Bernstein built Universal City. He was often associated with Pacific Studios, Hal Roach and King Vidor. He also served as production manager for Technical Oil Tool Company. Bernstein, along with Ernst Laemmle, producer and writer Jesse J. Goldburg, producer Sol Wurtzel and a handful of others, were founders of the Temple Israel in 1926. Temple Israel was ground in the spirit of social activism and prophetic justice, their first location was a house rented from actor Sessue Hayakawa in Hollywood, to be used for a religious school.