Professor Katz and her sweetness can't be described in words. She taught Russian to countless students with her fullest attention and helped them learn a language that is not the easiest and entirely different from English. She traveled the world and in every trip did a deep dive into the country's culture and history. She cared deeply about people having freedom and human rights and to that end, she would join gatherings, share event information and make donations. She loves her family deeply. She lived her faith and is blessed in the arms of God. Our fortune to know her here. Boston, Brookline, New England, the States and the world are much less for her physical absence, kindness, jovialness, vibrance and passion in every moment. Heartbroken. Will miss you. Love you so much. Till we meet again. God bless and Godspeed.

Irena was an amazing professor, but more importantly, she was a kind and caring individual. She always had a smile on her face and a passion for sharing the art of the Russian language and culture with her students. I am so glad to have had the pleasure of learning from her and meeting her.

I knew Irena from our work on the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. I just met her in person for the first time in early May to give her prizes for her students who received gold and silver medals in the competition. She was full of energy and insisted on having the Olympiada in person next year... The news came as a complete shock to me. I am so, so sorry for your loss!
Even though I didn't really know Irena well, I could tell from our Zoom meetings and from that single in-person meeting we had that she was a very warm, kind, and welcoming person. I am sending my deepest sympathy to her family, her colleagues, and her students.
May her memory continue being a blessing...

Thank you Professor Katz for being such a wonderful and dedicated Russian teacher these last two semesters. I learned so much- not just about the language but the culture and history too. Professor Katz was such a special and thoughtful person with a wonderful sense of humor. She was also so giving and accommodating to her students while still treating them with respect and kindness. I wish her family the utmost peace during this time. Спасибо большое Ирина 🫶

I had the privilege of taking four semesters of Russian from Professor Katz at BU. She was an exceptional educator who could get every kind of student to enjoy learning, and her classes were the kind that made you feel like you were a part of a community. I will always remember when she let me make up a final at her home in Brookline, and kept me supplied with tea and cookies the whole time. She also understood what it meant for me to be learning Russian for the first time as a Russian adoptee, and supported me through that in ways I didn’t even realize I needed. She will be deeply missed and I send my condolences to her family and loved ones. 

Professor Katz was my deeply respected and kind Russian professor in my freshman year of college at BU—but I am grateful we stayed in touch throughout the rest of my college years as we would correspond over email about the books we were reading and current events. I was and am mesmerized by her ability to embody the definition of a selfless and loving soul. More than any other teacher I have had, she knew how to challenge her students and push them to be better. Her teaching certainly made me a better student in all aspects, her commitment to justice was always more than apparent, and her love for art, music, and literature continues to inspire. She will be dearly missed. 

Irena Katz was a wonderful colleague and an inspiring teacher! I fondly remember how she celebrated her students' successes during the New England Olympiada of spoken Russian. Irena's students carried the love of the subject and the enjoyment of learning that she shared with them, and their great achievements were in large part thanks to Irena's dedicated work. 

Deepest condolences to family and friends. Irena will be missed very much. 


I have worked side by side with Irena for almost thirty years. We chatted  every now and then by the copy machine, or at campus events, usually comparing notes and sharing nachas about her daughter's and my son's latest accomplishments (since they are the same age). I always imagined that at some point I would be able to study Russian with her.  But I learned so much more about her today.  Today I came to know about her great life, huge intellect, incredible family full of love and passion, wild travel adventures and the "fearlessness" which Ariella spoke of.  How I would have loved to discuss all of this with her!  She was not only a great mom and devoted educator, but also an "eshet chayil":  a woman of great power and courage. How appropriate to hear the words of Proverbs 31 sung at Irena's service today., where we heard "her own deeds...praise her at the gates" of life.  Yehi zichra baruch - may her memory be a blessing and an inspiration for us all.   

The loss of this treasured colleague was so sudden that it's just sinking in. Irena's decency and her devotion to language, literature, and her students were apparent in every conversation we had in the hall or at the xerox machine. So was her omnivorous intellectual and aesthetic curiosity - she would show up at all kinds of cultural events around campus, especially concerts. But only at her funeral did I meet her beautiful family and learn about so many other facets of her life: the wild travels, the cats, the activism. The stories her family told gave some idea of their loss, our loss. Condolences to Jerry, Ariella, Valentina, and everyone who was close to Irena. May her memory be a blessing -- it already is.

Words cannot express how sad I felt to learn this news. Every summer I looked forward to seeing the Katz family at Ponkapoag. it seemed anytime I went for the day they would be there, hand in hand sitting on the bench or in the screened in porch at Folsom. You could always count on seeing their big smiles and having an update on whatever amazing thing Ariella was involved in at the moment.
What a loss. May her memory be a blessing.


I know Irena from Ponkapoag and it always made me happy to see her there enjoying the serenity and simple things in life there. I have a wonderful memory of her returning from a walk in the woods with some flowers in her hand - she had probably picked along the way. Rest in peace Ira. And my deepest sympathy.

Professor Katz was truly a great professor and a kind human being. I had the privilege of being her student for two semesters and she did the utmost to make learning Russian an enjoyable, enlightening, and rewarding experience. She went above and beyond for all of her students and made sure everyone could get the help that they needed in learning Russian both inside and outside of the classroom. May your memory be a blessing to all who knew you professor. 

Professor Katz was a brilliant, kind, and incredibly fun individual. 
I had the pleasure of being in her Russian course this past school year, and it was honestly the highlight of both my fall and spring semesters. As a young  Russian-Jewish woman in a new city, Professor Katz provided a sense of comfort and belonging. My deepest condolences to Professor Katz's family. She will be deeply missed.  

Большое спасибо, профессор Кац.

While I only got to know her for just my first year at BU, she was quite the human being. Not only was she a wonderful teacher but a mentor as well. She pushed me to better my skill but also it was always interesting to hear her stories about her travels to various places around the world. It was even more interesting how much we had in common whether it was ownership of cats or our knowledge of world capitals. Obviously I knew her for less than one year and I don’t know what all to say, I saw much similarities between her and my grandma who passed just one year before. It’s truly sad and I send my condolences to her family, she’ll missed by BU so much. Thank you

Irena Katz taught us the Russian language almost singlehandedly. She was a brilliant teacher, an adventurous person, and kind and ethical to her core. I cannot imagine BU without her presence. As students, we all loved and deeply admired her.

Two months ago, I had the privilege of conducting a biographical interview with Professor Katz. When I asked her why she chose to go to graduate school in Moscow, she told me that she just couldn't imagine leaving the world of literature, art, and learning. That world was alive to Irena. She spoke of paintings and books as friends. Beauty sustained her like water. Her eyes lit up anytime we spoke of it. She understood love and awe better than anyone I have met. 

My deepest condolences to her family and all those who had the honor of knowing her. I struggle to imagine a world without her precious fire. I hope to find her spirit again in works of art, literature, music, poetry--worlds which she cherished so much. 

Irena was a noble human being, a kind person and a brilliant intellectual. She was always curious about the world, always ready to have an honest and insightful conversation, and to generously share her deep knowledge of Russian literature. It is hard to imagine what Russian language teaching at Boston University will be like without her presence from now on. 
My deepest condolences to Jerry, Ariella and  her beloved ones. 


I loved Irina and have been friends with her for the last 20 years. She was an unusually pure person. A person who loved travel very much and deeply understood and appreciated the world of art. A bright and talented person has left us—my deepest condolences to the family.

Irena stays in our memory as a kind soul and a candle in our community The Riley Family

OBITUARY

Irena Katz

October 23, 1960 – June 3, 2023

Stanetsky Memorial Chapel

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