Bernice Felix z”l A Life of Style A Legacy of Healing

Bernice Felix z”l, pictured with her husband, Sidney z”l

Today, and into the future, Bernice’s generosity will make a meaningful difference to so many in her beloved Israel.

When asked to describe their beloved aunt, the late Bernice (Wasserbly) Felix, her nieces Pamela, Barbara and Selma fondly recalled her elegance and her love of fashion. Indeed, Bernice had coordinated fashion shows for The Mike Douglas Show.

Yet, it was her abiding love for her husband and parents, Judaism, Israel and Zionism that left the greatest impression and motivated Bernice to give generously and regularly to Hadassah.

Bernice’s mother and her muse, Elizabeth, had been the president of the chapter in Philadelphia, a community where Hadassah has always been prominent. Bernice’s beloved husband, Sidney, a highly respected dentist with a passion for painting, was an Associate. A Hadassah life member, Bernice read each Hadassah Magazine cover to cover. Her niece Selma Cohen recalls that it was her favorite Hadassah activity, “She read every word, every month.” When Bernice traveled to Israel, she would visit Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, which she helped to decorate with several road tiles she gifted in honor of loved ones. As a valued member of Hadassah’s Legacy Society, Bernice liked to give Hadassah charitable gift annuities, which she would establish every year. After her passing, it was a transformative bequest through her estate that would come to support plans to establish a Center of Excellence for oncology treatment and research at Hadassah. The center, currently in the planning stages, will bring the treatment and research of all aspects of oncology to the highest level available today. Bernice’s extraordinary gift will help to support future medical advancements, including research labs for pure research, as well as experimental medicine and clinical lab testing. Today, her extended family, including the family of her late husband, Sidney, keeps the love of Hadassah going. Their niece Selma, whose own family spans four generations of Hadassah life members, is a past president of the Pennyback Park Chapter of Hadassah and now belongs to a chapter in Florida, where she lives. Throughout her lifetime, Bernice made an incredible difference to her devoted family members and to her community. Today, and into the future, her generosity will make a meaningful difference to so many in her beloved Israel.