Stanley Barer, Jewish leader

Stanley N. Barer, 84, of Jenkintown, a retired sales manager and leader in the Jewish community, died of kidney failure Tuesday, May 25, at the Rydal Park rehabilitation center.

Mr. Barer served on numerous boards and was past president of the boards of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Jewish Education of Philadelphia, the Klein Branch of the Jewish Community Center, and the Solomon Schechter Day School of Philadelphia, now the Raymond and Ruth Perelman Jewish Day School.

He was a former chairman of the Huntingdon Valley, Northeast Philadelphia, and Bux-Mont Divisions of the Allied Jewish Appeal Campaign.

Mr. Barer was also past president of the Association for the Preservation of Abandoned Jewish Cemeteries, an agency of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

In 2000, the association began restoring an abandoned cemetery in Southwest Philadelphia that Dutch Jews had founded in 1857 and that was the resting place for veterans of three wars. Mr. Barer told an Inquirer reporter, "We want to reestablish this not just as a cemetery but as a historic site.".

He remained active in the Jewish community until three years ago, said his wife, Helen Rauer Barer.

His deeds were motivated by a desire to give back, she said. He encouraged younger people to become involved in Jewish organizations and mentored them, she said.

Mr. Barer grew up in Feltonville. He graduated from Olney High School and attended Peirce Business School. He later studied business at Temple University and completed Dale Carnegie leadership courses.

During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force. He trained to be a combat bombardier overseas but was injured in a plane crash and instead stayed stateside as a gunnery instructor.

After his discharge, Mr. Barer worked in his family's appliance store in Philadelphia and as a sales manager for several companies. In 1957, he became district salesman for Raymond Rosen Appliance Corp. in West Philadelphia. He retired in 1990 as manager of the Whirlpool division at Raymond Rosen.

Mr. Barer enjoyed golf and racquetball. He had a summer home and a fishing boat in Brigantine, N.J., where he taught his grandchildren to fish, his wife said.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Barer is survived by daughters Judi Radbill and Deborah, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson.

A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, May 28, at Congregation Adath Jeshurun, 7763 Old York Rd., Elkins Park. Burial will be in Shalom Memorial Park, Lower Moreland.