This Book of Memories memorial website is designed to be a permanent tribute paying tribute to the life and memory of Jonah Berele. It allows family and friends a place to re-visit, interact with each other, share and enhance this tribute for future generations. We are both pleased and proud to provide the Book of Memories to the families of our community.

Thank you.

Cancel
Select Candle

a dear friend

Jonah was a dear friend of mine. He was a strong and true man and he taught me very much. We met on the bus in math team in high school, when he was 14 and I was 17, and have been friends since.

To me he was an authority on so many things: chess, diabetes, autism, Judaism, queerness. I hear his voice challenging us all to be our best selves. The growing he did in his own life makes me happy -- to see him transform and come to a strong sense of self-awareness. I'm sad because he had so much ahead of him to give.

More than anyone I know, he spoke very frankly and honestly of death. There was this concise intensity when he spoke of it. From when he was diagnosed with diabetes, he would talk about how his life expectancy was not long and he made deliberate choices in his life to not put off to tomorrow what he could do today. I remember telling him not to talk that way, but his powerful voice and self-reflection would come through. I will always remember him as standing for what is right.

He was a strong walker (he walked everywhere) and had the sharpest memory. He was a beautiful writer with so much to say. He loved jokes (I learned from him to end a punch-line in an email with the word badum).

Since always, Jonah had wanted to care for others. He gave so much in his work with children with different abilities. He taught me the word difabled.

This past year he made big steps toward his dream by becoming a foster parent to a teenaged boy. He pursued his goals and didn't sweat the small stuff. He did not shy away from his convictions and believed deeply. He read incredibly widely and shared his thoughtful and unique ideas. I'm so thankful to count him as a friend and sad that he's gone.

And now I will recite words that he taught me: Baruch Dayan Ha Emet. Blessed is the true judge.

Posted by Gabriel Gaster
Thursday September 29, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Prev - Story 2 of 3 - Next
Recently Shared Condolences
Recently Shared Stories
Recently Shared Photos