Harreen Bertisch

Harreen Bertisch-- a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, colleague, and champion for children-gone all too soon.

Born on June 21, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York, Harreen attended Brooklyn College, spending her summers as a camp counselor in the Catskills. It was there that she met Robert “Bob” Bertisch, who would become her life partner.

After graduation in 1968, Harreen and Bob married, and Harreen moved to Miami, where Bob was a second-year law student. From Miami, Florida, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to New Haven, Connecticut, and finally, in 1980, to Palm Beach County, Florida, everywhere Harreen went following Bob’s career path, she made an indelible mark on the community.

Her passion was children. Whether at the Jewish Community Center in Miami or the Kaplan Jewish Community Center in West Palm Beach, Harreen developed programs for children to thrive and be inspired.

As Associate Director of the Kaplan JCC, Harreen initiated the highly acclaimed program “Wild Things, A Children’s Right to Read,” an interactive reading readiness exhibit for low-income children based on Maurice Sendak’s celebrated book “Where the Wild Things Are.” She followed that exhibit with one based on another popular children’s series, “Curious George.” Harreen helped create the preschool and afterschool programs.

In 1994, Harreen became the Development Director of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, where Harreen and her team raised over $20 million to support free legal services for children, victims of domestic violence and elder abuse, and people living in

In 2006, Harreen was recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the March of Dimes due to her work as chair of the Children’s Advisory Council for Palm Beach County and co-creator of the Community Back to School Bash, which provides school supplies to over 8,000 disadvantaged children each year. She was a founder of Rebekah’s House, a place for single homeless

Fiercely committed to children, Harreen established the Children’s Emergency Fund at Legal Aid which has provided medicines, beds, clothing, and other necessities to foster, homeless, delinquent, and other needy children for the past 15

She was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be hugely

The Spotlight is the space to recognize the amazing people and diverse work of behavioral health helpers and careers in Palm Beach County. To nominate someone, send an email to thewell@bewellpbc.org with “The Spotlight” in the subject line.