'He liked working with people and trying to make things better'

When a civil rights activist was jailed in Savannah for helping blacks register to vote in the early 1960s, Dr. William "Bill" Wexler put up his Ardsley Park home as bail.

When Jews tried to escape Romania, again, Wexler was instrumental in helping them leave.

As a city alderman in Savannah in the late-1940s, he worked to get blacks appointed to city boards and the Savannah police force, years before the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed segregation.

It's easy to see why the former Savannah optometrist was elected in 1965 as international president of B'nai B'rith, the world's largest Jewish human rights, community action and humanitarian organization.

But what's difficult is trying to understand how Wexler maintained such a tenacious, tireless spirit.

"He just liked people," said his son Dr. Allan Wexler of Savannah. "He liked working with people and trying to make things better."

Wexler died Friday of an apparent heart attack at his home in Israel.

He was 87.

The native of Toledo, Ohio, settled in Savannah after meeting Savannahian Dorothy Levy on a blind date and later marrying her. He graduated from the University of Toledo and the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn.

Wexler practiced optometry here for more than 30 years until his wife died; he remarried and eventually moved with his family to Israel.

"He always missed Savannah," Allan Wexler said. "When physically able, he was here three or four times a year."

On one of those Savannah trips, Wexler gave an interview to Jane G. Kahn in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Savannah Jewish Federation. He had served as president of the umbrella organization of Jewish groups in Savannah in the early 1960s.

Wexler said then that he was a "citizen of the world," not simply a resident of Israel with ties to Savannah.

"He was a very active community servant, but particularly an active Jewish community servant," Kahn said.

He went from helping blacks vote in Savannah to serving as adviser to several U.S. presidents, Catholic popes and the government of Israel.

Somehow the astute man was able to take people's extremely divergent points of view on all subjects and come up solutions.

"He had this unique talent to synthesize what everyone had said," said Savannah attorney Erwin Friedman, who worked with Wexler in several Jewish community organizations.

"And when he finished, the solution was obvious to everyone in the room."

Wexler's secret: simply knowing how to sit quietly and listen to everyone have their say.

Dr. William Wexler, 1913-2000

Dr. Wexler was active in major Jewish organizations. The pinnacle of his work came in 1965 with his election as international president of B'nai B'rith - the world's largest Jewish human rights, community action and humanitarian organization.

During his six-year tenure as president, B'nai B'rith gained official status as a nongovernmental organization at the United Nations.

He was also chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and later was chairman of the World Conference of Jewish Organizations.

He held top leadership positions in the Jewish Welfare Foundation, Israel Bond Organization, the United Jewish Appeal, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Locally, Dr. Wexler was a past president and life member of the Jewish Educational Alliance. He also had served as president of the Savannah Jewish Federation. In 1955, he was named "Outstanding Man of the Year" by the Savannah Jewish War Veterans.

Dr. Wexler was the widower of Dorothy Levy Wexler of Savannah.

His survivors include his wife, Dr. Osnat Wexler of Herzilya, Israel; four sons, Dr. Allan V. Wexler and Col. Edward I. Wexler, both of Savannah, Dr. Raymond H. Wexler of Atlanta and Tamir Wexler of Herzilya, Israel; a daughter, Keren Wexler of Herzilya, Israel; five brothers, Louis, Nemo, David and Morris Wexler and Dr. Max Wexler; six granddaughters, two great-granddaughters and numerous nieces and nephews.

FUNERAL: A service was held in Israel on Sunday.

MEMORIAL SERVICE: to be held in Savannah at a later date.

Shiva is being observed at the home of Dr. Allan Wexler.

REMEMBRANCES: a charity of the donor's choice; or B'nai B'rith Youth Organization, 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20036.