On the occasion of Selwyn's 100th birthday, Selwyn and Barbara Lurie celebrated at a family home in San Diego, U.S., overlooking the ocean. It was beautifully decorated with the 100th birthday theme. There was a video presentation of congratulatory messages recorded from family and friends from all over the world, framed messages from the Mayor of Raanana (which also happens to be 100 years old) and from the Air Museum in New Jersey (the home of the P-47 – Selwyn was a fighter pilot who flew the P-47 during WWII), a beautiful picture poster board "Celebrating 100 Years", and an attractively compiled book of lifetime photos. All 21 of the family were present at the luncheon.
Selwyn was born in Durban, South Africa in 1922. He and Barbara lived in Ashkelon, Israel for many years, where Selwyn was appointed CEO of Afridar and Afrihon, the founding companies of modern Ashkelon. This decentralized, scientifically planned garden city was established by South African Jewry in collaboration with the Government of Israel for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of Nazi Germany.