In Memory of Lewis Pearlman

Lewis Pearlman

Spouse: Marielle Pearlman
Children: Craig, Sebastien, Il-Shim, In-Sook, Heung-Soo, Sun-Je
Birthdate: August 29, 1947
Blessing: July 1, 1982
Ascension: January 13, 2023
Seonghwa Ceremony: January 20, 2023

Lewis Leibel Pearlman was born to Lillian and Harris (Harry or Hesh) Pearlman on August 29, 1947. He was born in Philadelphia at the Episcopal Hospital in Kensington and was raised in Burlington, New Jersey, as well as Philadelphia. Lewis was named after his grandfather, and his middle name, Leibel, translates to ‘Lion’ in Yiddish. His grandparents came from Russia, Austria, Lithuania, and Poland. His parents were born in the United States. His mother, Lillian, was an Interior designer, and his father, Harry, was a watchmaker. He had an older brother, Arnold, who was 11 years older than Lewis.

Upon graduating high school, Lewis felt called to serve his country in the Vietnam War. Against his mothers wishes he enlisted in the United States Navy. He was deployed to the war and served as a Corpsman (Medic) with the United States Marines. During his service there, Lewis caught pneumonia and was sent to Japan for surgery, where they had to remove part of his lung. After the surgery, he was honorably discharged.

In 1968, Lewis graduated from Lasalle University where he completed his Bachelor's degree in Accounting. In 1972, Lewis had his first son, Craig, from his first marriage. In the early 70s he moved to Berkeley California, intrigued by the hippie movement with the intention of self-discovery. It was then he met the Unification Church and joined the Movement on January 4th 1974.

Meeting the Unification Church changed the course of Lewis’ life. He devoted himself to becoming a full-time member of the Church. He spent the next four years as a missionary traveling the country fundraising, campaigning, and spreading the word of the Unification Movement. In 1978 while working as a missionary in England, Lewis attended an “International Matching Ceremony” where he was introduced to his future spouse by the Church’s founder, Rev. Sun Myung Moon. It was then that Lewis was matched and engaged to Marielle Guerin, a missionary for the Church from France.

After their matching, Lewis and Marielle returned to their respective countries to continue their missions for the Church. Lewis went to Manhattan to work as an accountant for Il Hwa Ginseng Company. Over the next three years, Lewis and Marielle maintained a long-distance relationship. They wrote to each other every day and sent care packages. Lewis began building a relationship with Marielle’s son, Sebastien, sending him letters and packages as well. On July 1st, 1982 Lewis and Marielle were married by the Blessing of Rev. Sun Myung Moon in Madison Square Garden with 2074 other couples.

In 1983, Lewis, Marielle, and Sebastien moved to the Unification Theological Seminary in Barrytown, New York, where Lewis was a student and worked as an accountant for the Seminary. After two years, he was promoted to be a special assistant to the President of the Seminary, and they worked together on various outreach projects in the New York area. During this time Lewis, Marielle, and Sebastien moved to the neighboring town of Red Hook. There, Lewis and Marielle had four children over the span of 11 years: Il-Shim, In-Sook, Heung-Soo, and Sun-Je. They raised their family in Red Hook until 1995 when Lewis felt a calling to study his Jewish roots at a Hasidic Yeshiva in Moorestown, New Jersey.

In 1996, Lewis, Marielle, and their four youngest children planted their roots in Philadelphia. There Lewis worked as an accountant for various companies while continuing his missionary work for the Church. In 2001, Lewis’ health took a difficult turn, and he had to retire from work. However, he was determined to continue his quest as a missionary and found creative ways to continue his work with the Church. In 2005, the Unification Church organized peace rallies in Israel along the Gaza Strip promoting peace between the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian people. Despite his risky health conditions, he was determined to travel and promote peace. Over the next fifteen years, Lewis continued his work as a life-long missionary even as his physical mobility decreased. He found ways to outreach through zoom meetings, social media, and phone calls.

In 2022, Lewis was diagnosed with cancer of the gallbladder, which then spread to his liver and lungs in a battle he finally lost. Lewis Pearlman passed on January 13, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Marielle, six children, and four grandchildren.

Seonghwa Ceremony

Date: Friday January 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM EST (Viewing begins at 10:00 AM EST
Location: Lambie Funeral Home (8000 Rowland Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19136)

Cards and condolences can be sent to the family at:
2209 Napfle St
Philadelphia, PA 19152

Flowers can be ordered through:
Torresdale Flowershop (215 338 5990)