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On New Year’s Eve, 50-year-old Bruce Steinberg, 51-year-old Irene Steinberg and their teenage sons, Matthew, William and Zachary of Scarsdale were on a single-engine Cessna plane that crashed into a Costa Rican mountain while en route to a beach resort.
The Westchester Reform Temple - where the Steinbergs were active members - will open its Sanctuary to visitors for "quiet contemplation and sacred gathering" between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2, Wednesday, Jan. 3 and Thursday, Jan. 4 this week.
There will also be social workers from the Westchester Jewish Community Services available for bereavement support from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Services for the family are to be held for the family at the temple on Sunday, Jan. 7.
"This tragedy hits our community very hard. Bruce, Irene and their children have been devoted members of Westchester Reform Temple since 2001, and have also been engaged in the wider Jewish community, through their involvement in organizations including the UJA-Federation of New York, AJC (American Jewish Committee), and Seeds of Peace," Rabbi Jonathan Blake stated. "I know there will be much more to say in the coming days, and that so many of us want to do everything we can to express our grief and to show our support for their bereaved family."
Bruce Steinberg and his wife were also active with the UJA-Federation of New York. Irene Steinberg chaired the annual campaign kickoff of the organization’s Scarsdale Women’s Philanthropy group in 2015.
UJA-Federation of New York mourns the loss of our dear friend, Irene Steinberg, and her family, who tragically died this weekend. Irene and her family have been long-time UJA supporters and Irene most recently served as an area chair of the Scarsdale women’s campaign," the UJA-Federation said in a statement Tuesday morning. "The family was generous, kind, and loved being part of the Scarsdale and Jewish communities.
“Irene worked tirelessly on behalf of UJA, helping us support vulnerable New Yorkers and was an extraordinary person -- devoted mother and wife and loyal friend. She and her family will be sorely missed.”
Costa Rica's President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera said "the government vows to do everything necessary to help the victims' family members in whatever they need in this difficult moment and sends them the solidarity of all the Costa Rican people."
Johns Hopkins officials are collecting messages of condolence for the family. Emails or letters can be addressed to the "The Family of Zachary Steinberg" and sent to studentlife@jhu.edu or to the Office of the Dean of Student Life in the Mattin Center, Suite 210.
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