We are deeply saddened to share that CEO Emerita of Friends of the Arava Institute Miriam S. May passed away on December 31st, 2024.
Miriam S. May z”l was a transformational leader. As CEO, Miriam built Friends of the Arava Institute into a robust organization that has supported the Arava Institute’s continued growth. Miriam will be remembered not only for her tangible successes but also for her kind and generous spirit, which will be deeply missed by her colleagues and her many friends.
The funeral and burial will be on January 2nd at 10:30 am ET in Brookline, MA, followed by shiva at the family home through January 7th. The funeral will be available via live stream. Please visit this page for more information.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Friends of the Arava Institute with a note to support the Miriam May Fund for the Future.
Our deepest condolences to the extended Cohen-May Family.
May Miriam’s memory be for a blessing.
Karen Schapiro
Board Chair, Friends of the Arava Institute
&
Rachel Kalikow
CEO, Friends of the Arava Institute
Memories of Miriam
Miriam May, Friend and Mentor
by Rachel Kalikow My friend and mentor, Miriam May, of blessed memory, led Friends of the Arava Institute with determination, warmth, and compassion. In fact, serving as CEO was much more than a job for her. She spoke about her work as an avocation more than a vocation – something she did out of love as much as professional responsibility. Read more…
A Farewell to Miriam May
by Eilon Adar & Tareq Abu Hamed Following the sad announcement earlier this morning, the news of the passing of Miriam May, the former CEO of Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI), strikes us with astonishment and great sadness. In such an event, even the anticipated is unexpected, and the sorrow is deep and hurting. Read more…
My Friend Miriam: Blessed Be Her Memory
by David Lehrer Yesterday, we received the very sad news of the passing of Miriam May, former CEO of the Friends of the Arava Institute (FAI), a good friend of the Arava Institute and a good friend of mine. I first met Miriam in Boston, when board member Howie Rodenstein and I interviewed her for the job of CEO in July 2016. Read more…
A Remembrance of Miriam May
by Tareq Abu Hamed Miriam z”l touched my and my family’s lives in ways words can hardly express. In just a two hour visit to my home in East Jerusalem she managed to capture the hearts of my wife and kids. Read more…
