This article originally appeared in Good Day, Berks — Spotlight PA’s free daily newsletter for Berks County and your daily dose of Berks County essentials. Sign up here.
This week’s Community Spotlight honoree is Jeffrey Bornstein, 75, who serves the community in various capacities, including as a member of the Jewish Cultural and Food Festival at Reform Congregation Oheb Shalom.
This conversation, which took place by email, has been edited for length and style.
Good Day, Berks: Where do you live?
Jeffrey Bornstein: My family has lived in Wyomissing for 27 years. We came here from Illinois via New Jersey and New York City.
Tell us a little about your family.
I have an amazing family. My wife, a former teacher who ran the computer lab at Wyomissing high school before retiring, just finished a three-year term as chair of the board of the Jewish Federation of Reading. I have three children and three 12-year-old grandchildren, all born two and a half weeks apart. My oldest son is a computer expert and consultant; my middle son is a violist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and also holds a full-time management job; and my daughter is a physician. It’s hard to keep up with everyone as they are all in different states.
Tell us about your work and what you like about it.
I spent 54 years working in business and am now semi-retired. I serve on the boards of the Yocum Institute, the World Affairs Council, and Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom. I am a co-chair of the RCOS Food Festival committee, which organizes the event that's the single largest contributor to the synagogue. I am also a commissioner for Scouting America. I like keeping busy and giving back to the community. It keeps my skills sharp and puts me in contact with others.
Tell us about a challenge you faced.
I lost my parents at an early age and was brought up by my grandparents and one special uncle. Going to engineering school and living at home was a challenge, but I was incredibly fortunate to have such a loving family. I also was a Boy Scout, which had a great influence on me.
Favorite place to eat in Berks County?
My wife and I love Berks County. We do eat out a lot, patronizing restaurants including Austin’s, Wyomissing Family Restaurant, Mimmo’s, Paolo’s, and restaurants on Penn Avenue in West Reading. It’s hard to pick just one.
Where would you take a visitor to in Berks and why?
The Reading Public Museum is a favorite. My grandchildren love the museum and the planetarium and have been there often. The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is another favorite, and the Works at Wyomissing offers activities for the grandkids.
What book, poem, song, or artwork is meaningful to you?
We are patriotic, and the songs we like go back to George M. Cohan. We listen to music from Elton John, the Beatles, Billy Joel, and others. The artwork on the buildings in West Reading is also something we enjoy.
Who had the greatest influence on your life?
Many people have helped and influenced me. The greatest influences come from my grandparents, who gave me a place to live from a very early age, and my uncle, who was my legal guardian and generally looked out for me. At school, my science, math, and chemistry teachers took great interest in me, and the Boy Scouts provided a basis to live by. And of course, my wife, whom I met in high school. She typed my college papers for me and still tolerates me 53 years later.
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