As a leader of the community, Eduard Nektalov actively participated in the political life of New York and the country in whole, meeting with politicians and social activists of the United States, Uzbekistan, Israel, and Tadzhikistan.His vivid and emotional speeches at rallies and major public events invariably attracted the attention of the audience.

1. The time neverstops,andalready14 yearselapsedsince the prominentpublicfigureandpolitical leader
of the community,Vice-presidentof WorldCongressof BukharianJews,philanthropistEduardNektalov
isno more.14 yearsago, the tidingsof histragic deathshockedthe entire world.Onthe dayof grief,his
friendsfromall aroundthe globe came to commemorate him.
No matterhowmuch time will pass,the memoryof EduardNektalovwill live inourheartsforever,for
the verylife of thisstrongand brave,selflessandgenerous,benevolentandrespectful,wise andhumble
outstandingpersonchangedmanythingsformanypeople andshowedusthe waytomake thisworld
much betterplace.
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Eduard Nektalovwasadescendantof tworemarkable oldfamilies –the Nektalovsbythe paternal line
and the Abramov'sbythe maternal one – whichwere alwayswell-knownfortheirhonestyandkindness,
hospitalityandrespecttorelativesandfriends,fortheirsupportof poorand orphans.EduardNektalov
was bornin the Summerof 1957, inTashkentto RachamimandDevorahNektalov.He isthe grandsonof
Mordukhay NektalovandIllel Abramov,great-grandsonof SeonNektalovandKhaimAbramov(Dabedi)
and great-great-grandsonof RakhminNektalov.
In 1973, Eduard Nektalovimmigratedtothe UnitedStatestogetherwithhisparents.He wasjust16, but
fromthe veryfirstday,he startedassistinghisfatherinthe familybusiness,andbeforelong,theyfelt
themselvesathome inthe newcountry,succeedinginall theirendeavors.
Workinginthe NYCDiamondDistricton 47TH Street,EduardNektalovquicklywonahighreputation
amonghis clientsandcolleagues,whorespectedhimforhishonestyanddecency –whatNektalovsaid
alwayscorrespondedwithwhathe did,ambandthat keptthe honorof hisword.
Followinghisfather’sexample,EduardNektalov wasactivelyengagedincharitable activity.He helped
newlyarrivedimmigrantssettleinthe USand supportedtheminthe timesof grief andhappiness.
In the States,EduardNektalovgotmarriedtoa wonderful girl,Marina,whohe loveddeeply.Marina
bore himthree children:twosonsanda beautifuldaughter.Unfortunately,atragedybefell the happy
family.TheirsecondsonSeonhadproblemswithhishealthanddiedatthe youngage of 14 after a
failedsurgical intervention.Several yearspassedEduard andMarinanevermanagedtorecover
completelyfromthe lossandfoundthe strengthtolive further,raise theirchildrenandgive theman
education.
However,the grief didn’tpreventEduardNektalovfromcontinuinghisworkinourcommunity.He even
increasedhisefforts,constantlyparticipatingincharitable events,heldbythe community,the fundsof
whichwentto the needsof synagogues,cemeteries,Jewishschoolsandpoor.

2. In 2000, he and hisfatherwenttoJerusalemasdelegatesof the FirstWorld Congressof BukharianJews
and became itsVice-presidents,havingmade aconsiderable donationtothe charitable foundationof
the organization.
WhenLevi Levaevcame to NewYorkand the fundraisinghadbeenconductedforthe constructionof
the newbuildingforthe Centerof BukharianJews,EduardNektalovagainwasinthe firstranksof
philanthropists.More thanone milliondollarshadbeencollectedduringthatevent.
Since Eduard’smotherwasburiedinTashkenta couple yearsbefore the familyimmigratedtothe USA,
he frequentlywentthere topay respects, gotacquaintedwiththe state of affairsinthe spiritual lifeof
the communityinthe capital and supportedthe communitiesof BukharianJewsinUzbekistan,
consideringithissacredresponsibility.Thankstohisefforts,fundsforrestoringgraves,cemeteriesand
the helpforpoor were transmittedtoTashkent,Samarkand,andAndizhan.
Eduard wasproud of the successin art, music,theater,andliterature,the new immigrantsof the last
wave that came from the USSR and post-Sovietrepublicsmanagedtoachieve.He didhisbesttosupport
the activityof musical andtheatrical collectivesthathadbeencreatedinimmigration,alsoinvolvinginto
patronage hisfriends-businessmen.A wholerange of grandiose projectsthatbecame historical had
beenrealizedunderhissupport,suchasthe playby the poetIlyasMallaevandthe performance The
Singerof His Excellency,directedbyBorisKataev,whichhadaconsiderable successinNew York.Eduard
rendered assistance tothe theatersRenaissance of SemenAupovandBukhara-on-Hudsonof Luba
PilosovaandMietkhayMosheev,musical collectivesMakomandShashmakom, andthe stars from
UzbekistanandTadzhikistan.
In 2003, Eduard Nektalovhadarrangedthe celebrationof the 100 anniversaryof the outstandingUzbek
poetand philosopherGafurGulyam,the authorof the poem“I’m Jewish”thatgainedfame duringthe
SecondWorldWar. On Nektalov’sinitiative andthankstohissupport,the childrenandgrandchildrenof
the poetwere able tocome to the USA and attendthe event.
As a leaderof the community,EduardNektalovactivelyparticipatedinthe political life of New Yorkand
the country inwhole,meetingwithpoliticiansandsocial activistsof the UnitedStates,Uzbekistan,
Israel,andTadzhikistan.
His vividandemotional speechesatralliesandmajorpubliceventsinvariablyattractedthe attentionof
the audience.

3. Bukhara Jewsof the UnitedStatesandforeigncountriesassociatedwithhisname the hopesforfuture,
for he was a social activistof the international level.
Alongwithhisotheractivities,EduardNektalovalwaystookveryseriouslythe trainingof leadersof the
newgeneration,participatinginthe workof youthJewishorganizationsandsupportingtheirinitiatives.
He arrangedthe fundraisingthathelpedtoacquire the ambulance forHatzahal.
He neverignoredsomeone else’stroublesandhelpedwhoeverinneed.The daybefore hisdeath,
comingto knowabouta wounded21-year-oldimmigrantDmitry Mallaev,he visitedhiminthe hospital
to comfortand supportthe youngman.
On May 20, 2004, he was gone.
Immediatelyafterthe deathof EduardNektalov,hisfriendsandcomradescreatedacharitable
foundationinhismemory,whichhascarriedouta lot of fruitful workduringthe recentyears,providing
the realizationof manycharitable programs.The Foundation’sactivitydidn’tbringtothe community
justgratitude of people butendlessappreciationforconsistencyandintegrityinthe realizationof those
programs.Thousandsof BukharianJews’families,whohave receivedthe directassistance fromEduard
NektalovCharitableFoundation,write the lettersof gratitude tothisorganization.
The Foundation’spresidiumcontinuesworkinginthe name of charity,help,andsupportof those in
need,andeveryyear,onthe eve of Pesachthe indigentfamilieshave the opportunitytoenjoythe
holidayinfull measure.
“For me,Eduard Nektalovisthe one,whose example Iwouldliketofollow,”the Presidentof the
Foundation,JosephKhaimovsaidabouthisfriend.“He waspurposeful,brave,strong,decent,andjust
person.”
On April 10, 2005, inthe banquethall of Brooklynhotel Marriott,the oldestJewishorganizationJewish
National Fundhonoredthe laureatesof itsawardLife Tree.One of themwasthe Vice-presidentof World
Congressof BukharaJewsinthe USA,Eduard Nektalov.
The award Life Tree had beenestablishedover100 yearsago in 1901 at the FifthCongressof Zionistsin
Basel.Onthe initiative of TheodorGertsel,ithadbeendecidedtoawardwithLife Tree “the membersof
the community,whoshowsoutstandingsocial work,participationinthe community’slife andthe
commitmenttopeace andsafetyof humanlife”.

4. Eduard Nektalovhadbeenawardedposthumously.Hisawardwashandedoverto hisfatherRoman,his
brotherLeonand hisson Michael.Inhisconcise butveryinformative speech,Mordechai Nektalovsaid
that he was proudof hisfather,grandfathers,andgreat-grandfathers,whose traditiontodo goodgoes
fromgenerationtogeneration.
Eduard Nektalovbecame the firstone inthe historyof BukharaJews,whohadbeenhonoredwithso
highaward.
14 yearspassedsince the tragedy,butEduard Nektalovcontinuestobe a beaconforeveryone,whowas
fortunate toknowhim,evenif notinperson.Hisverysoul continuestosupportand leadthose for
whomthe words“help”,“support”,“charity”,“kindness”,“generosity”,“honesty”,“justice”,
“benevolence”are notjust wordsbutthe mainprinciple of their life.
We will rememberyouforever,ourdearbrother,friendandleaderEduardNektalov.