Occasionally when dining with her husband Malcolm at a local restaurant, Sandra R. Berman says complete strangers stop by, introduce themselves and thank them for saving their life.
“It just feels good to help people, to make a difference,” she says humbly. “It makes me very proud that I’m helping people overcome what they’re going through. I tend to be low-key and just do my little thing, which I feel is important.”
In their brightly lit Pikesville den brimming with family photos, wall posters and Sandy’s prized elephant figurines, there’s a sign on a credenza bearing the message, “Be The Reason Somebody Smiles Today.”
That’s a credo that Sandy Berman says she and her family live by.
Just drive around the Baltimore metropolitan area and evidence of the Bermans’ altruism is visible and virtually everywhere. On the buildings of many health care centers and facilities, you’ll find their names on the exteriors of buildings, a testimony to the couple’s legacy of generosity and philanthropy.
Just a few examples are the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, the Sandra R. Berman Heart Institute at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, and LifeBridge Health’s Sandra and Malcolm Berman Brain and Spine Institute.
Most recently, the Sandra R. Berman Center for Humanity, Tolerance and Holocaust Education was officially dedicated at Towson University to advance the mission of Holocaust awareness and education.
Sandy Berman also serves on the boards of Stevenson University and GMBC, and is a past board member of Jemicy School, the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the International Dyslexia Association and the Baltimore Opera Company.
Jmore recently chatted with Berman — a soft-spoken mother of three, grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of 15 — about her philanthropic endeavors and community activism.
A native of Washington, D.C., she and her husband of 67 years belong to Beth El Congregation and are founders of the Pikesville-based Sandra & Malcolm Berman Charitable Foundation.
Jmore: You’re involved in so many nonprofits and charitable projects. How do you select which ones?
SB: I’m very selective, being the head of a family foundation.
My mother, Ethel Fulton, was the assistant director of personnel at Walter Reed [National Military Medical Center in Bethesda], so I’ve always been surrounded by medicine. My mother was a very big influence on me regarding health care.
I give to the cancer center, which saved Malcolm’s life, and to [GBMC’s] breast cancer center because it saved the life of a cousin. It all depends on the issue.
You’re currently building a campus lower school building at Jemicy School. Dyslexia is also an important issue for you.
Yes. Just because you’re dyslexic doesn’t mean you can’t achieve a great deal. It’s just in a different way. It’s unbelievable what people with dyslexia can achieve.
Why did you recently get involved in Holocaust education?
About 20 years ago, I was asked to be a facilitator with Holocaust survivors at public schools. We would talk about prejudice, and they’d try to explain to students how the Holocaust started. The students were very appreciative and said they’d talk to their contemporaries about it all.
I’ve felt very strongly about Holocaust education since then, and about five years ago I was approached by a Towson University representative about creating a Holocaust center. At the end of last year, I was approached again and met with the head of the liberal arts department at Towson.
Look at what’s going on with anti-semitism right now. This is very important. Eventually what I’d like to see is [Holocaust education] taught in all of the public schools. In Florida and other states, [Holocaust education] is mandatory. We just need to teach teachers the right way to teach it. It’s very important, and I’d like to see Maryland do it.
Where does your sense of altruism come from?
I remember going to my grandparents’ house and they would always have a [tzedakah] box at the table. You always put something in.
What’s it like to see the names of yourself and husband on so many buildings around town?
It’s a great legacy for me, my family and my great-grandchildren. It makes me proud to help others.
You sound pretty busy. Do you consider yourself retired or semi-retired?
Am I retired? [Laughs] I’m very busy with all of my meetings and charity work. It’s very important to me. I want to help people, whether it’s through health care or research.
What do you do when you’re not involved in philanthropic projects?
I like to play bridge and canasta, spend time with my family, go to lunch, see my friends and go to the theater. I don’t enjoy shopping, though.
What’s your best advice to people facing health care challenges?
I always tell people to just do what the doctors say, and do what you have to do, and you’ll recover and be fine.
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