Louis Schwerin

(27)

1968 – 1971

Lewis Schwerin was the 27th President of Keneseth Israel, serving from 1968 to 1971. Schwerin was born on March 7, 1917 in Philadelphia. He worked in public relations, and was president of the advertising, public relations, and merchandizing firm of Fien and Schwerin, Inc. He also was a founder of the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children and helped develop its first public relations program. Schwerin was a member of the national public relations committee of the American Carpet Institute, and on the boards of Downs Carpet Company and the Intramerican Funds, Inc., an oil and gas drilling fund.

Schwerin’s commitment to Jewish life was demonstrated through his involvement in multiple Jewish organizations on the local and national level. He was president of the Federation of Reform Synagogues of Greater Philadelphia and a leader in the Federation of Jewish Agencies. He served as vice president of the Pennsylvania Council of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, as national vice chairman of the Reform Jewish Appeal, and as a board member of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Jewish Committee. He headed the committee on public information for the Council of Reform Synagogues of Greater Philadelphia and its national committee on public relations, and was on the executive council of the American Jewish Historical Society. Schwerin was also co-chairman of the Advertising Agencies division of the Allied Jewish Appeal.

Schwerin was married to Ruth Schwerin, born Shapiro, and had three children: David, Ilene, and Marc. They lived at 8203 Aspen Way in Elkins Park. Schwerin died on June 30, 1973 of leukemia.