Slain West Hartford Native's Parents: 'A Part Of Our Being Has Been Taken From Us'

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Family and friends of West Hartford native Elan Ganeles issued tearful goodbyes and remembered fond memories of the young man's life Wednesday during his funeral service in Israel.

Sadly, that life came to a tragic end while in Israel on Monday at the hands of what the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford reports as being a Palestinian terrorist.

Ganeles' death at 27 shocked the local community.

Wednesday, the spirit of Ganeles was celebrated under warm, sunny skies in Israel, where Ganeles was staying to attend a wedding.

According to the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, which is located in West Hartford, Ganeles was gunned down by Palestinian terrorists who came up to the vehicle he was driving and opened fire.

The circumstances of Ganeles death wasn't the main component of his funeral service Wednesday. It was the circumstances of his life.

The ceremony, which was recorded and posted on Youtube, featured several speakers and clergy leaders.

But the saddest words — and most uplifting moments — came when Ganeles' parents, Andrew and Carolyn Ganeles, took the microphone to offer a eulogy next to the covered body of their son.

"He was such a gift in our life with so many great attributes — a whole life of so much potential. He wanted so much to see the world - to soak up every aspect of all the beauty, history and culture," a tearful Carolyn Ganeles, his mother, said.

Ganeles parents alternately spoke the eulogy they both drafted, describing their late son as an intelligent, curious child who loved nature and had a wide array of interests.

They said he aspired to attend the U.S. Army's U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but then opted to go to the University of Michigan, but only after a stint studying in Israel.

That's when, according to his father, Andrew Ganeles, he "fell in love with the land and the people" of Israel.

According to Andrew Ganeles, his son aspired to become a citizen of Israel and was working toward that end.

En route to that journey, he studied at Columbia University in New York City, where he studied nearoscince and sustainable development.

This began a period of world traveling that saw Ganeles spending time in Africa and China as part of his course of studies and post-grad employment.

Ganeles' parents said their son's last visit was a few weeks ago for shabbat before his trip to Israel.

They said their son loved spending time with his family, especially playing family games that "was both a highlight for him and for us."

Elan Ganeles also leaves behind his brothers Simon Ganeles and Gabriel Ganeles; grandparents Aaron and Regina Rand; and his aunt, Miriam Silberman, and cousin Brian Silberman, among other loved ones.

Said Carolyn Ganeles: "Our loss is a loss for the world of such an emerging, bright, shiny, brilliant star. We feel as if a part of our being has been taken from us.

"He was so loved. He will be missed so much."

The Young Israel of West Hartford organization is collecting dontions for a memorial fund in Elan Ganeles' memory. Information on that is available at this link.

For more information on Youth Israel of West Hartford, click on this link.

From Feb. 28: 'West Hartford Native Murdered While In Israel: Jewish Federation'