A graduate of Washington's Central HS, Ervin Ornstein attended the University of Virginia for two years before entering military service in World War II. A 1944 graduate of the School of Foreign Service, Ervin Ornstein was likely taking graduate courses when he started 12 games for the transitional 1945-46 varsity.

A residential real estate developer, Ornstein was a leading figure in the amateur handball community in the Washington area, and competed in AAU championships for singles and doubles handball. He was later named to the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.