Mayer Almagor, 89, passed away on Friday, March 22nd 2019. He was the devoted husband of the late Miriam Almagor for 62 years. Born in Romania, he was the son of the late Gedalia and Esther (Schwartzenberg) Caufman. Mayer was the beloved father of Dalia Harel and her husband Zeev Harel; doting grandfather of Ephat Russcol and her husband David, Asaff Harel and his wife Avital Mendelson, and Maayan Harel; loving great-grandfather of Liora, Aviva, Rina and Ilana Russcol and Ethan and Benjamin Harel.
Mayer was a Holocaust survivor. He spent World War II in Iassi, Romania, under Nazi rule, and, as a teenager, became a staunch Zionist. He struggled for many years to be allowed to leave Romania and make Aliya, as the Romanian communist regime prevented Jews from leaving. He only managed to leave Romania at age thirty three, when he was already married and had a daughter. He lived for most of his life in Israel, with several years spent in the U.S., where he was sent for Ph.D. studies, and in Europe, where he was sent for work related purposes by the Israeli government. He was an extremely intelligent man, who was very successful in his professional life.
In May of 2015, Mayer and his wife Miriam reluctantly decided to leave Israel and moved to Barrington R.I, to be close to their grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Mayer was an extraordinarily devoted husband, an exceedingly involved father, and an amazing grandfather. He forged extremely close relationships with his grandchildren, who will miss him dearly, and loved interacting with his great grandchildren. He cared about relationships, and maintained close contact with his cousins whom he grew up with, and with friends of long duration as well as with new friends. He was not an observant Jew, but he followed many rules and traditions in order to feel as one with the Jewish people, and in order to honor his wife Miriam, who was much more observant.
His funeral service was held on Monday, March 25th, at Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Avenue, Providence. Burial followed in Lincoln Park Cemetery, Warwick. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Temple Emanu-El, 99 Taft Avenue, Providence, RI 02906. Shiva will be observed at his late residence Monday-Thursday 4-9 p.m., with minyan on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 7 pm, and on Wednesday at 8 pm, Saturday 7:30-10:00 p.m. with minyan at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday with minyan at 9 a.m.
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