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San Francisco, CA - Police Probing Doctor's Death Plunge in Elevator Shaft |
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Daniel Kliman
San Francisco, CA - A prominent Israel activist was found dead at the bottom of an elevator shaft by workers inspecting the elevator in the historic, nine-story Sharon Building at 55 New Montgomery St.
Daniel J. Kliman, 38, was the co-founder of San Francisco Voice for Israel, an affiliate of the national Israel advocacy group StandWithUs, and a well-known pro-Israel activist in the San Francisco Bay area.
His body was found in the San Francisco building where he was taking Arabic classes. It had been at the bottom of the elevator shaft since Nov. 25, building manager Brad Bernheim said. There were no classes held last week, but he apparently didn't know that, said a close friend, and the elevator supposedly was closed for repairs. Police are investigating his death.
As news of the discovery filtered out Tuesday, his supporters and friends were in near disbelief that someone so dynamic could be gone.
"The first words that come to mind for me when I think of Daniel are 'vibrant' and 'alive,' " said Rabbi Judah Dardik of Beth Jacob Congregation, the orthodox synagogue in Oakland where Kliman was an active member. "That's why this is such a shock. Whenever he was in the room, he was such a huge presence."
“He was the public face of grass-roots Israel advocacy in the San Francisco Bay area,” said Mike Harris, his colleague at Voice for Israel.
Harris said that he knew of no specific threats against Kliman, but that Kliman had been assaulted before at a pro-Israel rally.
Faith Meltzer, a member of S.F. Voice for Israel, said she would ask police to investigate the matter until all chance of homicide was eliminated.
"It's hard for me to believe this wasn't deliberate," Meltzer said.
However, Penny Rosenwasser, a national board member of Jewish Voice for Peace who found herself on the opposite side of picket lines from Kliman protesting Israel's actions in Palestinian lands, said she found the notion impossible to believe.
"I can't imagine anyone I know doing something like that," she said.
Suicide seemed equally unlikely to those who knew Kliman. Meltzer said any speculation that such a robust man took his own life was "ridiculous."
Kliman’s body is being flown for burial to his hometown of Schenectady, N.Y.
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Total7
Read Comments (7) — Post Yours »
1
Dec 02, 2008 at 11:56 PM Anonymous Says:
bd"h
2
Dec 03, 2008 at 07:50 AM murray Says:
I can't imagine that anyone Kliman knows or associates with would Not have done this, given the slightest opportunity. Investigate this murder.
3
Dec 03, 2008 at 09:01 AM Anonymous Says:
Doesn't this strike the police as even a little bit suspicious???
4
Dec 03, 2008 at 10:23 AM Gee, I wonder... Says:
Taking Arabic classes...
Fiercely pro-Israel...
History of getting physically assaulted for his pro-Israel views...
...Nope! Can't see any reason he'd get thrown down an elevator shaft.
And I certainly can't guess WHO might have done it.
Even the Keystone Cops can solve this one.
5
Dec 03, 2008 at 06:09 PM Anonymous Says:
Yes, I agree with the last blogger. If he is so pro israel and then is taking arabic classes, someone of the arab persuasion may have know someone else, who tipped off someone who attacked him.
6
Dec 03, 2008 at 06:40 PM Anonymous Says:
Penny Rosenwassera:said she found the notion impossible to believe. "I can't imagine anyone I know doing something like that," she said.
She's absolutely right, these arabs she hugs and kisses don't throw down elevators, that's too polite.
They shoot or blow themselves up!
7
Dec 04, 2008 at 12:19 AM Truth Detector Says:
He was not told that classes are canceled only the arabs where told not to come, this is a real murder case,