Mikhail “Misha” Kirzhner, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away surrounded by the love of his family on March 15, 2026. He was a man of remarkable strength, warmth, humor, and character whose life journey spanned continents and generations.

Mikhail was born on May 20, 1938, in Ukraine. His early childhood was shaped by the upheaval of World War II. In 1941, as war swept across the region, he and his family evacuated with his mother and two brothers to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. After the war ended, the family returned to Odessa, Ukraine, where Mikhail spent the first half of his life.

From a young age, life required resilience. His father, a soldier in World War II, was killed in 1941, leaving his mother to raise three young boys alone. Like many children of that era, Mikhail began working at a young age to help support his family. Those early experiences forged the character that would define him for the rest of his life: strength, determination, and the unwavering belief that through hard work anything was possible.

Mikhail proudly served in the Soviet Army cavalry, where despite the challenges faced by Jews in the military at the time, he rose to the rank of sergeant, a testament to his perseverance and leadership.

In 1965, he married the love of his life, Yeva, beginning a partnership that would last 61 years and become the foundation of a close and devoted family. Their daughter, Ella, was born in 1966, followed by their son, Igor, in 1970.

Mikhail was a working man in the truest sense. In Odessa, he worked as a taxi driver, known for his tireless work ethic and his ability to connect with people from every walk of life. In 1993, at the age of 54, he made the courageous decision to move his entire family to the United States and begin a new chapter in New York.

Starting over in a new country was not easy, but Mikhail approached it the same way he approached every challenge, with determination, ingenuity, and a willingness to work harder than anyone else. In America, he continued his entrepreneurial spirit, working tirelessly and eventually discovering opportunity in the food stand business, building a livelihood through persistence, creativity, and grit.

Yet Mikhail was far more than a hardworking provider. He was a man of joy, curiosity, and intellect. Though his formal education had been interrupted by the demands of life, his love of learning never faded. In his later years, he returned to school to earn the equivalent of a high school diploma, not because he had to, but because he loved the process of learning and growing.

At heart, Mikhail was a poet and storyteller. At family gatherings, birthdays, and celebrations, he often delivered poems he had written himself, sometimes humorous, always heartfelt. He loved conversation, loved ideas, and loved people. He could speak with anyone about anything and leave them smiling.

He also loved travel, music, dancing, and good food. A beautiful dancer, he especially loved to waltz. He was adventurous in his tastes and curious about new cuisines, though nothing ever quite compared to the meals prepared by his beloved wife, Yeva.

Above all else, Mikhail loved his family. He was the patriarch, a man whose presence carried gravitas and whose guidance shaped generations. He was strong, loving, and deeply loyal to those he cared about. His children, grandchildren, and great-granddaughter were the center of his world.

Even in his later years, he remained the same spirited man his family had always known. He continued to laugh, joke, and find joy in life, especially in time spent with his great-granddaughter. Those who knew him remember that he was himself until the very end, strong, joyful, and surrounded by the people he loved most.

Mikhail’s life taught his family a lasting lesson: to bend, but never to break. He leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, and strength that will continue through the generations he helped build.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Yeva; his daughter, Ella, and her husband, Albert; his son, Igor, and his wife, Yelena; his grandson, Gabe, and his wife, Corry; his granddaughters Beata, Gabrielle, and Jessica; and his cherished great-granddaughter, Emilie.

To his family, he will always remain what he was throughout his life, the patriarch, the storyteller, and the heart of the family.

May his memory be a blessing.