I received news a few minutes ago that a good friend of mine, Yonah Goldman, was killed this morning while driving in Israel. The JPost has a headline of it, Vos iz Neias has some details.He was a good friend of mine from our time together in OJ, originally from Baltimore [and before that Kansas City]; we became friends instantly in Israel when we realized our brothers had been in WITS together prior to that. He was married to a wonderfully nice woman and they have one child, and he was living his dream - living in Israel and making a nice life there with his wife Dina. Yonah was almost always smiling with that huge smile of his, was an amazing friend, and always told you what you needed to hear straight, without any games. There was a group of us who were really close in Israel... this is so hard.
His funeral is tomorrow afternoon at Har Tamir in Givat Shaul at 3:30pm Israel time.
Baruch Dayan Emes.
Shiva Updates:
Congregation Shomrei Emunah
Condolences to Bruce and Freda Goldman on the tragic loss of their son Yonah.
Bruce and Freda can be reached after Shabbos at 011-972-2-996-8048.Bila Ha-Maves L'netzach
Updated information for Goldman family:
The Goldmans are remaining in israel for the remainder of shiva and will return to Baltimore at the end of this week.
May the family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Shiva info in Israel: The Goldmans are sitting shiva at the home of Yonah & Dina - 141/2 Ramat Mamre, near Kiryat Arba. You can take the 160 bus from the Tachana Merkazit - central bus station. Get off at Ramat Mamre, ask about the Goldman family.As I get more updates I shall try to post them, b'n.
Here is the Facebook group: In Memory of Yonah Goldman.
A few of Yonah A'H's friends have been talking and we would like to/are trying to set up a fund or tzedaka to help his wife Dina and their baby. If anyone knows how we can go about doing so in a way that would maximize the assistance we can give them, please contact me at serandez at gmail.com. Thank you very much. We'd also like to coordinate this with the family and with whomever should or could be a part, whether that means Shomrei Emunah or any other organization or individuals. Any help would be much appreciated. Again, updates will all be added to this post. Thank you.Regarding a fund, I've been in contact with Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore and they are waiting to discuss the idea with the Goldmans after they return from Israel. I will keep everyone updated.
UPDATED: The website the family has created which includes fund information for both the fund they started and that Shomrei has started is here. A short summary is here.
A comment and request from Yonah's mother on the Facebook group has been reposted here.
BDE
ReplyDeleteBoruch Dayan Ha'Emes.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry to hear this. Baruch daya haemes
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear this. Baruch Dayan Ha'Emet.
ReplyDeletei knew him pretty well, as we attended the same shul in baltimore for many years (shomrei). although he was a bit younger than i am, i can validate your memory of always having a smile on his face. his parents/family are fine members of the shul. what a horrible tragedy, BDE
ReplyDeleteNYF - Yes, thank you. My sister's family often davens there, and I've seen them there many times. :(
ReplyDeleteomg! baruch dayan emes! what a great guy
ReplyDeleteI blog about driving safety in Israel from time to time, because it extracts such a painful toll on us all.
ReplyDeleteBaruch Dayan HaEmet.
How terribly sad. I didn't know him personally but I definitely know his parents from Shomrei. What a tragedy. May the family be comforted.
ReplyDeleteOY. Condolences.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about your friend.
ReplyDeleteI lost a friend who I was very close with in college, two years ago also in a car accident. I know how hard it can be.
If you haven't already, and if you want to when the time is right, why not write to his family about how much Yonah meant to you, and some nice stories about your friendship. And maybe send copies of some pictures if you have any. I am sure it would mean the world to them.
Baruch Dayan HaEmes.
does anyone know if Yonah's, a'h, parent's will be sitting Shiva in the US?
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteFrom a Shomrei e-mail:
They will be returning to Baltimore next week before the end of shiva but they are not yet sure when that will be. Once that information is finalized we will pass it on to the community.
Ezzie:
ReplyDeleteBaruch Dayan Emet.
Updated information for Goldman family:
ReplyDeleteThe Goldmans are remaining in israel for the remainder of shiva and will return to Baltimore at the end of this week.
May the family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
does anyone know Yonah's hebrew name?
ReplyDeleteVery sorry to hear it, Ezzie. My condolences to you and to everyone else affected by this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThis is from Chaya Goldman: My family is sitting shiva at yonah and dina's home. The adress is 141/2 Ramat Mamre( place near Qurat Arba). You can take bus 160 from the TEchanah merkazete. Get off at Ramat Mamre(ask people about the Goldman family)
ReplyDeleteChaya - Thank you, and I'm sorry. Hamakom yenachem eschem...
ReplyDeleteyonah's brother just sent this message to the facebook group:
ReplyDeleteThank you all for joining. Yonah was a very very special person and brother. He was always there for me and anyone that needed him. Thank you to those that have written about him and to those that did know and have not written about your relationship with him please do. My whole family has been looking at the group and we thank those that have shown as we know how wonderful he was.
someone should post a message on facebook about this blog
ReplyDeleteYonah was a dear friend of mine from OJ. In fact, we were next-door neighbors in the Main Dorms. Yonah was a wonderful person, a man to emulate and admire, and a true friend. I will never forget him.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about this.
ReplyDeleteso sorry for you and all who knew him. baruch dayan emes
ReplyDeleteI must have missed this a few days back. I'm sorry to hear about such sad news. Baruch dayan haemes.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry Ezzie...what a tragedy.
ReplyDeleteDeDe Jacobs Komisar (Israel) wrote 10 hours ago.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, I was at the shiva last night, and it was a really amazing experience. The Goldmans and Dina are incredibly strong. The atmosphere was sad, of course, but also at times almost happy, because we spent the whole time talking about Yonah, who was always so happy and had such a wonderful smile for everyone, always. We shared some really great stories about Yonah in high school and in Israel. I learned that he was a very loving husband and an incredibly devoted father. I also learned that Yonah's very last act was doing an act of chesed-- he pulled over by the side of the road to give a ride to a woman who was drenched. He took her to a gas station where she had shelter from the rain. As he was pulling out of the gas station, he was hit. Heart-breaking, but somehow it seems right, that he died as he had lived.
I'm going to be writing a story for the Jewish Times about Yonah, so stay tuned for it in the next few weeks. I'll try to post to it here.
Yonah's family is setting up a web site: www.yonahgoldman.com.
ReplyDeleteThe site is still under construction, but will include information about the shloshim, mishnayos learning, donations, as well as thoughts, stories and photos from family and friends.