Aviel Klausner
Aviel Klausner, April 26, 2025, beloved husband, father, brother, son, uncle, cousin and friend, and Distinguished Systems Developer at InterSystems, died early Saturday morning while folk dancing. Born in Israel in 1956 to a loving family and kind and brilliant parents Yehudah z”l and Yocheved, he was instilled with a deep love of learning and of his Jewish heritage, overflowing kindness, and a desire to connect with people. He had an intellectual and curious mind, and a sweetness and purity of heart with which he approached all things throughout his life. Aviel grew up and spent his time between Israel and the U.S., living a child in Princeton, New Jersey and Detroit where his father studied and worked as a professor. The family returned to Be’er Sheva, their home in the Negev desert, where Aviel attended Ben Gurion university after serving in the Israel Defense Force. He later moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts where he received his PhD in computer science from Harvard. There he fell in love with and married his cherished wife Andrea, whom he endlessly adored, who was pursuing her master’s degree in education at Harvard. In the Boston area Aviel also fell in love with the Harvard Hillel community, the Israeli folk dancing community, and his job and colleagues at InterSystems, where he held the most senior developer position in the company, and always looked forward his work, which continued to stimulate him for over 38 years. In 1990, Aviel moved back to his hometown of Be’er Sheva with his wife and children, where he lived a short walk away from his parents and enjoyed being able to spend more time with his three brothers, David, Meir, and Moshe, his nieces and nephews, and extended family. Upon returning to Boston in 1996, Aviel built a warm and loving home in Newton with Andrea and their three children, Zak, Yael, and Ben, and became a beloved fixture in the Newton Center Minyan (now Walnut Street Minyan) community, as well as in the Israeli folk dancing community. Aviel died while folk dancing, an activity that he loved passionately. Aviel engaged in every activity he did with deep enthusiasm and a childlike delight and curiosity; he was endlessly optimistic, giving and loving unconditionally. Avi filled each moment of his life with people and pursuits that brought him delight and so much joy, everything from Torah study and communal prayer, celebration of holiday traditions, family dinners and time spent time with his beloved wife and children, helping friends and community members without hesitation, playing with and embracing babies and young children, writing code and connecting with colleagues, participating in the annual Walk for Hunger (which he completed over 24 times), treasure-hunting at yard sales, editing Wikipedia articles, dancing multiple nights a week, doing yoga, tending to his plants and spending time in nature, telling jokes, solving puzzles, or enjoying good scotch or a cup of coffee. His sudden loss is felt immensely by his family and the countless people and communities he touched. Immense too is the gratitude, honor and love felt by those who had the privilege of knowing this kind, unique and joyful soul.
Funeral Service will be held 11 am, Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at the Walnut Street Minyan, 858 Walnut St., Newton, MA. Burial will follow at Independent Pride of Boston, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury, MA.
Shiva minyanim will be at the Klausner home, 90 Westminster Road, Newton Centre at the following times:
Wednesday: Mincha/Maariv 7:30 pm
Thursday Shacharit 7:15 am and Mincha/Maariv 7:30 pm
Friday: Shacharit 7:30 am
Sunday: Shacharit 8:30 am and Mincha/Maariv 7:30 pm
Monday: Shacharit 7:15 am and Mincha/Maariv 7:30 pm
Tuesday: Shacharit 7:30 am
Visiting hours during the week are from the end of Shacharit until 3 pm and from 6:30 pm until after Maariv.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Walnut Street Minyan Tzedakah Fund