Izrail Stolerman

Izrail Stolerman (April 19, 1934 – December 25, 2025), of Stoughton, MA, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at the age of 91 after a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of his late wife, Zhanna Stolerman; devoted father of his daughter, Alla Ostrovsky; cherished grandfather of his granddaughters, Yana Osmecki and Michelle Ostrovsky; and loving great-grandfather of David Prewitt. He was a loving brother of Peter Stolerman and Galina Nizhnikov, and of the late Vikor Stolerman. Dear son of the late Gersh Stolerman and the late Slava (Gabin) Stolerman of Kodema, Ukraine.

Izrail was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1934, after his family moved from Ukraine in 1929. In 1934, his father, Gersh, found a piece of land in Moscow with an abandoned gazebo foundation and built a house for his family. When the war began in 1941, Gersh was deployed in the Air Force Defense Regiment until the end of the war in 1945, restoring bombed buildings in Moscow. The family lived in the home built by Gersh until they were evacuated to Orenburg in August 1941.

Izrail, age 7, and his older brother Peter, age 10, were separated from the rest of the family so they could travel in smaller groups, as their youngest sister, Galina, was only 1 year old. The boys were sent to a kolkhoz (a collective farm) to harvest beets for animal feed in exchange for bread. After the rest of the family settled in Orenburg with the help of distant relatives, transport was arranged for Izrail and Peter to join them three months later.

The years spent in Orenburg were the hardest Izrail experienced, marked by severe hunger and freezing temperatures so cold that ice formed on the walls inside their home, leaving him with frostbite on his hands and nose. During this time, Izrail’s mother, Slava, sold buttons and jewelry to earn money to feed the family. Izrail and Peter earned money by transporting luggage for new settlers, and they exchanged their personal clothing for flour and potatoes. Once it became safer, in 1943, the family returned to their home in Moscow. The struggles of his early years as a Holocaust survivor shaped him into a strong, hardworking, and resilient man.

Izrail was not the strongest student in school, so after completing the 8th grade, he chose to attend technical school, where he finished his high school education. During this time, he fell in love with math, science, and engineering, and his grades began to improve. His hobbies included sharpshooting, soccer, and hockey. Mandated by the government, he joined the army at age 18 and served for two years after completing trade school.

After his enlistment, he began working while attending college at night, studying water engineering. It was during these night classes that he met Zhanna Riftin, who attended day school at the same university. After graduating with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, Izrail worked in Russia as a farm wastewater engineer, a job that required extensive travel throughout the Soviet Union. This period of his life was filled with adventure and exposure to many different cuisines, which broadened his love for cooking.

Izrail married Zhanna, and they moved into a Khrushchev-style apartment building in Moscow, where they welcomed their daughter, Alla. In 1989, Alla and her family decided to immigrate to America and encouraged Izrail and Zhanna to follow. Galina Nizhnikov, who was already living in the United States, was instrumental in helping the family immigrate.

They arrived in Lynn, MA, in 1990, later moving to Salem and eventually settling in Stoughton in 1994. Izrail volunteered for a year in 1991 and began working in 1992, continuing until his retirement at age 70. His wife, Zhanna, sadly passed away from colon cancer in 1997.

Izrail’s years in America were spent with his family, traveling with his life partner, Nelya Grushko, and enjoying his passions for cooking, fishing, and gardening, which he continued into his final summer. He was a devoted father and grandfather who spent countless hours caring for his granddaughters and helping shape their lives. He will be deeply missed by all who loved him. May his memory be a blessing.

The funeral service will be held on Sunday, December 28, at 1:30 PM at Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel, located at 10 Vinnin Street, Salem, MA 01970, followed by burial at Ahavath Achim Anshe Sfard Cemetery in Lynn, MA.

Shiva will be held at the home of Alla Ostrovsky and Mike Passmore in Sharon, MA (email Yana Osmecki at [email protected] for location) on Sunday December 28, 2025 (6:30pm-8pm), Monday, December 29, 2025 (3pm-7pm), and Tuesday, December 30, 2025 (3pm-7pm)

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Izrail’s memory by planting a tree in Israel through the Jewish National Fund.