I was so saddened to hear the news about your beloved husband and father.  Yitz was a shining light at Shul! I remember how Brian enjoyed their talks at kiddush and talking about their great outdoor adventures. Seeing your new home on the east side was a treat over a shabbat in July a few summers ago.   I started to read the Exodus in honor of Yitz this past shabbat    His love for Israel and his dedication and guidance for his family were exemplary for all !!

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years. 
Abraham Lincoln

As a long standing friend of Shirley and Itzie I had the pleasure and privilege of knowing Itzie for almost 5 decades.  We became acquainted in the summer of 1971. They had their Yisroel, who was 18 months and I had my two children, Tobi and Yitzi. Little did we know at the time that our friendship would span nearly half a century. 

There are a plethora of memories — too many to mention here—but when I reflect back at what is most salient—I would have to say it was the Shabbosim spent at Shirley and Itzie’s home in Brooklyn, New Rochelle and Manhattan. Their home always exuded the beautiful spirit of Shabbos. Itzie’s erudite and interesting d’vrei Torah were a joy to listen to—always engaging and intelligent   The conversation at the table, was vibrant and the topics, varied. Itzie was so incredibly knowledgeable about a multitude of things and when he shared his insights, it was always articulate, perceptive and astute. As their guest, it was a true delight for me. I got to know their friends and it was obvious how admired and beloved they were, both individually and as a couple. It was a pleasure to be enveloped in their world.  

When I was moving from Brooklyn to Manhattan in 1998, there was a 3 month interval between selling my home and the completion of construction on my apartment. I was prepared to take a sublet in Manhattan for the interim, but Shirley and Itzie  would not hear of it and insisted I stay in their guest room. The New Rochelle guest room, which served as Itzie’s work space, and in spite of that, he graciously and warm heartedly relinquished it to me,  Those were a magical 3 months spent at the Friedman home. This enormous kindness, extended to me by Shirley and Itzie, with such love and hospitality, will never, ever,  be forgotten. 

This is just a mere snippet from a multitude of memories. Itzie embraced life with both arms, and all its many facets — his family, his work, Torah and learning, helping others, traveling, art, biking, running, reading, music — and is a shining and exemplary example of putting so much life in his years. 

He will be dearly missed!
With love,
Edith

Itzie (yeah that we called him) was my very first friend. Growing up together in Brooklyn. Itzie lived on East 17 off Caton Avenue and I lived on Ocean Avenue and Caton. Our families davened in the Young Israel of Prospect Park (even before it became a Young Israel. 

From ages 5 and up were inseperable. We sort of drifted apart when we attended different Yeshivas.

Itzie was quick to laugh at my jokes and he was really smart... certainly smarter than me. We did play sports ...but that wasn't so much his thing. It sure was for me.

We did reconnect at least twice a year. I'd wish him mazel tov on his Bar Mitzvah (Terumah) and he in turn would send good wishes for mine (Eschanan). We did that as recently 2 months ago. 

This was an incredible loss and I'm still reeling from it. He was lovely guy and for a most important part of my life he was my very best friend. May his memory be a blessing for all of you. 

Israel, I can tell you that you and your siblings are fortunate to have a genetic connection with my friend Itzie.

willy


 

We were so devastated to hear about the loss of your father. Every time he came to town I enjoyed seeing him and hearing him tell me stories about himself and my grandfather from the old days on the Lower East Side when he was a boy.He was such a special man and he will never be forgotten!

I had the pleasure of sitting right opposite Adam and Shirley at a Sukkot luncheon at my daughter's and son-in-law's , Cheryl and Dovid's house last fall.  I had met the couple before many times, but there was something special about this occasion sharing the intimacy of the Sukkah on a beautiful autumn day in Denver.  
We spoke about several things. but I was surprised to know that Adam was a yeshiva student at Yeshiva Chayim Berlin and while he was studying Torah "Lishmah" he had the goal of becoming a Rabbi, like many before him in his family, who were direct descendants of the Byaner Rebbe.  Unfortunately, he was distracted by life's challenges and never realized this goal.  But one doesn't need to be  a Rabbi to fulfill religious goals and to be a mentor to his family.  I am personally so impressed that besides living observant lives themselves, their three children, daughters-in-law and eleven grandchildren are all  observant Jews.  This is not always  a given in modern times, but Shirley and Adam created this and it is much to their credit how their family followed in their footsteps. 
As I said this kind of thing is not always a given, but Adam was an example of a man who loved Torah and craved being with his family on the holidays and at family Simchas.  
As the head of the family,  he lived a life devoted to Torah which made him an example that family members could easy emulate.
Adam, it was truly  an honor for me to  know you and to be a small part of your legacy.  The family and I will miss you. May you rest in peace.
Your mechuten,
Kem Fradkin

We were neighbors for about 20 years.  Although, we didn’t see one another everyday, it was always a comfort knowing Yitz and the Friedman’s were just two doors down on Silver Birch Drive in New Rochelle. When we started a minyan in our home so that my elderly father didn’t have to walk in the cold for a mile to shul, it was Yitz that was always there to be sure we had a minyan or would come early or stay late to keep my dad company.  When our Minyan grew and someone gave us an old aron kodesh, it was Yitz who was sure to help clean it up before it came into our home.  He joined in with me and my three young daughters to dust and polish it so it would look amazing in our home when it came in to hold the Torah we used for davening.  My daughters and I would always peak out our window to see how beautifully Yitz and Shirley were dressed for Shabbat.  They were both always such a comforting presence to have as neighbors.  They were  truly are and will always be fixtures in our neighborly collective memories.  Yitz’ memory is truly a comfort.  May all the Friedmans only know comfort and joy from his memory. Av smachot 

We are recent friends of the Friedmans, having met after Shirley and Adam moved to Manhattan. While I spent more time with Shirley over these years, I had several opportunities to connect just with Adam, like working together on a potential communications project. But what I will remember most are the two-three times Adam would drop in to the Morgan Library & Museum while I was on duty as a volunteer. Invariably he was coming to see one of the wonderful drawing exhibits the Morgan often has on view. His love of drawings and prints was one of his endearing qualities. We lost a very special man.

Yitz was my chavruse but so much more.  We shared learning and warm friendship.  He tolerated my frequent heresies and helped me learn.  His smile filled the room, and his warmth was a fire that filled my heart.  He helped immeasurably when I wrote my book on Hasidic succession that featured his family.  And when we sat near each other during the Yamim Noraim in shul, he inspired with his davenen.  I'll miss his hugs and his presence in my life.  Death ends a life but not a relationship.  He will remain forever a part of my life.  I only wish I could have been there for him and honored him on his last journey.  May his memory be a blessing for us all.  Ellin joins me in wishing comfort to his wonderful wife, Shirley, and his children who were the jewels of his life, Yisrael, David, and Yosef and their fine families.

Yitz and I shared the same yaartzeit for our mothers, 7 Adar, also the yaartzeit of Moshe Rabeinu. 
For the past several years I would bring the bagels for the “tikun” after morning services, and he would bring the whiskey. 
I would defer to him making the Dvar Torah for our mothers, as he was much more learned and erudite. 
I will miss him greatly. May his memory be a blessing to his family and to Klal Yisroel.