Jay Steven Berman (Yisrael ben Shea) passed away on March 18, 2008, (1lth of Adar Sheini). Jay returned to The Abishter at the age of 46 years old. Jay was born on September 22, 1961 and grew up in Chicago. Jay was a natural comedian and everyone that knew him loved him dearly. Jay's presence filled our lives with warmth emanating from a true love for his entire family. Jay adored his nieces and nephews. His great-nieces were crazy about him and favored him above anyone else in the family. Jay's smile lit up the world as it came from his whole heart. Jay was multi-talented. Anything that needed to be done, whether for family or friend, we knew who to ask: Jay. However, Jay prided himself most in his exceptional expertise as a gourmet chef and baker and he loved to cook for family and friends. Jay got great nachas from being close to his family and from preparing amazing delicacies from his culinary creations. In addition to his many abilities, Jay was an accomplished landscape designer. With all of the above accomplishments being noteworthy, in truth, Jay could have done anything he wanted as he was a gifted and highly intelligent man. Jay is survived by his mother, Shirley Kalish who he honored and adored. He was the love of her life. Jay is the son of the late Bernard Berman, who was a World War II veteran and was in the Battle of Normandy on the battleship Nevada at the young age of 17 years old. Jay is survived by his sisters, Beth Berman and Binah Bindell, also, Jay's brother, Norman Berman; and loving brother-in-law, Yisrael (Izzy-Jay) Bindell. Jay is survived by 17 nieces and nephews, and five great-nieces and nephews. May Jay's memory be a blessing for the world in general and his family in particular. Services for Jay will be held at the Temple Israel Cemetery, Western Avenue, Guilderland, N.Y. on Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 12:00 noon.
Published in the Albany Times Union on 3/20/2008.