerson also taught
Rosalie Gerson and past Jewish Exponent articles featuring her
Photo collage by Heather M. Ross
her children and grandchildren about the
importance of community.

“We would collect donations for Allied
Jewish Appeal door to door. We’ve come
a long way since that. I would go down
to Federation with her and listen in on
meetings and understand the importance
of supporting our local Jewish commu-
nity and also a strong love of Israel and
understanding that importance as well,”
daughter Deena Gerson said.

Deena Gerson said philanthropy and
community involvement were always a
part of the family. Rosalie Gerson would
take her grandchildren to meetings, to
phonathons and to award dinners.

“My grandmother’s mom, whom I was
named aft er, was also very involved in the
community. My grandmother grew up
with it. [It’s] passed down from generation
to generation. It’s just what you did. It’s
how you live your life,” Popowich said.

Rosalie Gerson, who was bat mitzva-
hed at Adath Israel in her 60s, devoted
much of her time to making sure her
children and grandchildren had the
foundation to have Jewish households
themselves. Th at included taking all
three of her daughter’s children to Israel
individually. Her love for the community showed
itself in other ways, too, with Shabbat
dinners that included many guests
— dinners her family says many still
remember. “In the condolences I’m getting from
people, it’s like she was Philadelphia roy-
alty,” Deena Gerson said.

While her love for the community was
notable, so was her love for her husband,
Irv Gerson. Aft er just three dates, he
proposed marriage. Th ey were married
for more than 60 years before his death
in 2012.

Th e couple was inseparable, even in
death. “It’s hard to talk about Eemy without
talking about Papa, but I’ll try. It’s hard
not to think of them as a unit, but they
were individuals and we had individual
relationships with each of them, which
was extraordinary,” Popowich said.

Born June 9, 1926, Gerson grew up
in Passaic, New Jersey, and moved to
Philadelphia with her family as a teen-
ager. Later, she lived in Elkins Park,
where she began her lifelong journey
with gardening.

With her daughter, Deena Gerson,
Rosalie worked on her rock garden every
spring and summer. Th e two would search
for beautiful or interesting rocks to use for
the garden. Th ey also weeded the garden
and meticulously cared for the periwinkle
fl owers and mountain pink.

“A rock garden is built into a lit-
tle slope. Diff erent colors [of fl owers]
bloom at diff erent times. Th e rocks and
their shapes become a big part of it;
you wouldn’t do it on a fl at surface. Th e
rocks hold the plants and soil in place,”
Deena Gerson said.

Rosalie Gerson taught her family
about her love for trees with the knowl-
edge she learned from studying hor-
ticulture at the Barnes Foundation in
Merion. She took pride in being able
to identify trees even in winter, just by
looking at the bark and branches.

Rosalie Gerson is survived by her fi ve
children, Ben (Leslye), David (Debra),
Deena, Jesse (Eloise) and Esther
Sharon; eight grandchildren; and 12
great-grandchildren. JE