Sweet but stubborn, Bernard fought in the war in the Balkans in his younger days. He's had several heart problems but he's gotten through them all with chicken soup, which he claims to be the Jewish penicillin. Unfortunately it doesn't save him, given that he had refused medical treatment in favour of this simple broth. Though he was dying, he didn't want his wife to know about it and wanted her to be certain this time that he would pull through.