With great sadness and pain we inform you of the extremely untimely passing of HaBochur HaTomim Yisroel (Izzy) Woonteiler of Los Angeles, CA at the young age of 23.
Yisroel was getting out of his car last week when he was hit by a passing truck who fled the scene of the accident, suffering critical injuries which later claimed his life.
Yisroel is survived by his parents Reuven and Basya Woonteiler along with his brothers and sisters.
UPDATE: The Levaya will be on Thursday [Aug. 9] and will be passing by 770 at around 10:45am
Baruch Dayan Hoemes
Boruch Dayan Haemes – HaBochur Yisroel Woonteiler OBM
With great sadness and pain we inform you of the extremely untimely passing of HaBochur HaTomim Yisroel (Izzy) Woonteiler of Los Angeles, CA at the young age of 23.
Yisroel was getting out of his car last week when he was hit by a passing truck who fled the scene of the accident, suffering critical injuries which later claimed his life.
Yisroel is survived by his parents Reuven and Basya Woonteiler along with his brothers and sisters.
UPDATE: The Levaya will be on Thursday [Aug. 9] and will be passing by 770 at around 10:45am
Baruch Dayan Hoemes
The Shapiro Family of S. Diego
My heart is breaking. My love and strength and tefillos go out to the family.
AD MOSAI????????
dear dear freind~~
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hashem……….ad mosaiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yanky
srulliiiiiiiiii no no no ill miss you man
boruch dayon haemes
my classmate!
boruch dayan ha-emes!!!!! i cannot believe, sruly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ad mosai, hashem ad mosai!! he was a sweeeeeeeeeeeet bochur!!!
mendel
HOW MANY NESHOMES DO U WANT FROM US!!!!!!!
Go tell Hashem to bring the Hisgallus RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!!!!!
Shloime Feldman And family
Today I lost a real friend, And the world lost a Shining light. we worked together for years. your smile was what got you through. you came late, you didn’t come in at all. we couldn’t be mad at Sruli. as soon as you smiled or just started talking everything was fine. you where and are like family to us, You had a way about you, everyone you came into contact with, loved you! we are all sitting on the phone this morning trying to make sense of this tragedy. Sruly we miss you, i cant believe it. I will never forget you! Hamakom Yinachem Eschem B’toch Sh’ar Avlei Tsion Beyerushalayim.
Shloime Feldman
hrtrt
Sick and tired of these sick games that G-d if playing with our sweet youth!!! Spot this madnass!!! Ad Moshai!?!?!!!
Tamir
We used to play basketball together – Sruli had it all, he was athletic, handsome, so down to earth – a sweet, wonderful person. Hashem takes the best ones I guess. I reiterate what my friend Shlomie Feldman wrote. Ad masai. May the hearts of those who knew him be comforted and healed and may we know of only simchas.
Tamir G
9 days
Here’s the deal: Someone obviously miscalculated the calendar (or G-d shifted it Himself) – we’re clearly in the 9 days right now.
This isn’t meant as a joke: in the “9 days” there were virtually no tragedies; now suddenly one after another!
Anyone hear about the major 15p crash in upstate new york? Or the ATV accidents in CA? The list goes on and on…
Friend/Neigbor
We grew up with Sruli, he was always sucha great guy to be around. As kids we always loved it when he joined whatever we were playing…capture the flag, elimination, ga-ga…he was always so mischeavous and funny, I’ll never forget his smile.
Baruch Dayan Emes.
We will miss you Sruli.
K.M.
sruli, my heart breaks. you came in to my life by chance, and by chance taken from me. you were my true happiness in this life. so many good times we shared, the smiles from which I will always hold dear. every moment with you was a breath of fresh air. i am lucky to have had you in my life to show me what a good man needs to be.
Leeor
to the Woontiler family….. I will never forget Sruli. His smile. His carefree manner…I remember playing with him as a child…jumping on the beds and laughing…he always made up great games! Though i havent seen him in a while…..im know he is the same loving person…Sruli, you will be sorely sorely missed by ALL! Hanokem Yenachem Eschem! AD MOSAI!!I feel your pain, I am hurting with you.
eddie ilizarov
my dear friend i worked with u for years, you were a true friend i like to think of you as a brother. we hang out together worked together and ate together, i cant belive your gone and i will miss u dearly , you will always be in my hart .
we will see each other again
eddie ilizarov
Molly Feldman
Boruch Dayan Emes. Words cannot express the pain we feel for the entire family. Sruli worked with all of us for years, had a simchas hachaim that will be missed. Always with a smile. Never raised his voice to anyone. Our condolences to his parents, siblings and especially to Rusie who worked with us when he left.
Rivkah Leah
I look at this picture with a heavy heart and trembling hands, Yet I see that smile and remember the laughter and kindnes and true goodness that Sruly stood for! That light in Sruly’s eyes that is shining in this picture is who he was, as my brother Shloime wrote, This world has lost a shining light, someone so special no words can describe!We ae truly lucky to have known Sruli and worked so close with him, day after day hour after hour who would have known how much that time really meant.We now know!!!Dear Russie and family our tears and tefillos are with you,May you know of no more Tzar.
A Big Sister
Sruly,
I didnt know you personally, but u were on of my brother’s best friends growing up,,, He always spoke highly of you, and your sensitivity and understanding ways, your sheltering him from less frum elements he could have been exposed to,, today my brother still talks about you, and had his camp saying tehillim for you round the clock, may their tefillos secure a better place for you now. Srully Woonteiler was a household name, and I just cant believe it wont be used in the same way anymore,
To the Woonteiler family, No one should have to suffer like you are suffering now, Hamakom Yenachem Eschem besoch avele tzion vyerushalayim.
To everyone out there, take the extra five minutes to kiss your kids today, cuz u really never know what tomorrow will bring.
With a sad heart,
A Big Sister
Sholomke N
Sruly, as kids we spent hours playing together after school. I came over to your house. Yours was the first computer I can recall playing on. You were so brave. I will never forget when we were sledding in the park, and the goyim tried to take away your sled, when you so bravely said “No! Go buy your own”. You were a hero.
I felt so privileged to play with you.to walk home from school with you, to walk to Lefferts-park for baseball in your company. Remembering how, as captain, you’d choose your team for basketball in gym. You were the greatest captain. If someone did something wrong, you’d stop the game, and explain.
Last year in LA we met up for a dinner, we caught up on all the years we’ve been apart. You were so gentle, and so radiant, humble, considerate. This mundane reunion will from now serve as an everlasting memory of your loving character. G-d wanted your special soul closer to him, he got his way, leaving me, amongst many others, to cope with the saddest tragedy in our lives.
In 4th grade they taught us in class, that everything we do in life is replayed like a video when we reach Gan-Eden. There’s nothing in the world more saddening, than to know that only 10 years later, I would be recalling this very teaching on a classmate who sat beside me learning it. I can only hope that when you get up to those moments we shared in our childhood, it will trigger a sensitive loving smile across your cheeks. I will forever! miss you.
To the befieved family. Hamokom Yenachem Betoch Sheav Avelei Zion V’yerushalayim.
mendy
words can not describe what a huge loss this is! sruli is one of the nicest people in the world, never failing to greet me with a warm smile and happy hello. WHY? HOW? there is no freakin reason! Baruch dayan emes. I will never forget
a sad friend
sruli and his friends was supposed to go to a dodgers game but they couldnt get tickets. a few hours later, sruli was dropping my brother off at home- ten minutes before the accident, and as a joke by brother said “nice game”. sruli laughed and said “next time man next time.” there will never be a next time.
Rivka Teich
I am sick to my stomach from this terrible sad event. No one should experience such a tragedy. My heart goes out to the wonderful woonteiler family, our neighbor and friends. May Hashem give you the strength to go through this difficult time.
Rivka Teich
I am sick to my stomach from this terrible sad event. No one should experience such a tragedy. My heart goes out to the wonderful woonteiler family, our neighbor and friends. May Hashem give you the strength to go through this difficult time.
Avremil
I could not bring myself to comment. We all loved Sruli.What an unfathomable tradgedy. I saw all your comments and feel everyones pain & was a bit worried at the direction it was going. We cannot attempt to make sense of this only to stand by our grieving friends and give them our love. Sruli was also hit by a car as a young boy. I will never forget the class and spirit with which he handled it. He was a real hero as he recovered with a smile always growing never letting his spirits down. He would have wanted us all to focus ourselves and channel our burning sense of loss to ensure that his memory is associated with countless good deeds just as he touched countless people with his smile and can do attitude. If the Woontielers later read our words, all our hearts go out to you, may you know only simcha from now on. Hamakom Yenachem Eschem Besoch Shaar Aveilei Tziyon Veyerushalayim… May Moshiach come now and reunite us with Sruli forever!
crown heights
“WAKE UP YIDDEN ”how many more fiends am I going to have to loose ?what’s going on here ?why is this all happening?we need to do somethimg. Everyone must get out of their little world and we must unite. UNITY is the only answer. where are the rabbanim? wehre are the leaders ?where is every one? where are the ralleys ?gatherings ?The rebbe said in times of tragedy the community must get together and unite, daven, pray to HASHEM To STOP this terrible Gezeira. We are planning a big gathering and ask every MAN WOMEN and CHILD to join in. as soon as it is arranged everyone will be notified.
conc
for those of you who didn’t know this lovely Woonteiler family, they are a quiet and kind, loving family. This is a tragic loss for them and for all of us. The Woonteilers will most likely be sitting at their home on President St. Everyone should take the time to be menachem ovel. Once at a shiva, a woman came up to me and said that she wanted to know my name (and my friends’) because she wanted something new to come out of this, to create more Ahavas Yisroel. Go to be menachem ovel this family, get to know them, and meet someone new in your community that will be there, “waiting” to share Achdus in the name of this pure and sweet boy whose neshama was returned to its Maker.
May we only have simchas,
AD MOSSAI, WE NEED MOSHIACH NOW.
shlome
sruli was my counselor in day camp a long time ago he was the best counselor ill miss him allot its very sad sorry david
ARI. P
you were & are a good friend our hearts & prayers are going to be with you forever!!!
we already miss your happy face!!!
just another face in the crowd
this is so incredibly sad. my heart goes out to the woonteiler family.
Weiss Family
Although i only met surly once. that one time he was the sweetest and nicest guy..just like the entire Woonteiler family which i love so dearly. Sruly you have no idea how much pain we are all in right now. you are in a better place, but down here we are so greedy and dont want it to be. We need Moshiach right now! enough taking the good people away from us.
The Weiss family is here for you guys. We love you.
hopefull
im so sorry such a great person was taken away from us. Sruly you will always have a special place in our hearts.
U really dont know how good something is untill its gone.
noone should have to deal with such pain.
Baruch Dayan Emes.
I will always think about you.
Boruch benTzvi (A H) haKohaine Hoffinger
B”H
Boruch Dayan haEmet
My family and I knew Yisroli and his family very well. They used to live here, in 1703 Union St., just a floor above us. Once I escorted him and all his siblings to Canarsie Park.
I’m sick. I cry.
Moshiach NOW!
GB
As I write this, I cannot stop crying…Sruly is my brother’s best friend. My heart goes out to him and to the family. Hashem, please stop all these bad things from happening!! Sruly was such a good, nice, friendly, eidel boy.
Ad Mosai!
ChayaL
To the Woonteiler family,
I am now out of townand cannot be Menachem Ovul. I never knew your dear son. My heart goes out to the entire family. Hashem should comfort you all in your great loss. The Rebbe should return to us now and Hashem should immediately remove all pain and suffering from his great nation. Ad Mosai. Moshiach Now.!
A Family Friend
Hamokom Yenachem Betoch Sheav Avelei Zion V’yerushalayim.
I have no words to say at the loss you must feel. Why is G-d doing this to us?
HS
I only met Sruli once It was on Succos when the Woonteiler family invited me for a meal. He was handsome, friendly and doing very well , It seemd to me that he had evreything going for him .
Soem tragedys we can never understand. My heart goes out to this wonderful and special family.
Hillel SPinner
I was just told by a family member that the Levaya wont take place until Thurs.
a friend
Boruch Dayan Haemes…is all i can say about this tragedy..no words could possibly describe what anyone feels like.
To muki and the whole woonteiler family may Hashem give you all the kochos you need to go on.
muki i love you!!
Chaim
Sruly was all about enjoying every minute of life I’m sure he would want us to learn from him and be happy all the time life is to short Sruly we will really miss you!
Crown heights has lost a jewel!
To the Woonteiler family “Hamakom yenachem etchem betoch shaar availi tzion b’yerushalaim”
moshiach now
oh my g-d im in shock i cant believe what my eyes see enough is enough hahsem yeracheim have rachmonos why did you take such special neshoma away from us why why how can you do this hahsem sruli was very freindly kind good hearted person his entire family is very big in to chesed allways trying to help every one out we need to be there for this family. and help them to continue on with life. please my heart goes out to all of you please help this family how would this family have enough money to bury their child who would ever excpect this to happen everyone should open their hearts and help this family out hahsem enough is enough why why why we need more ahavos yisroel in this comunity the rebbe said what ever happens in crown heights it effects israel wake up everyone put your selfish feeling on the side and try to love and do for one another ad mosai we should be zoche to se geulah techiyas hameisim iam sorry to hear this terrible news
annonymous
i agree with crown heights how many tradegies do we have to go through before people wake and realize that we could fix it with ahavat yisrael!!!!!
UNITY as a nation!!!!!!! u want this to stop we have to do something
BOROCH DAYAN HAEMET
mendy mendy mendy!!!!
To mendy 08/07/07 – 14:31
When a Jew is confronted with a tragedy he says (as you noted) Baruch Dayan HaEmes – Blessed is the True Judge.
Writing disrespectfully against Hashem is not what Sruli would do or what he wants.
May Hashem comfort all of us with Moshiach and Sruli will join us again NOW!!!
Moishe
I never thought that it would go this far.I knew that Sruly was in critical condition and that he was starting feel a little bit better. The next day I find out that he has passed away.Srulys brother is my best freind, I feel for him and his wonderfoul family.
Boruch Dayan HaEmes.
We will miss him!
CH
I never met Yisroel, but my heart goes out to his family and everyone who knew him. My classmate just passed away this past friday, and she was only 20 years old (she was on a road trip and her car fell off the road and she was killed and another is injured.)
It’s so hard! it seems like there has been alot of tragedies recently, and i am terribly sorry to hear the news. I will take on some hachlata and do mivtzayim for him, and we have to just beg for Moshiach now, and every moment should be permeated with longing for Moshiach, and that is the only answer to all the hardship and sadness. I wish that his family be able to get through all of this okay and come through strong.
eliezer
hey mendy I think the way to be certain to remember him is to do something in his honor. Like the things the familty have been asking us to do for him. The only way to “never” forget is to honor his memory with long term action.
Facebooker!!
This is an extremely difficult thing to deal with. Noone can just sit there and say ok now I’m gonna take on some hachlatas, be nicer, give tzedkah, hey why not seems easy enough right?
Noo! Hello, people its OKAY to be upset and its okay to cry and be angry at G-d! But u must all realize that the Rebbe is still with us!! Dont be mad at G-d for doing this, have faith and trust in Him! Everything happens for a reason, and whether u see it or not, its there and its meant to be! Of course all the accidents are a huge shock to everyone, who would have though this could happen, especially to such young kids. But thats the way the world works, things come and go, some faster than you expect.
Dont just sit there and feel sorry for urself, Im sure thats not wat Izzy or any of the other victims in these tradgedies wanted!! DO something! Take action, do things that will help make things better for people!
And “Eliezer” U can NEVER forget someone, you might not be thinking of them 24/7, but their always in your heart and ur memory!
Anyone have any ideas that we can do? Write it! Dont go on and on about hwo tradgic this is, get up and do something!! Be a positive influence for the people around you instead :)
Anyone disagree with any of this??
DINA GORDON
I met Sruly a few times, when he came to clean our carpets,and he left such a good impression on us.He had a warm smile, a good nature and was always so friendly!
Our hearts go out to his family and friends,and all I can say is MOSHIACH NOW!!!!!
m.k.
should be a “mailetz yosher ” for us all here..
yisroel lazerson
Oy!! Hashem please bring the Geualah now!
May the Woonteiler family only have, from now on, good news … starting with Techiyas Hameisim right now!!!
Hamokom Yenachem Betoch Sheav Avelei Zion V’yerushalayim
Response to Facebooker!
I cannot disagree with anything that you write. As for ideas; well let’s do what Sruli did best. Light up the world with a brilliant smile. It is easy, it joins us together, and when done with a full heart it has the power to change lives. JUST LIKE SRULI DID!
To Sruli: storm the heavens, make a revolution, bear witness that the time is NOW NOW NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I missed you by a few minutes last week, but I look forward to seeing you real soon. This Golus that now stands between us is almost done.
To Hashem: You have claimed another one of your precious children, but we will never stop believing in you. The challenges are enormous and seemingly endless, but with the strength you provide, we will overcome and show the world just who we are.
For now, if I may ask, please have mercy on this wonderful Woonteiler family who is being challenged ever so much. Your children’s hearts are broken. Send us the remedy to this all, Melech HaMoshiach sooner than soon and no later than NOW!
Lubab
Boruch Dayan HoEmes. To the Woontiler Family:
Hamakom Yenakom Eschem Besoch Shaar Aveilei Tzion VeYrushalayim.
feeling sad
i have never met sruly or even know his family and friends well. i work with his sister and what i know of her and the great respect and sincerity she shows to everyone i can assume the same was about sruly. i feel like everyone else writing, the pain and suffering that we are feeling is out of control. its a lost feeling, like when is it going to end. these“accidents” keep on piling up on us, we feel like we are drowning. what makes it feel better is that although we have no idea what hashem is doing, or what the missing puzzle pieces mean we have each other and that is what hashem would want us to do, be together share each others feelings and pain. lean on each others shoulders, hug till we can’t hug no more. and b”eh we will be standing with sruly and all the others bowing in the bais hamikdush- modim ANACHNU luch!
remembersruli@gmail.com
We are all mourning the loss of our dear friend Sruli.He was truly unique and one of a kind. Please help in creating a booklet of thoughts and memories to honor Sruli. Please email your stories to remembersruli@gmail.com
Chaya
I didn’t know Sruly that well, but I know we lost a very special person. Any time I would see Sruly he would always have a big beautiful smile on his face. He is really going to be missed. My condolences to his close friends and family.
Freind / Neighbor from 1703Union Street
I grew up with Sruly in the same building for about 9 years. Its really a shame – b/c ever since we moved i think we met just one more time.
Odd as it may seem i always wondered about how he was doing – b/c i sort of missed him. He was just such an awesome guy. Even at the age of 8,9,10 he was our leader. When he was happy we were happy – when he was sad we were sad. I remember when he was hit by a car while crossing with his bike on president st. and went to the hospital to get a cast on his leg. How the whole buliding came outside to greet the ambulance anticipating his arrival. And how we all spent days in house afterwards just hanging around trying to help as much a we can. He was just a smooth friendly kid. He had this really funny giggle which would accompany his smile – it was very special and – I WILL NEVER FORGET IT !
Being that i dont have any older brothers i guess you can say that Sruly was sort of my older brother for the years we grew up together. He tought me many neat things like how to play Stratego. We also spent hours together playing all sports. I remember him once breaking a window which was left outside on the sidewalk while playing football. We just both laughed and ran away. I remember once Sruly’s bike being wripped away from us in the broad day light and how it miraculosly turned up up later that day. I also remeber us doing some crazy things like practically buring down our neighbor’s sukkah.
The list goes on and on …
When i sit here thinking of all of these things i can think of no reason that such a pure soul should be taken away from us ….
I guess G-d does only take the good ones…
Sruly – I (we) will really dearly miss you and i will never forget those precious moments we spent together as children
hamokom yinachem eschem besoch shaar aveilie tzion virushalayim
Bob
Izzman,
We’re missing you terribly. L.A. will never be the same. This world will never be the same. It still just feels like a dream. We all knew you were just gonna sit up and show us that world-famous smile. What happened? There is no sense to all of this. Your bochurim are gonna do whatever it takes to bring that horrible person to justice. We will never forget you man. That evil excuse for a human being may have taken your body but he couldn’t take your life. We’re all going out sat. night. Mad Tiesto. See you there man!
friend55
the light and chein that emulated from sruli was so beautiful he had such warmth and passion for life, i keep watching the cbs video over and over in shock, in tears, i think if only i had a way to stop this, if only i asked him a favor that day so he wouldnt be there at tthat time at that place, i tremble when i think about this, i read msgs that people wrote you before this, everything was fine, you were busy making plans, getting together with friends, joking around, if only we can go back!!!!!!!!!!! we love you!!! im sorry! so sorry! your short life was filled with so many good things and you taught so much to everyone aorund you and your kindness and spirit will still bring light to this world!i miss everything about you
Someone who loves Sruly
Srula Bula,
I love you dearly, and we all miss you like crazy. You were (and are) the best younger brother ever. You came into this world to teach us something: How to live our lives to the fullest, and enjoy each and every day. I remember when I visited you out in LA last summer, and you took me for a drive in the hollywood hills, and you said: " I’m gonna buy a house here soon." That’s who you are. You wanted somthing, you went for it. Every day was an adventure in your life. Your friends are here til the wee hours of the morning telling "Sruly stories"….I feel like it was the two stooges running your business!! Anyone who knew you, and even those who didn’t, are mourning. You were a role model for so many, especially your younger brothers. Dovid’s face lit up whenever it was you on the phone. I know you are in a better place, and you are looking out for your friends and family right now. You will ALWAYS live on in our hearts, and minds, Sruly. We are so very lucky to be blessed to have you as our brother.
With love, Always- you sister
A neighbor
I never knew Yisroel. I live close to where he was struck, and I walk by his make-shift memorial with photos of him on a lampost. Although I never met him I feel his loss. He seemed so full of life and potential that its a loss to all of us not to have his energy and brightnees with us. Who knows what he would have grown to be? How he could have helped others, shaped them by his insight and friendship? As I walk by his memorial I pray. I pray for those he left behind. I pray that he’s in a better place. I pray for his mother, his father, his siblings, to help them endure this terrible loss. I never knew him but I feel his loss.
arik
i still cry…
a WeHo neighbor
Today was published the account of Sruli’s killer’s conviction in the West Hollywood newspaper.
They were nice enough to use these photos and mention his family.
The poor girl who committed this tragic act is being punished, but the law cannot fill the void left by Sruli’s death.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you who have suffered this great loss.