Arthur Stark, Chairman and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations issued the following statement:
We express our deepest sympathy to the Ramon family on the passing of Rona Ramon, z”l. The wife of Ilan Ramon, z”l, Israel’s first astronaut who died in 2003 aboard the space shuttle Columbia, and mother of Capt. Asaf Ramon, z”l, an F-16 pilot who lost his life during a training mission in 2009, Rona Ramon faced these devastating tragedies with both fortitude and determination. She never allowed herself to be consumed with grief, but instead worked tirelessly to preserve the legacy of Ilan and Asaf by creating the Ramon Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes personal and social excellence through space, flight, science, and technology. We pray that her children and family will be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. We pray her memory will be a blessing and a source of inspiration. We all remain eternally grateful to this family for its sacrifice and commitment to the State of Israel.
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