Stephen Barry Sobel (Steve), 93, of Middletown, Connecticut, and formerly a longtime resident of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, passed away peacefully after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease on November 9, 2026. A decorated champion, unifying sports leader, respected attorney, and devoted family man, Steve lived a life defined by kindness, integrity, service, and passion. Born in the Bronx, New York, to Leo and Pearl (Schneyer) Sobel, Steve graduated from the Riverdale Country School before attending Columbia University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1954 and went on to graduate from Columbia Law School in 1956, where he served on the Columbia Law Review. Following law school, Steve served his country as a First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Department. Steve’s distinguished professional career spanned law, business, and higher education. He began as an associate attorney at Hays, Sklar and Herzberg in New York City before serving as Vice President of the Dixo Company in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. Later in his career, he shared his legal expertise with future generations, serving as Director of the Paralegal Studies Program at Long Island University and as a Professor of Business Law at Montclair State University. Outside of his professional and family life, Steve was a towering figure in American fencing and the Olympic movement. At Columbia University, he was a two-time First Team All-American (1952, 1953), team captain in 1954, and the 1954 NCAA National Saber Champion. After his competitive career, he became a passionate advocate and unifying leader for the sport on the national and international stages. He served two terms as President of the United States Fencing Association (1972–1976 and 1992–1996), where he pioneered the point system used to select Olympic athletes. He also served the USFA as League Counsel and Chair of the Olympic Fencing Endowment Board. Steve’s leadership extended to the United States Olympic Committee, where he served as Secretary (1981–1985), Vice President (1985–1989), and USOC Delegate to the Pan-American Sports Organization. Notably, he served as Chief of Mission for the U.S. Team at the 10th Pan American Games in Indianapolis. In recognition of his lifetime of contributions, he was inducted into the U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame in 2004, the Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, and received the prestigious General Douglas MacArthur Award from the USOC in 2018. Those who knew Steve best will remember him for his quiet warmth and character. He was a beloved teammate, mentor, professor, and colleague, and an exceptionally patient and kind son, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Steve was predeceased by his beloved wife, Sandra (Schapiro) Sobel; his parents, Leo and Pearl Sobel; and his sister, Lenore (Sobel) Allbaugh. He is survived by his loving daughter, Lori (Sobel) Jubelirer; his son, Jon (Sobel) Saouma; and his cherished grandchildren, Nathan Sobel, Noah Sobel, Lyja Sobel, Brian Jubelirer, and Nicole Jubelirer. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, November 12, at 11:00 am, at the Jewish Memorial Chapel, 841 Allwood Rd, Clifton, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that charitable donations be made in Steve’s memory to Cure Alzheimer's Fund.

Boris Tonkonog, 89, of Clifton, died peacefully on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 surrounded by loved ones at his home. He was the beloved husband, for 57 years, of Alla (Malyar) Tonkonog. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine on July 21, 1937, he was the son of Naum and Ethel (Burdman) Tonkonog. Boris worked as a senior engineer in the Soviet Union and spent his career in the United States as a computer programmer for over 30 years. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, brother, and uncle. Besides his wife Alla, he is survived by his brother, Samion Tonkonog of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, children, Inna Furman and her husband Yanik of Clifton and Vitaly Tonkonog and his wife Liliya of Fair Lawn; 4 beloved grandchildren, Rochelle and her husband Jason Miller of Scotch Plains, Michael Furman and his wife Kelly of West Milford, Samuel Tonkonog and Matthew Tonkonog of Fair Lawn; 4 adored great-grandchildren, Robert, Gabriella, Daniel, and Ethan; and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother Gregory. In November of 1977, Boris bravely decided to bring his family to settle in the United States to provide them with opportunities that didn’t exist for Jews in the Soviet Union. He gave his family a better life and inspired his remaining relatives in the Soviet Union to also emigrate to the United States and Canada. In the United States, he first settled in the Bronx before purchasing a home in Clifton in 1984 where he resided the remainder of his life. He also enjoyed spending time by the water in the Poconos and Miami with his family, where he owned property. Boris loved spending time with his family, traveling the world, and greatly enjoyed fishing. He also delighted in barbecuing for his family and friends, antiquing, collecting coins and stamps, playing chess, and picking berries in nature. After his retirement, he spent many hours following the stock market. His warmth and unwaveringly positive outlook on life was truly inspiring. His smile lit up a room and his sweet and caring nature touched everyone who came into his presence. The family will observe a private period of mourning. Donations in his memory may be made to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) or an organization of your choosing. May his memory be a source of strength and a blessing. Funeral arrangements provided by Jewish Memorial Chapel in Clifton, NJ.

Shirley Mitzi Kayne, 102 years of age, died in Boonton Township New Jersey on October 21, 2026. Shirley was born in NYC on December 29, 1923, to Augusta and Barney Steinberg of Passaic, New Jersey. She resided for decades first in Passaic, then Clifton, then Verona and last in Boonton Township. She also resided in Boca Raton, Florida for 30 years. She and her husband, the late Dr. Edward B. Kayne, were together for 67 years. Shirley was the New Jersey state debating champion at age 16 in 1939. In midlife she revolutionized the practice of juvenile justice laws in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Her manual was used nationally. She was appointed by New Jersey Governors Byrne and Kean to leadership positions in family crisis intervention. Her program reduced New Jersey childhood incarceration by 90% and was introduced to a national audience. She graduated from William Patterson College with a BA in education, a master’s degree in counseling and human services from Montclair State and completed the course work for her PhD at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Shirley was a leader in numerous civic and community organizations. She is survived by her sons, Dr. Richard Kayne and Former Montville Township Mayor, current Deputy Mayor, Dr. Matthew Kayne, and her daughters in law, Maria and Lori. She was predeceased by her daughter Dr. Nancy Kayne. She was loved and admired by her grandchildren, Michael, Daniel, Ana, Jonathan, Bryan, and Allison and their spouses and partners. She was delighted by her 6 great grandchildren and is succeeded by the arrival of her newest great grandchild expected any day. She was predeceased by her sister Lorraine and her brother-in-law Lester. She is very much loved by their children Ellen and husband Ira and David and as well as her cousins, Lanie, Marvin and Barbara, and Howard and Phyllis. Her family wishes to thank her extraordinary caretaker of many years Bibi. Burial will be immediately after the service at King Solomon Memorial Cemetery. Shiva will be at 1 Stafford Place, Towaco on Saturday evening from 6:45pm-9:00pm and Sunday from 12pm-4:00pm and then 6:00pm-9:00pm. Donations can be sent in her name to Hole in the Wall Gang Camp at www.holeinthewallgang.org

Aleksandr Burakovskiy, Alik to his family, second son of Adelya (nee Kryvytska) and Zalman Burakovskiy, was born October 18, 1935, in Kyiv, Ukraine. In 1941, the Second World War interrupted his childhood. With his mother and older brother Semen, he was evacuated to the Far East of the USSR. His father remained, serving in the military. Reunited in 1945, the family returned to Kyiv, where Aleksandr would live for 50 years before coming to the United States in 1993. In the former USSR, with a research doctorate (kandidat nauk) in telecommunications, he was a research engineer by profession, with several dozen patents granted in his name. Before his departure for America, was a director at the Telecommunications Research Institute of Ukraine. His first employment, however, as a young technician, was as a member of the team that in 1961 managed cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s historic first flight into space. In the United States, he taught at several technical institutes, including at Bramson ORT through 2018. When still in Ukraine, he was a civic activist during the era of perestroika, chair of the Council of Nationalities of Rukh, the Popular Movement of Ukraine, and an advocate for the reexamination of Jewish history in Ukraine. He is a published author of fiction and non-fiction, was a member of the Writers' Union of Ukraine, chair of the Shalom Aleichem Society within the Writers’ Union of Ukraine, a member of the Ukrainian chapter of the European PEN Club. In 1999, he returned to Kyiv to defend a doctoral dissertation in political history at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Among his published research are articles and books funded by grants from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. Aleks loved the outdoors. For years he cultivated a garden at his home in the Garden State, was a resolute athlete who ran every day that he could, loved to ski, to fish in lakes, rivers, oceans, to swim at the Jersey shore or do laps in any pool. He leaves behind in sorrow his wife Irene, older brother Semen with wife Raia and family, younger sister Sofiya, with daughter Olga and family, sister-in-law Martha Holder, brother-in-law Andrew Jarosewich, and their families, and from a previous marriage, son, Leonid, and daughter, Anna, with their families.