Born in Vienna in 1928, Eric witnessed the Nazi invasion of Austria, severe antisemitism and Kristallnacht. His father was taken prisoner shortly after Kristallnacht and sent to Buchenwald and then to Dachau. He was released upon the family receiving exit visas in February 1939. One week later the Gewurz’s boarded the S.S. Europa to the U.S.
Eric graduated from Brooklyn College and Brooklyn Law School prior to entering the army. In Korea, Eric served as a lawyer in the Judge Advocates General Office (JAG), and after the war, opened his own law firm in NYC.
He met Ruth Klevan on a blind date and proposed to her within the week. Eric and Ruth married six months later and enjoyed a 62-year marriage.
Eric was very active in the Oceanside Jewish Center on Long Island; he served on the Board of Trustees and as the President of the Hebrew School Board. He was instrumental in changing temple policy to allow women to be included in the minyan.
Eric had 3 children: Mindy z’l, Bennett and Andrew, as well as nine grandchildren; Jordan, Karoline, Brian, Jacob, Emma, Rachel, Jamie, Zachary and Jack and one great grandchild, Maxwell.