October 2017 - Our friend's values can never die.
“Reuben Eli Mitrani touched an extraordinary number of lives in his 20 years. He was a leader at school, in sports and at camp. Reuben knew how to listen with compassion and open-mindedness. Coupled with his outgoing, playful and adventuresome spirit, his potential seemed boundless”
Many of us recently gathered for our five-year college reunion. In the place we grew up, with the friends that became a second family, we got to relive what it was like when we were kids. When we got together, it's amazing how quickly we fell back into our younger selves, reverting to being fun, adventurous, and silly.
For those of us who met him in college, Reuben will always be that way. By remembering Reuben, we also remember the younger versions of ourselves—before mortgages, 401(k)s, and trying to climb the career ladder; when our primary concerns were passing our classes and what we'd be doing that weekend. It was a time when dreams and idealism took precedence over practicality. By remembering Reuben, we're reminded that, as we get older, we shouldn't lose the perspective we had when we were 20 years old—when our potential seemed boundless and the world was a journey to be enjoyed, not merely a destination to be reached.
This month, we have decided to honor Reuben's memory by creating five awards based on the values that guided his life, which we crowdsourced through Facebook and conversations with friends and family. We will always remember him for being:
VALIANT.
"Reuben was born with his eyes wide open. He engaged with the world, meeting its gaze and looking right back and looking even deeper. He wanted to understand how things worked: politics, philosophy, history, religiosity, emotions, sports and more. He knew how to connect the dots. He wasn’t just curious—he greeted knowledge with enthusiasm and had a gift for making the world a more interesting place for all who crossed his path, especially his friends and family." — Donna Mitrani
"Whether he was stealing home plate or pushing himself to grow as a student and friend, he was never afraid to take a chance." — Matthew Valeta
LOYAL.
"To me, and the rest of our family, to his friends, and to his shitty sports teams. Reuben was extremely loyal. It's really amazing to see his friends honoring that aspect of his personality by showing loyalty to preserving his memory." — Adam Mitrani
"As the leaders of Jewish life on campus, Mike and I had to plan lots of events. Whether big or small, convenient or not, we could always count on Reuben to attend—and to bring others! He was a true leader in that regard." — Dan Marion
EMPOWERING.
"Reuben was there for any one of us whenever we needed it. He was like a tiger in your corner and would always back you up. Knowing that you had someone like him by your side — whether it was on the baseball diamond, the intramural football field or at a party — was a great feeling. He would always be there supporting you or lifting you up whenever you needed it. He was everyone's biggest advocate." — Jesse Paul
"You could count on Reuben no matter what. Reuben cared deeply about the people in his life and was there for everyone. He especially looked out for the underdog." — Eli Greenspan
PLAYFUL.
"It was impossible to be around him and not have a sense of happiness and joy" — Aaron Mais
"He had such an inner happiness that was contagious to others and made everyone want to be near him. He lit up the room when he walked in" — Madeline Scherer
"You could always count on Reuben to lighten up your day or liven up your night when you were with him. He had an amazing quality where he could switch between being serious and cracking jokes that brought life into a conversation and a room." — Gavin Nachbar
Reuben was always positive. He treated everyone well. Hanging out with Reuben always meant a good time and good conversation." — Michael Wolff
PASSIONATE.
"Reuben was always competing, whether that was in Club Baseball, intramural sports, the classroom, or watching his beloved Knicks. He had an incredible drive and competition fueled that. He had an energy you could feel, and anytime you were around him you fed off his spirit." — Jeremiah Waters
"Reuben put his heart into everything he did and never took a day for granted. I always admired that about him and think it's a big reason why he was able to leave a positive impact on so many people's lives in such a short period of time." — Charlie Lovering