Dr. Jerry Ehrlich (1935 - 2025)

Back in 2005, when I was filming the documentary Facing Sudan, I flew to Philadelphia, rented a car, and drove to the New Jersey office of pediatrician Dr. Jerry Ehrlich. We had spoken only on the phone after I had found an article about his work in Darfur with Doctors Without Borders and he enthusiastically agreed to an interview. His office was small, covered in children’s drawings, notes and letters. A small man himself, with a slight haunch when he stood, Dr. Jerry was a giant of a human being. I was nervous, not knowing what to expect or even confident in what I was doing. Yet, in a matter of minutes — seconds perhaps — he put me at ease.  

We set up in his office — the wood paneling the same as it had been when he opened his practice decades earlier, I imagine -- now with a spot made bare by the endless rubbing of his office chair against the wall. There was little room for the camera or the lights, but we made it work. 

And Dr. Jerry told his story.

Empathy, compassion and kindness radiated from this small man, and he carried an aura of confidence and purpose. Dedicated to helping children, in particular, Dr. Jerry traveled the globe with Doctors Without Borders to care for children in some of the most dangerous places. I was there to record his story about Darfur, but his story was more than that.

Everywhere he went he brought crayons and paper, giving children a voice when words weren’t possible. These pictures are gut-wrenching and beautiful, often at the same time. Genocide and war look different through the eyes of children.

Dr. Jerry smuggled these original pictures out of Darfur, almost getting caught in the process.

He let me use these pictures in Facing Sudan.

Even after that film was done, Dr. Jerry lingered in my mind. His story was more than what I used in that film, so I decided to tell more of his story in Crayons and Paper.

Although we had talked on the phone and through email a few times since the 2008 release of Crayons and Paper, the last time I saw Dr. Jerry was in 2007 when Facing Sudan screened at the Staten Island Film Festival. I didn’t see him when I was speaking to the audience, but he came up to me after, not wanting to be acknowledged or steal the spotlight. He was gracious, and deliberately stayed in the back until everything was over. 

He gave me a big hug and simply said, “You did good.” 

I told him I wish I knew he was there and I could have introduced him. 

“No, this is not about me,” he replied.

Over the years, I have shown Crayons and Paper at various schools and I always said the same thing: I have never met anyone like Dr. Jerry and probably never will again.

He was and continues to be an inspiration.

I was looking on my calendar and saw that Dr. Jerry’s birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and I usually send him a quick “Happy Birthday” email. I don’t remember the last time I had received a response, so I looked him up.

And there at the top of the search page was his obituary. 

Three simple sentences: 

“JERRY EHRLICH May 3, 2025 of Cherry Hill. Beloved pediatrician in Cherry Hill for many years, from Clifton. Beloved husband of Sandy, father of Robin, Michael, Barry, Grandfather of Sivan, Maya, Lauren, Estella, Lilia.”

Three sentences. For a life that literally affected thousands of people, if not more.

But, then again, Dr. Jerry would not have wanted any more.

“Like it says in the Talmud, ‘Who saves the life saves the world.’ You ever hear that? Maybe that’s what it’s all about.” - Dr. Jerry Ehrlich

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