2023 EWPBF Pathfinder's Scholarship named in Honor of Harreen Bertisch

Harreen Lich Bertisch was born on June 21, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York where she grew up. While attending Brooklyn College studying for her B.A. in child psychology, she spent her summers as an arts and crafts counselor at a sleep away camp in the Catskills.

It was there that she met and started dating the swimming counselor, Robert “Bob” Bertisch, who would become her life partner.

After her college graduation in 1968, Harreen and Bob married and Harreen moved to Miami where Bob was a second year law student. Bob’s work took them from Miami to Lancaster, PA, to New Haven, CT and finally in 1980 to Palm Beach County. Everywhere Harreen went following Bob’s career path, Harreen made an indelible mark on the community she served.

Her passion was children and creating innovative, informative and imaginative experiences for children. Whether it was the Jewish Community Center in Miami where she ran the day camp to the Kaplan Jewish Community Center in West Palm Beach, where Harreen developed programs for children to thrive, and learn and be inspired.

Harreen started at the Kaplan Jewish Community Center in a store front running a day camp. She helped the JCC slowly expand and rose to the position of Associate Director. She was in charge of cultural arts, adult services and helped create the preschool and after school programs.

In 1994, Harreen started volunteering at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, where

During her over 28 year tenure at Legal Aid, Harreen and her team raised over $20 million to support free legal services programs for children, victims of domestic violence, victims of elder abuse, the homeless and many more. She singlehandedly took a fledging fund raiser—the Pro Bono Recognition Evening- and developed it into the signature event of the legal community attracting between 600-700 people and raising close to $300,000 every year.

In 1997, Harreen became a member of Executive Women of the Palm Beaches and embraced its mission to inspire women personally and professionally for the betterment of business and our community. She was instrumental in advancing the Lois Kwasman Initiative to fund programs specifically to assist young women 11 – 21, serving as chairwoman of the committee for many years. This year, the annual EWPBF Pathfinder’s Scholarship- award for business will be in her honor. She will be greatly missed.