Jay Safer

Elaine, Josh, David, Faren, Jordan and Alex - Chana and I are deeply saddened by news of Jay's passing. I spent a lot of time in your house as a kid. Jay was such a great model of a dad. My mind's eye pictures him coaching basketball, playing squash, driving us to and from hockey and the Y or wherever else. When Chana and I were first married, he insisted on having us over for dinner to meet her and as each of the kids was born he was delighted to meet them too. A family man, through and through. May you all be inspired by him and his memory.

We are deeply sorry for your loss. May God console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Rhonda and Jack

To Elaine and family, We are saddened and shocked to hear of Jay's passing. Sending our deepest condolences to the family. May you find strength in his memories.

I am truly saddened to learn of Jay’s passing. I worked with him for many years on the Legal team at IBM, which was a true pleasure. Like everyone at IBM, I had the utmost respect for Jay and his wisdom and sound advice – both legal and business. But the kind, gentle and often humorous demeanor with which he shared that wisdom made him a friend as well as a mentor. He will be truly missed. My condolences to his family who I never had the chance to meet, but I certainly heard many wonderful stories about.

Our thoughts are with you and your family. We are so sorry for your loss. -Tyler and Megan

Dear Elaine and Family Gary and I were so saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Jay. He was a warm kind person and he always greeted us with a smile. He was integral to the Stash community and we will miss his presence. May his memory be a blessing. Our deepest condolences.

I am so incredibly sad to hear this news. Jay was an amazing person and great lawyer. He mentored me when I was a law student. He was one of my dad's oldest friends, and I wish I was present at one of those card games when they all played together every week in high school. My condolences to the entire family. Shawn and Lauren Pulver

My deepest condolences. This is sad news indeed. I worked with Jay at IBM and even got to play some squash and golf with him he was always a joy to work and to play with.

I have fond memories of working with Jay over his years at IBM Canada. A trusted partner and confidant who always took a balanced view and kept his eye out for those of us who were keen but needed his sage counsel. My condolences to Elaine and the family.

Elaine and family, my sincere condolences. I had the great pleasure to have worked with Jay on M&A deals and innovative IT outsourcing transactions across Canada. Jay was an inspiration and a great pleasure to be with, both in Toronto and particularly out of town as we developed and implemented successful strategies to win business for IBM. Jay never hesitated to make himself available to our teams before and after a transaction, he contributed to our success in many ways and in many areas beyond complex legal matters. Jay was able to provide advice that combined his legal expertise with his business acumen and high ethical standards inspiring us to make the best decisions. Jay was a great friend and colleague I will always remember his excellence, good humour and friendship. My best regards to you all.

We are shocked and greatly saddened to hear the news of Jay's untimely passing. Jay greeted everyone with a smile and great warmth, and he was a friend you could count on for sage advice and a corny joke. Jay was immensely proud of his family, and constantly sought out occasions to be surrounded by those he loved. May you find comfort in the precious time you had together, and may his memory be for a blessing .

Dear Elaine and family, My deepest condolences on your loss of Jay. I hope you will find comfort in memories of happier times.

Dear Elaine and family, We are shocked and saddened to hear of Jay's sudden passing. He was a smart and gentle person, and will be very missed by all who knew him. We will especially miss him in the classes we took together. We wish all of you strength and peace during this difficult time. May you have comfort from your memories. Pearl and David Elman

Dear Elaine and family; We have lost a kind and a wise man. Jay was always thoughtful and considerate to all. He was generous both with his time and with his heart. I share your loss and your grief. We all lost a real mensch. Sophie Landau

I had the honour of working with Jay for years at IBM Canada. He was a remarkably gifted lawyer who provided insightful counsel on complex Software contracts. Jay was always calm, and often shared his quick wit and dry humour as part of the advice he provided. Very sorry to learn of this loss to his family, friends, and community of faith.

So sorry to you all for your all too early loss. Jay was both a good story teller and a good listener. He lived life to the fullest, and will be sadly missed. Barry and Shirley

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my cousin Jay. My memories of Jay go back to his grandmother's house on Euclid Avenue, many years ago. He was a great guy, and as so many have said, a real mensch

Words are hard to find. The loss of Jay, such a warm and witty man, such a nice friend to have. He loved his family so deeply and it is a terrible loss. Elaine and the family, my heartfelt condolences.

My heart goes out to you and your family Elaine. Art was so fond of Jay and so very proud to have him follow him as General Counsel of I BM. I know this will be a very difficult time for you and I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Judy James

Dear Elaine and Family What shocking and sad news to hear of the passing of your beloved husband, father, zaida and brother. Jay was a incredible presence at the Stashover-Slipia, and made everyone feel welcome and special. Our arms reach out to give you virtual hugs. May your memories bring you comfort. May the example that he set inspire all.

My sincere condolences to the Safer family. I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting and working with Jay at IBM and always receiving great advice and direction. He had such a nice way about him that only enhanced his leadership and contributed so much to the companies success during his tenure. He was such a great example and role model to all of us - and just a real gentleman.

may his memory always be a blessing. I worked for Ibm for 34 years and Jay was always my go to lawyer. No better a mensch i. The world. the world will miss Jay.

So sorry to hear of Jay’s passing. I will always remember Jay as he was great to work with.

Dear Elaine, Josh, David & Faren, Jordan & Alex, If I wanted one word to describe Jay it would be "INVOLVED". Jay was willingly connected with friends and colleagues. His first priority was always his family but he was always ready to be considerate and provide support to those who needed it. He did not wait to be asked, he simply was dependably there. He talked easily with people and listened intensely to what they said. He made everyone feel that they were connected to him and that he was interested in what was happening in their lives or work. Knowing him for more than 65 years, I have fond memories of our shenanigans when we were younger. He never let me forget the time in university that I applied on both of our behalfs to manage the record room at Hart House and, it wasn't until after I had submitted our application that he realized that I had mistakenly written that we were both skilled with using turnstiles-instead of turnables!(wedid not get the job).I felt lucky and proud to be part of his and yours inner circle. Lil and I will miss the warmth and laughter he brought to our lives.

Dear Elaine and family, Sincere condolences from our family to yours on Jay's passing. Our thoughts are with you all.

I'm heartbroken to hear of Jay's passing. Having worked with him at IBM as a summer law student back in 1999, and then again from 2008 (when he cornered me in an Italian restaurant on Avenue Road and offered me a job) through to his retirement, Jay was a mountainous influence on my professional life. Years later, I still feel drenched in his warmth, friendliness, curiosity and intelligence. (And I still steal his jokes and use them with my clients.) I'd seen him a number of times since he retired, but I do wish I'd been able to see him again one last time. My heartfelt condolences to Jay's family.

My sincere condolences to Elaine and family. I was Jay’s secretary when he first joined IBM. We worked together for years, and he became a friend. I remember he would often travel to Atlanta, GA on business and bring home pecans, so I could make him pecan pie! Jay was one of my favourite IBMers, and I was flattered when he accepted invitations to my 25th anniversary and retirement parties. I am truly sorry to hear that he has passed. Rest In Peace my friend.

Dear Elaine and family…What can one say when such a wonderful person’s life is cut short…He will be missed by all of us at the Stash….I just talked to him yesterday morning and we usually golfed on Friday but I couldn’t make it this week and we made arrangements for next week…My you only have the best of memories…Gayle & David

We are sick to hear of this devastating news. Jay was a wonderful guy. Funny, curious, authentic, and beautiful. He will be remembered as the mensch that he was. Although we didn't see him very often, when we did, we just loved spending time with him. His wit, sincerity and his sense of humour is memorable, and he will never be forgotten. We are so sorry for your loss, and we are sending you all strength in this very difficult, unfathomable time.

Jay was a sincere and faithful friend to me at work and, more important, personally. My sincere condolences to the family. Men like him are all too rare, and we are all much better to have known him. Bill.

There are no words to express our thoughts and feelings .

Dear Elaine, Josh, David, Jordan and families, we were shocked and saddened to hear of Jay’s sudden passing. We loved sharing the Yom Tovs with all of you over the past many decades. He leaves a big hole in all our lives. I don’t have words …. May his memory be a blessing for all of you.

My sincere condolences to the Safer family. I am so sad to hear of Jay's passing. We worked together at IBM for many years. He was so highly respected. He had a warmth about him and always had a positive attitude. May his memory be a blessing.

My deepest and sincere condolences to the family. He talked about all of you most often and always with great pride. He was a tremendous collegue to anyone who had the opportunity to work along side him, and invariably became a good friend to all who did. He was quick, had a wonderful sense of humour, loved music, cared deeply, and was always wise. It was truly an honour to work closely with Jay for many years. Yesterday's news was devastating and I will miss my very dear friend.

A soft spoken very thoughtful intelligent man, honest to the core. I spoke to him twice in the past year, re the shul, he answered difficult questions with grace and honesty. Always even tempered and jovial. What more can you ask of a man?

Jay was a remarkable gentleman and professional, I know he was sincerely admired by so many friends and colleagues at our workplace. I was saddened to hear of his passing, and offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends.

I am shocked to hear this news about Jay. I fondly remember him as a senior counsel at IBM who always had time and a smile for anyone who arrived at his desk. The Toronto Computer Lawyers Group gave him a well-deserved retirement luncheon just a few years back. He was the consummate professional. My deepest condolences to his wife and family. He will be missed. Rob and entire family

I remember Jay from the neighborhood where we grew up, junior high, high school and Hebrew school. He was a year or two older than I. I always looked up to him as a bright, athletic and genuinely kind person. I bumped into Jay only several times over the years, I of course knew him and I introduced myself to him whereupon he laughed and said that said that he remembered me well. He was curious about my life, he remembered my wife as a very bright girl that he know from both the neighborhood and some University classes that they both took. I don't know why but hearing about his passing broke my heart. Please accept my sincerest condolences.

Elaine and family, my sincerest condolences, I knew Jay for more than 20 years, he was kind, intelligent, thoughtful, funny, tough - when needed, and a mentor to many of us at IBM. I was lucky enough to call Jay my friend, we golfed together, ate breakfast at Bagel World, dim sum in Markham and mostly laughed. I’ll miss him terribly.

Please accept our sincere condolences. May your wonderful memories of Jay give you comfort. Michele and I remember him as a true gentleman at the ACGC conferences. He will be dearly missed.

Dear David, Faren and Family. We are saddened by the news of Jay's passing. His warm personality and infectous smile will be missed. May his memory be a blessing during this difficult time and always. Love, Howard & Brenda

We are so heartbroken to hear of the sudden passing of Jay. There are truly no words. We are thinking of you all through this difficult time and sending love. May his memory be a blessing.

Dear Elaine and family, my heart sank and a cloud darkened the sun when I heard the sad news. I first met Jay thirty years ago, at an ITAC meeting, and have had the good fortune to engage with his formidable wit and legal wisdom on many occasions in the years since. No matter the context or the stakes, Jay was always kind and courteous. But he was more than a gentleman and a consummate legal professional, his wide ranging interests meant that you gained insights and perspectives from every meeting and conversation. He was a great mentor to those in his orbit and “gave back” to the broader society in innumerable ways. Some of my fondest memories of Jay revolve around a session that we presented for many years at the IT-Can Spring Training sessions for young IT lawyers. We would do a mock negotiation of an IT outsourcing agreement (which sounds a lot like a Postie (mailperson?) going for a hike on his or her day off) but which Jay always made both entertaining and educational. He will be remembered and sorely missed by all of those whose lives he touched. His passing is a loss to all us all, but most acutely to you. My thoughts, condolences and best wishes go out to you, and all of his family and friends. The world is a much better place for his passage through it and he has left us all with many wonderful memories.

Dear Elaine, Joshua, David, Jordan and Family, There are no words to express how shocked we are. Our deepest and sincerest sympathy. May Jay's memory be of a Blessing to all those that were fortunate enough to have known him. Jay was a wonderful man and we will truly miss him. May he Rest in Peace. Lorna and Joey Leibovici

I am so sad.to hear the news of Jay's passing. I played squash with Jay for years. We were all good players but Jay was always faster, smarter, more skilled and most importantly a true gentleman and sportsman. Jay was a rock on our team and together we won the T and D "C" level city championship in 1989 for the JCC. I wish Jay's family strength and may Jay always be a source of great memories for you. My deepest condolences. Matt Rosen

Dear Elaine and family: We are so sad to hear the devastating news of Jay's sudden passing and are sending our deepest condolences to all of you. We are remembering all the great times we shared going back to Jr. High days and there were plenty. We will miss his friendship, wisdom and warm smile. Wishing all of you strength and good health.

Dear Elaine and family, my sincere condolences at the loss of such a wonderful man. I worked with Jay for many years at IBM. He was a fantastic teammate, mentor and leader - always approachable, listening intently, offering sage advice - with a great sense of humour. His contribution to the business was immense. My deepest sympathies at this sad time.

Elaine, I was so sorry to hear the news of Jay’s passing, He was a very kind, funny and considerate man. I will alway cherish the times we spent together in the past

Jay and Elaine and the entire Stash family always made us feel so welcomed whenever we were in Toronto We were shocked and deeply saddened on the news of Jays passing We are sending to the entire family our deepest condolences Rose and Bruce Littman

Elaine, we are so sorry. Jay was such a special person. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this most difficult time.

Elaine and family, I am heartbroken along with you all. I became friends with Jay while working together on legal issues. His warmth, with and intelligence have left a profound mark on me (and everyone else who had the pleasure of knowing him). Jay lived life with a huge smile, setting an example for others to follow. I am beyond grateful to have known him and will miss him dearly. I wish you all strength as you come together as a family - and a community.

Elaine, Josh, David, Jordan and everyone: Both Marley and I are heartbroken. Jay was the definition of a mensch. I remember Shabbat dinners at the Safer’s talking politics, Judaism and my career ambitions with Jay, always listening closely to what I said and always over a way too generous pour of scotch for a 14 year old. At every life event - graduating from law school, buying a house or getting married - Jay was there with congratulations and his trademark warm smile. He had such an impact over me - his daughter-in-law’s little brother - I can only imagine the special and deep relationships he has built in his family, at IBM and in the community throughout his life. I know Marley immediately felt the same warmth. We will all miss him so much.

Dear Elaine. We just heard the sad news of Jays passing. Condolences to you and your family. Please take care.

Dear Elaine and Family, It is with a heavy heart that I write this to you. Jay and my late husband Albert worked together for many years at IBM and forged a relationship that lasted forever. From Jay's meticulous planning of our trips, to our dinner get togethers we always looked forward to being in his company. Jay was thoughtful, caring and wise. To know him was to love him. The legacy he leaves behind to your children and grandchildren will be cherished for generations to come. May all the wonderful memories bring your family comfort and strength during this difficult time. Susan and Family

Please except our deepest condolences on the passing of Jay. Jay‘s mother and my father were first cousins. My uncle was Al Wise. Our family has been connected to the Stashover congregation for many many years. It was very admirable of Jay to have stepped into the role of president of the synagogue when they were in need. He did a wonderful job. I am sure he will be missed by many and all. May you have only good memories and may he rest in peace.

We wish Elaine and the family our deepest condolences

Elaine and family, Jay created so many wonderful memories because of the time he took to connect and BE with family, friends, congregants, colleagues and even people he was meeting for the first time. He celebrated life every day with appreciation, grace, caring, love and of course humour. He was a scholar, a mentor, a cheerleader, an intense listener, and a role model on how to live life to the fullest. I will miss him dearly, we will miss all of these qualities and at the same time thank him for the life lessons he shared with us that we will carry in our hearts and souls so that we too can pass these on to the next generations. Our thoughts are with you. Love, Barb & Simon

Dear Elaine, Josh, Jordan, Alex, Ari, Faren, David, Zev, Jonah and Lielle- I am so sorry to hear about Jay's passing. My deepest condolences. My thoughts are with you- Mira

Elaine and family. We are so sad to learn about Jay’s sudden passing. Jay was the definition of a kind and wonderful neighbour. We would always remark what a sweet and loving team you were on your many daily walks in the neighbourhood and it was during many of these walks where we would connect and Jay never missed an opportunity to say hello and find out how you were doing and catch up. I have the most fond memories when back in 2020 I organized a street gathering of neighbours to share a L’Chaim, during Covid, but where we gathered, socially distanced and Jay and Elaine were the first ones out with a glass of wine to connect with everyone. Some neighbours meeting each other for the first time. I remember receiving and email from Jay asking when I could arrange that again. What a mensch. The salt of the earth. What a tremendous loss. May you find strength and comfort from the wonderful memories you shared and will find yourself reflecting upon and sharing with family and friends in the coming days and weeks ahead. Thinking of you all at this most difficult time. Sharlene, Sheldon, Noah, Emily & Hannah

Dear Elaine, Josh, David, Faren, Jordan, Alex and Family: We are devastated and shocked beyond words at Jay's passing. Jay combined exemplary achievement in business with incredibly wonderful skills as a shul leader and a husband and dad. He was the epitome of a gentleman and a mensch and a passionately involved pillar of the Stashover Shul. We had the great privilege of knowing Jay for over 30 years and we marveled at his ability to be a wise counsellor and conciliator, a man who was visionary, and above all, a man who knew how to make everyone smile over a scotch no matter how serious the occasion. We have lost a friend of long standing. Jay always took such a deep and caring interest in each of our family members, and we can still see his face light up with pleasure when he saw them in or out of shul. Jay had the rare gift of being able to talk to people of all ages and putting a smile on their faces. We enjoyed our social and shul time with him and all of you, his wonderful family. He so looked forward to Friday nights and he came to shul on Shabbat morning always ready to share stories of family achievements over a pre-service taste testing of kiddush beverages. Jay was a great visionary in shul life. He made change possible with wise counsel and soft words and building on relationships he forged through the years. To say he will be missed is trite; his loss is irreparable and the world that he made happier will be deeply desolate without his smile, jokes, wisdom, friendship, and wise counsel. We know that all of you will be wonderful bearers of his great legacy! May God comfort you among those who mourn for Zion and Jerusalem. Barb, Jack, Baruch, Yoelit, and Yehezkel

Dear Elaine and family; On September 23rd our world stood still. Words cannot express how deep our loss feels. Jay Safer had this incredible ability to make everything around him worth celebrating. We were fortunate to be able to share in many of these life celebrations especially planning a wedding for David and Faren, and the births of Zev, Jonah and Lielle. The look on Jay’s face when he helped David get dressed on his wedding day will always stand out as a reflection of his love of life and family. Zaid was a terrific grandparenting partner for us. Jay made every day a little better and brighter for all of us. We will miss him so much.

To Jay’s family, my deepest condolences. I was so shocked and saddened to hear of his passing. It was my honour to have met and worked with Jay during my years at IBM Canada. When I reflect on the person that Jay was, some of the deors that come immediately to mind include : integrity, wisdom, compassion, wit, and a true gentleman. Outside of IBM, he had a competitive passion and skill for playing the game of squash and we enjoyed a number of matches at the Mayfair Club where we also happened to cross paths. May the many fond memories of Jay bring you some comfort at this difficult time.

Offering my deepest condolences for the sudden passing of this wonderful human being. I was his assistant at IBM for a short period prior to going on maternity leave, and he made me feel like I belonged outside his office, every day I was there. That smile, his witty dialogue, and inviting voice are with me still, over a decade later. I am heartbroken, and pray his loves find strength in eachother during these extremely difficult days ahead. His soul was a beacon on earth, and it's now a light in Heaven. Beautiful man...

As I grow older it seems almost every day brings sad news but the news of Jay’s passing hit me particularly hard. I hired Jay to become a member of my legal team at IBM and watched with pride as he became a most valued employee and a very good friend. He combined all the attributes one could hope for in a fellow employee. He will be missed by his many friends and colleagues throughout the company.

Dear Elaine and Family. We are saddened on the sudden passing of Jay. Arthur and I have a lot of fun memories from our trip to China .Our deepest condolences,. U shouldn’t know any more sorrow.Jay was a real mensch. Arthur and Agi Dunec

Dear Elaine, Lewis and I are shocked and heartbroken to read about Jay's passing. We think so warmly of our evenings together spent in laughter, intellectual conversation and speaking of family. I remember Jay as such a very good man. Husband, father, zaidie, congregational devotee, friend and beloved boss. O often during this endless pandemic we thought to reach out and attempt to get together but Lewis's health has largely kept us even more isolated. We will always remember the chavurta where we met with fondness. I only recently said to Howard and Ethan that we should resurrect it. We hope you can find a modicum of comfort in you family, the beautiful babies, good friends and your community. Our hearts go out to you during this very sad time. Fondest regards always Linda Kamerman and Lewis Molot

I am very sorry to learn of Jay's passing. Jay was a true gentleman, kind, compassionate, quick-witted, a brilliant lawyer, an excellent leader, and a great role model. As he was retiring, the Toronto Computer Lawyers Group organized a tribute to Jay for his significant contributions to the IT law community. Needless to say, the room was full. Jay will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by many people.

It's hard to process Jay's passing ... gone too soon! Will miss the 'Howdy!' greeting each time I saw him. One of the kindest person I know, and such a great colleague, friend, and mentor in so many ways. May his memory be a blessing! Thoughts to the family, (beautiful service and what great memories shared by his sons!)

I had the great pleasure of working with Jay for many years in the IBM Legal Group and was deeply saddened when I heard the news of his passing. I will always remember and appreciate the good times, his calm demeanour, the jokes and of course his sound guidance and leadership over the years. I am particularly happy that I was able to spend some time with Jay after I retired from IBM, and, as was his style, he offered me his unique perspective and views on retirement, as he already had a few years under his belt, at that time. He will be missed, but never forgotten.

My heartfelt condolences to the family. Jay was not just a mensch - and what a mensch he was - but also the archetype of an IBMer. Grounded in values of service to clients and colleagues; an unsatiable curiousity into how things could be made better and a world class story teller - he was beloved by many and an inspiration to all.

To Elaine and the entire family. Our deepest heart felt condolences for the passing of your beloved Jay. May his memory be for a blessing.

Dear Elaine and family, Marc and I as well as our children Bryan and Carly were so saddened to hear about Jay.He was all of our favorites at Stashover and his ability to connect with everyone was incredible.His sense of wit and humor always stood out and put you at ease.He truly was the backbone of this shul which our parents (Leslie and Marta Goldschmied ) regarded as a second home.Jay and you were such a huge part of that.We are thinking and praying for you and may it give you comfort to know that your beloved Jay left a huge footprint in this world.May his memory be for a blessing .

I think I'll miss Jay's sense of humor the most. Even when things were complicated and difficult he always seemed to find a way to make us smile.

Our heartfelt condolences to you all on Jay’s passing. We remember him as a very friendly person and enjoyable,conversationalist. We received the sad news from our friends, Sasha and David, May his memory be a blessing. And we wish you long life.

Our deepest condolences to the Schaeffer and Safer family. May his memory be for a blessing.

Dear Elaine and family, Don and I were shocked and saddened to hear of Jay's recent passing. We have many fond memories of time spent with you and Jay at Canadian General Counsel meetings in past years. Our thoughts are with you at this sad and difficult time. Don and Lynne Rose

Jordan and Alex we are so sorry for your loss. May your memories comfort you. Bernice and Roger Chaplin

Such a loss! I too have so many fond memories of Jay including a single malt scotch, a fabulous tour of Toronto (beaches and all), and live music at the Chicago House of Blues. In addition, Jay was the consummate professional who I worked with for many years and always appreciated his sage insights and practical approaches. You are all in my thoughts.

Elaine- Jay was a wonderful colleague-warm, thoughtful, bright, fun, with the best smile. We had so many great discussions at ACGC events,and it was always special when you attended also.

Elaine and the Safer and Kisluk families: I was shocked and saddened to hear of Jay's untimely passing. I only have happy uplifting memories of Jay from Junior High and High school through law School and Bar Admission Course. He clearly will be missed by your family and friends.

I am so saddened by the news of Jay's passing. It was such an honour to work with Jay for so many years at IBM, and I am so much better from having had the opportunity to have learned from his manner and wisdom. From the simplicity of his 'howdy' greeting, to the depth of his knowledge and insight, one could not leave an interaction with Jay without being better for it. One of my fondest memories of Jay was sharing a golf cart with him at a charity tournament, getting to spend an entire day with him, laughing and learning along the way. To the Safer family, thank you for sharing him with us for so many years, and may God bless you in your time of grief and sorrow. I will miss him, but remember him with such fondness and gratitude. RIP my friend.

Dear Elaine and family. I worked with Jay many years ago while on a secondment to the IBM legal department. Jay was incredibly welcoming and assisted me greatly in finding my way not only around 3600 Steeles but also in navigating the IBM world. Many years later, I still looked immensely forward to any chance I could get to see Jay and catch up with him. His warmth, good humour and charm will be greatly missed.

Deepest Sympathies to the entire family. Jay was an incredible person and will be missed by all. I was very fortunate to have worked with him at IBM and I'm grateful for the memories

Elaine and family, my sincerest and deepest condolences. I am so saddened to hear of his passing. I was blessed to have Jay's involvement in multiple client contract negotiations while I was at IBM. All the words describing Jay in the condolences are so very accurate and rang such a bell for my memory of him as well. I will always remember Jay as a close friend, advisor, mentor and ultimate roll model. Jay also regularly taught me the finer points of playing squash while we both were at Mayfair. I also fondly remember our times together playing golf at King Valley as well. Most of all I will remember Jay's infectious smile and his ability to make everyone he touched (and me especially) feel that much better about themselves. I, unfortunately, have not seen Jay in some time, the last being at my IBM retirement lunch at the Old Country Inn in Unionville in 2003. Thankfully I have pictures of Jay driving up in his black convertible BMW sports car and Jay taking the driver's seat when he accompanied Megan, our daughter, for a spin. So courage is also one of Jay's qualities. I also have a video of him speaking at the lunch. Jay affected my life and those in my family in a very positive way and I will be forever blessed that he crossed my path.

Our sincere condolence to the Safer family for your untimely loss! May your wonderful memories of better times give you strength! Baruch DayEn HaEmet.

Dear Elaine, Josh, David, Jordan and your families, I was deeply saddened to hear of Jay's passing. Jay z'l was such a wonderful, kind and gentle soul. May his memory always be a blessing to you all and may you find comfort in knowing that your beloved Jay is remembered with extreme fondness and admiration by all who knew him. My heart is truly with you. Sending love.

I recently reconnected with Jay, my childhood friend. We had planned to get together. He carried his bass from high school and junior high, home and back. Such a calm, considerate, and warm man. Blessings to all his family and friends.

I worked with Jay on many projects with IBM. He was always warm, friendly and helpful and never hesitated to share his expertise. He treated everyone like an equal regardless of their position in the IBM. I have not seen him since I retired from IBM in 2006 but I will miss our interesting chats.

I worked in the software division of IBM for many years, and often had the privilege of working directly with Jay on legal issues. Jay's office door was always open to me, even though I was a lowly SW employee and he was the General Counsel of IBM Canada. He always took the opportunity to educate me on whatever issue was at hand, with his gentle but extremely confident and competent manner. He was the definition of a mensch, and I was very fortunate to have met him. Mr. Safer has been sorely missed by all of us at IBM, and I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his family and friends. May you be blessed with his memory and legacy for the rest of your lives.

I am so sorry to hear that Jay is gone. He was loved by many and gave a lot of light to this world. I will remember him for his warmth, humour and love for his family, all of which were immediately apparent to me - as I am sure they were to anyone who met him. I hope you find joy and strength in remembering the times you shared with him.

Elaine, It is with sadness we will all miss Jays passing. Although I only knew Jay for a short while , he garnered a lot of respect for his kindness and willingness to listen and understand. I certainly enjoyed his contributions to the Tuesday zoom philosophy book meetings. It seems likes yesterday we were in Aroma discussing your trip to Australia. It is my sincere wish you will be able to cherish all the good memories.

I know this is late but just became aware of Jay's passing I am so sorry to hear of Jay's passing he was a friend and mentor for over 20 years at IBM . Always a consummate gentlemen and professional he jumped in and helped win many contract negotiations with the Alliance Team . Jordan and David also worked on this team during summer breaks. It was my hope to have coffee after this covid pandemic was over. Instead will have to toast him and his great contributions to his family and IBM . My sincere condolences to Elaine and his sons which he was so proud of. You will be in my prayers. God Bless and here is to a great man and a life well Lived . RIP Jay.

Dear Elaine, I have just learned of the untimely passing of Jay. Although my memories are more than fifty years old, my memories of this kind and wonderful man are crystal clear. When I started a week late at Osgoode he reached out and showed me around. Eventually he introduced me to Italian sandwiches, bagels, and squash. Your beautiful wedding is a vivid memory. It's my loss that we fell out of touch over the years. My sincere condolences to you and your family. The world has lost a wonderful man. Mike Essex, S. Brás de Alportel, Portugal

I just found out and I'm terribly sorry.