Letter from Yonah's Rebbe

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Goldman and family,

I am a Rebbe at Ohr Yerushalayim and was deeply saddened by the tragic news about Yonah. Yonah was in my shiur during his second year here and left a very strong impression on me. I always admired his thirst for learning and we all had nachas from the growth he experienced while in Ohr Yerushalayim. Yonah was a real asset to the yeshiva and always contibuted to the overall ruach as well as reaching out to others. He was a friend to everyone- the talmidim and the Rebbeim. His exceptional love for Eretz Yisrael and his dream of living here made an impact on all of us.

I vividly remember our end of year event where Yonah volunteered to share some parting words on behalf of his fellow talmidim. In his warm and articulate style he was able to capture their sentiments in a most memorable way.

A bit later, Yonah along with a few others from the shiur were still in Israel and we all got together for one last farewell lunch. To mark the occasion the boys presented me with a set of seforim inscribed by each of them. It was all quietly organized by Yonah- and now those seforim mean all that much more to me.

Mr. Goldman, your remarks at the levaya, filled with courage and conviction, were a chizzuk to us all. We all saw those very same traits in Yonah and that is how he will be remembered.

May all that Yonah achieved and all those who he touched in his lifetime be a source of comfort to you.

May Hashem grant you strength during this difficult time and may your family know of only simchas in the future.

Hamakom Yenachem eschem bsoch aveili Tzion vYerushalayim.

Yeshai Koenigsberg