Alan Harvey Stein

Alan H. Stein of Newton, MA and Netanya, Israel, passed away on August 3, 2026. He is survived by his wife Marsha (of 57 years), daughter Audrey (of Cambridge, MA), and the Florida contingent, sister Evey (Mark) Groothuis, nephews Andrew, David and Steven (Alana) and three great-nephews. He was predeceased by his beloved parents Hannah and Sol Stein. Alan also leaves behind many wonderful friends and extended family.

Born in New York City, Alan was a mathematician by profession, earning a bachelor’s degree at Queens College, where he and Marsha met, and his PhD at the Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences at New York University on a full fellowship. He taught at the Waterbury, CT branch of the University of Connecticut for 37 years.

Math was Alan’s profession, but his passion was Israel advocacy. Starting with a two-year Young Leadership Development Group at the Jewish Federation of Waterbury, Alan took on a number of leadership roles in the CT Jewish community, not the least of which was President of the Jewish Federation. He was a VP of Beth El Synagogue in Waterbury where he and Marsha belonged, and was editor of Chavurah, the Jewish community newspaper, on the board of JFACT (Jewish Federation Associations of CT), a member of the Save Darfur Committee, and numerous other posts over the years.

During their time in CT, Alan and Marsha became involved in resettling Soviet Jews escaping the USSR and, along with their then 12-year-old daughter, were on the first Waterbury mission to the Soviet Union to meet with Jewish Refuseniks who were denied permission to emigrate.

Another important project for Alan was being president of the media watch organization PRIMER, Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting, and he went on to found chapters in MA and Israel. At their request, Alan continued writing op-eds about Israel for the Waterbury Republican-American even after living in MA for over a decade. He was named CAMERA’s Letter Writer of the Year (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting) in 2015. Before moving from Waterbury, Alan was honored

by Beth El Synagogue as the Shem Tov awardee, by the Jewish Federation Association of Waterbury and by PRIMER for his service to the Jewish community and Israel.

After their first visit to Israel in 1980, the Steins fell in love with the tiny country and kept returning. After Alan’s retirement from UConn in 2009, the Steins enrolled in the now-defunct Hadassah’s Winter in Netanya volunteer program, found Bet Israel Masorti Congregation, and decided to stay, officially making aliya (emigration). Alan and Marsha split 17 of their retirement years between Netanya, facing the Mediterranean Sea, and Natick, MA and moved to Opus, Newton in September of 2025.

A funeral service will be held at Levine Chapels, 470 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA on Wednesday, August 5th at 9:30 a.m. Livestream available at this link: www.levinelive.com/alanstein . Interment to follow at Beth El Cemetery, Boyden Street, Waterbury, CT at approximately 3:00 p.m.

Shiva will be held at the Steins’ home at Opus, in Newton, MA, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Thursday, August 6th, Friday, August 7th, Sunday, August 9th, and Monday, August 10th, with a service at 2:30 p.m. each day. Please do not bring food (kosher apt., widow with allergies) or flowers. Please carpool if possible, as parking is very limited, and follow the directions of Opus staff.

Donations in memory of Alan may be made to one of the following:

• Sheba Medical Center (Israel): https://sheba-global.com/giving-to-sheba

• American Friends of Sheba Medical Center: www.afsmc.org/donate

• ISDF USA (Israel’s Defense and Security Forum): https://m.idsf.org.il/

• She’arim (Russian outreach program in Netanya) (send to KBY Congregations Together Inc and say it’s directed to She’arim Netanya)

• Temple Israel of Natick fund of your choice