Joel was born in Chicago and grew up in West Rogers Park. In 1961, he met the love of his life, Carole (Nachman) while shopping at Old Orchard Mall; he was 18 and she 16. They married in 1964, after Joel’s graduation from Carleton College and prior to his starting medical school at the University of Chicago, where he graduated first in his class. He completed an internship at Northwestern University and later a residency in dermatology and a fellowship in clinical pharmacology at the University of Chicago. He went on to hold scientific positions at Abbott Laboratories and Schering-Plough, serve as head of dermatopharmacology at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, and become a serial entrepreneur. In 1983, he founded GenDerm (sold to Medicis) and later launched other biopharma companies, including Euroderma (sold to Bioglan Pharma), Sirius Laboratories (sold to DUSA), Winston Laboratories, and Elorac. A prolific researcher and inventor, he authored more than 125 scientific publications and held over 150 patents. With wide-ranging intellectual and aesthetic interests, he was an avid collector of items ranging from contemporary paintings and sculptures to British silver pieces to Biedermeier furniture to American historical textiles. He enjoyed telling jokes and humorous stories. He was a benefactor to numerous charitable causes, especially in the arts, academia, and Jewish philanthropy. He was a devoted and generous family man: faithful son of Emma and Jacob Bernstein; beloved husband of Carole Bernstein; loving father of Jeffrey Bernstein, David Bernstein, and Rebecca (David) Zelken; adored Zadie of Gideon, Hadassah, Josiah, and Isaiah Bernstein, Sydney and Beatrice Bernstein, and Benjamin, Jeremy, and Elliott Zelken; cherished brother of Myral Bernstein and Lorel (Bill) Sherry; treasured nephew, cousin, and uncle; dear friend of too many to enumerate; and passionate pet parent of eight terriers.