Jeri Berc

"Joanne Ciconte was standing next to me at a party and we were singing Hanukkaha songs. She said, "You know, you should join our Chorus." 

Dr. Jeri Berc, Tenor I

From cutting sugar cane in Cuba to working as a soil scientist and conservationist, Jeri Berc has always actively supported the social, economic and environmental causes she believes in. Born in Queens and raised on Long Island, Jeri earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Michigan and enrolled in graduate school in New York. This was 1970, a politically active time particularly on college campuses, and Jeri was very political. Taking a leave of absence from school, she joined the Venceremos (We Shall Overcome) Brigade, boarded a ship in Canada and went to Cuba. In a show of solidarity with the Revolution, she worked side by side with Cubans harvesting sugar cane. It was an arduous but extraordinary experience for Jeri. When she returned home, she dropped out of school and joined a political collective which helped working class youth in Springfield, MA. 

Later, Jeri joined a separatist women's collective (this was the 70s!) and lived on the Lower East Side and Upstate New York. Realizing she needed to learn a trade to support herself, Jeri enrolled in a landscaping school. In an ah ha moment, she realized she was good at science and could help save the earth through soil science. Jeri earned a Bachelor of Science degree and then a Master's Degree and a PHD in soil science from the University of California, Berkeley. She moved to Washington, DC, where she worked in soil management for the Department of the Navy and international resources policy for the Department of Agriculture. 

It was in Washington that Jeri met Roni. For both of them, it was love at first sight. Jeri and Roni were married in a synagogue in 1988; they re-married in 2010 when same sex marriage became legal in the District. That wedding took place at Ben's Chili Bowl. Although no prior arrangements had made, Mrs. Ben was very accommodating and excited about the wedding. She closed the back room for the service, and her son got his camera and took pictures. What else, the reception featured Ben's famous chili dogs.

In 1988, Roni and Jeri bought a home in Lewes. They moved here full-time in 2005. By then, Jeri had become frustrated with the politics surrounding global warming and other environmental issues and retired from the government. Still passionate about these issues, Jeri and Roni bought a 4-acre ranch in Milton where Jeri works to save the earth, just on a smaller scale. Jeri frequently brings local students to the ranch to learn about organic gardening, bee keeping, and caring for horses and poultry. She donates the proceeds from her honey (it's the best) to the local and global causes she still cares deeply about. 

Music has always been part of Jeri's life. She played the clarinet, bassoon, piano, flute and guitar in high school and college, but she never sang other than a little in the synagogue. Joining the chorus in 2010 was a new musical experience for Jeri. She was inhibited about singing at first but her confidence grows with every season. Jeri learned to play the ukulele a few years ago and currently sings and performs with the Merry Ukesters at Gull House Adult Activities Center and several assisted living facilities. She loves these audiences—they are "very appreciative and non-judgmental!" 

"I love the chorus, and I love singing. It is a new joy for me which still feels new, exciting and very satisfying. It surprises me how much I enjoy songs I never thought I would enjoy."

Thank you, Jeri, for the joy you bring to every chorus rehearsal and concert. It's contagious!