Recent quotes from Jonathan?s email communications
?The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation? Henry David Throreau
Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. (A. Sachs)
Typed with my eyes* using a virtual keyboard.
* MY PC IS EQUIPPED WITH A CAMERA, WHICH WHEN FOCUSED ON MY EYES, EMITS 2 CONSTANT PHOTONS OF NON-IONIZING INFRARED RADIATION TO MY EYEBALLS , WHICH WHEN REFLECTED BACK BY MY RETINAE, TAKE OVER THE FUNCTION OF THE MOUSE i.e. THE CURSOR IS MOVED BY THE MOVEMENT OF MY EYES.
09 20 12 We heard today that our dear classmate Jonathan Stein sadly passed away in Boca Raton last evening after a long illness bravely borne. He suffered from motor neuron disease for a number of years. The funeral will be on Sunday. Wishing deepest sympathies and condolences to his twin sister Naomi Stein Slivka and all their families.
MHDSRIP
Eric Stillerman
Sandra Blom (Ellis)
So very sorry to hear of the passing of our classmate Jonathan to Naomi and his family deepest sympathy and wishing them Long Life.
Sincerely,
Sandra Ellis (Blom)
Ashley Davidoff
Dearest Naomi and the extended Stein family,
These are truly yamim noraim for all of us who knew and loved Jonathan. His feisty spirit, commitment to speaking his mind and expressing his opinions in no uncertain terms, and his superior intellect were characteristics that were present and consistent throughout his life. His ability to maintain his integrity and pride were aspects that emerged as he fought his devastating illness till the end. Graphic thoughts of him using his eyes to play bridge at a high level, communicate with friends and family, and write and have intellectual discussions at the highest level send chills! I have attached a beautiful picture of him and Patricia riding an elephant in Thailand. These were his words in that email when he announced the engagement of Gregory and Andrea to the chaverim on November 6th 2011.
?Folks I am taking the liberty of telling you that Gregory & Andrea (Buenos Aries) gave me a new lease on life this weekend by their announcing their engagement yesterday. I enclose a recent picture of this happy couple .Since it?s not often that I send out emails to you all like this I am enclosing a picture of Patricia & me taken in Phuket, Thailand(within a week of my quitting work -May 2007) & how I want to be remembered.?
With much love and sorrow
Ashley
long time school friend, fellow traveler in Europe and radiology colleague
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How I Want to Be Remebered
?Since it?s not often that I send out emails to you all like this I am enclosing a picture of Patricia & me taken in Phuket, Thailand(within a week of my quitting work -May 2007) & how I want to be remembered. ?
Courtesy Jonathan Stein 115230p.8
Clive Evian
So Sorry to hear about Jonathan
I wish the family and Naomi much comfort and a ?long life?
Michelle Goldstein (Slone)
Dear Naomi,
I am enormously saddened to hear that Jonathan has passed away. It is so difficult to write to you and try to capture some of the feelings of the years we spent together in the same class, the memories of our adolescence together, and the many many years that have passed since then.
I read through the speech that Jonathan posted on the class website over and over again and I was incredibly moved by his courage and wisdom in the face of his illness. From the pictures he posted, he seemed not to have changed at all. And what a beautiful family he has.
I remember him as rather shy and quiet, and extremely intelligent, very sensitive, and always wise. I thought of him as someone who had a very strong sense of justice, someone who was not afraid to stand up for his rights and he was quite brave in front of some of our fierce teachers. A very fine person.
I really wish you my deepest sympathies on this tragedy.
Michelle Slone (Goldstein)
Sam James
To Jonathan Stein?s family, Naomi and her family.
I have great memories of your husband, father and brother. I remember him as this gentle friend at King David School. One of the smart kids, but also very interested in sports. He was always gentle, kind, thoughtful and somewhat disheveled. Always there if one needed help with class work. After we matriculated we went our different ways but reconnected by e-mail after our classes 40th reunion. Jonathan showed us what courage was all about. Through our e-mails I could see that Jonathan still had those great qualities he had a a youngster. The difference was that his heart was the size of a lion?s heart ? one amazing person. Jonathan will be remembered fondly by all of us who knew him.
Janice Kooper (Jansen)
Dearest Naomi
I wish you and your family a long life! Very sad to lose a much loved family member and someone close to your heart. To the Chaverim : wishing you all a sharah tova ! I am not hiding Eric just in training! Lots of love to you all!
Lindsay Leveen
I have been in contact with Jonathan for more than three years and we emailed each other six or seven times a month. Even though Jonathan became fully paralyzed by his disease his mind was as sharp as a bell up until a week or two ago. He typed his emails using his eyes on a special computer. Each week that I blogged he would respond to my blog with an email and question me on science. I blogged in honor of Jonathan. He was truly a nice guy, a bright guy, a sweet guy, a good guy, and a true mensch. While soft spoken and not large of frame Jonathan was tough as nails and had guts galore.
God bless Jonathan, his family, and all of the class of 1969.
see Lindsay?s blog A Friend Passes
Louelle Levenberg
Dear Naomi,
I am so very, very sad to hear of the passing of your brave brother Jonathan.
I remember him as a sometimes shy, reserved guy who was always the consumate
gentleman. However, he exuded full confidence when it came to his brilliant mind
and academic achievements. You just knew he would make a difference in the world!
It was truly special to be in touch with Jonathan in the past few weeks to wish him
Mazal Tov for Gregory?s simcha, and share how both our son?s have the same name.
He was so proud and elated for the upcoming celebrations.
It is a blessing that he got to witness this simcha and carry it in his heart.
May his many amazing accomplishments and wonderful memories forever comfort you all.
My very deepest and heart felt condolences to all your families.
Wishing you all long life.
with love and blessings
Louelle xo
Elana Nafte (Janit)
It is absolutely,??Diabolical,?&?.Surreal,??.for our,..?Special Class Of ?69,?To Be,??Paying Our Respects?,?To Jonathan,?Just A Few Short Months After,? ?Paying Our Respects?,?.To Our Beloved,??Chum?,?.George Subotzsky,?From,?Sadly,?The Same,..?Debilitating?,?.?Tragic?,?Illness!!!!??.
It is with a tremendous amount of,?.?Sadness,??.that I send you this,??Untimely Email?!!!?.
Just on the Eve Of Yom Kippur,?.?When We Are About To Begin Our Most,??Holy Day?,?I Find It So Difficult To Believe,?.That We Have Had To Bid,??Farewell?,?.To Beloved Jonathan!!!!??.
Not only did I know and remember Jonathan from school days,?but,?also,?from Shul days,?at,?Wolmarans Street Shul!!!!?.
Always an,??Exceptionally,? Humble,?Kind,?Caring,?&?Shy Guy!!!??.
He was always together with his twin sister, Naomi,?&?.their very closeknit family!!!!
I recall an,?. ?Awful,?&?.Unnecessary,?Incident,?Which Took Place On the Last Day Of Form 1!!!??.
The,?.?Beehive That Was Deliberately,?. ?Disturbed?,? At,? The Tennis Courts?.By,?.Some Of Our,? ?Mischievous?,?. King David High School Bretheren!!!??
The Whole School was on it?s way down to the tennis courts, to,??Observe,?Some Of Our Top Tennis Players,..Playing A Tennis Match For Us!!!!? I think that one of the,??Stars Of That Match,? (I could be mistaken?!) was,?Julian Krinsky!??.
Suddenly,??All Hell Broke Loose,??.as a,??Swarm Of Bees Came Over The Tennis Courts,?Just Like A Dark Cloud Of Smoke!!!!??..
The bees,??Descended On,?&?.Attacked,?. Many Of The Pupils,?. With Unbelievable,?.?Fury?!!!??..
It was extremely,??Frightening!??.
Pupils and teachers alike,?were all running in different directions,?constantly being,??Attacked By The Bees!!!!??.
I remember,?.?Brave Mr. William?s,??.who pulled off his jacket, to try and assist those pupils who were being attacked by the bees!!!?.Never mind,?that?,?He Was Badly Stung!!!??.He just continued to do his utmost to help and protect those pupils around him,?who were being,..?Stung!!!??.
Jonathan,?.I know was extremely badly stung,?.as I was with him in the MDA Car,?.rushing a few of us to the nursing home,?.as we had also been badly stung by the bees!!!?.
On the way to the nursing home,?the MDA guys had to pull the car over onto the side of the road,(In Club Street)?as,??Jonathan Had Stopped Breathing!!!??.
It was an,??Unbelievably Frightening,?&?Terrifying Experience,?. To Say The Least!!!??.
These,??MDA Guys Were Absolutely,?. Brilliant,?&?.Brave!!!!??.
They managed to,??Resuscitate Jonathan,??Who I Think,? Then Had To Be,? ?Hospitalised!????..
I do not recall very much after that,?as I was in,??Total Shock,??.&?.?Badly Stung Myself!!!??.
I just know that I was,??Immensely Relieved To Know That They Had Managed To Resusitate Jonathan!!!!!??.
As I,??Relive This Experience,??.I have such,??Tears Of Sadness Pouring Down My Face!!!!??
My tears too are for,?.?An Amazing Human Being,??.who had to,?.?Endure Such A Tragic And Horrific Illness!!!!!??..
May Jonathan,?.?Now Rest In Peace,?.Where He So Deserves To Be!!!!??.
I shall,??Remember Jonathan With Great Fondness!!!!??..
With My Deepest Respect,?&?.Condolences,? To The Stein Family!!!!?.,
Best Love,?.&?.Blessings!!!!!
Elana (Nafte) Janit.
Stanley Seeff
Dear Naomi,
I was indeed saddened to hear of Jonathans passing, and I extend my heartfelt sympathy to you and your entire family.
From what I?ve read and heard, it is clear that he was a very special man, a legend in his own right. It is at this sad time that one can take strength from the way in which he conducted himself, having been blessed with an intellectual brain but unfortunately with a severely incapacitated body in his latter years.
As those of us who were together at school are now probably all 60 or so, Jonathan?s death should be a wakeup call for us, that nothing is forever and we must make the most out of the years that we have left.
I wish you all a long and good life, and trust that his special memory will be a blessing to you all and you will be comforted amongst the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Elliot Wolf
Dear Lindsay,
I had already heard the very sad news of Jonathan?s passing and a friend of mine in the States sent me your very moving tribute to Jonathan. Everything you said about resonated so strongly with my own perception of him as one my favourite students. I shall never forget his brilliant mind and remarkable humility. I was indeed blessed to have had the opportunity of relating to a person of such special calibre.
I met Naomi last year when I was in Toronto, and it was she, in fact, who alerted me to Jonathan?s illness and prompted me to communicate with him again.
I shall certainly write to Naomi who must be devastated by her family loss.
G?mar Chatima Tova.
Best wishes.
Elliot