Jeff Helfgott

Click here to view Jeff's Celebration of Life held on June 21st, 2020 at 2 PM EST Jeff does not like being the center of attention and he often deflects it by asking other people questions about them instead. Here, he doesn't get to do that. His interest in other people is so genuine and that's one of the reasons people are immediately attracted to him. Jeff always wants to know the real you, and because of that, he always sees the best in people. He's not only thoughtful and considerate to the people he knows, he treats everyone with respect and kindness the minute he meets them. He often makes up endearing nicknames for people based on something joyous he had shared with you because that's how he wants to remember you. Here are just a few things that brought Jeff joy we will always remember him by. Bialys with tofu cream cheese. Snow Patrol. Gluten free mac and cheese. Yoga. Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chips Cookies. Random texts. Phantom. Plants in his bedroom. Eating lobster. U2. blueberry muffins. Spaghetti pie. Karaoke. Me and My Monkey. Rocky Horror. Digital photo art. Whole Foods runs. P-Town. Katy Shark. Making remixed CDs for his friends. Tuna Bagels. If you look closely at Jeff's photos and artwork, they are always about "joy" as well. Flowers. Beaches. Mountains. Clouds in the sky. Sunsets. People doing goofy things. New York City. What he's interested in is always real. Never a hint of artifice. He often digitally manipulates the images with patterns as an attempt to understand the unexplainable beauty that he wants to hold on forever. He observes carefully. He sees passionately. And he loves deeply. Jeff has been a solid rock for so many of us. He's always there for people through tough times with his pragmatic analysis of the situation, coupled with the warmest hug and then a silly joke and a hearty laugh that leaves you feeling better. If you ever had the good fortune to do Karaoke with Jeff, you know he sings with gusto and abandon! That's also how he lived and loved. He's truly free when he's being silly with the people he loves. Even though he doesn't like being the center of attention, he loves being the connector of great people. The joy he's planted in all of our hearts will not diminish over time. It will only grow. And I have not doubt we can count on hearing Jeff sing loudly in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Jeff A. Helfgott 57, of Brooklyn New York, passed on June 12, 2020. Surviving are his loving husband Peter Gee; father Robert; mother Joan; Robert's wife Shirley; brothers Jim and Dan; sisters-in-law Sharlene and Kim; nephew Paul Helfgott and nieces Leah Helfgott, Allyson Stimmel, Parker Wada, and Sienna Wada. Jeff will also be forever remembered by other numerous extended family members and countless dear friends, including many that stepped up to support him during his brain cancer journey. Born on October 31, 1962 in Freeport, NY, he attended Wellington C. Mepham High School, class of 1980 and State University of Albany, class of 1984. He was the Vice President of Information Systems at Frederic Goldman. He was also the former Board Chair of Heights and Hills. His loving, kind and generous spirit and great sense of humor will be missed by all those who loved him. Donations can be made to a safe space named in Jeff's honor at Heights and Hills here: www.heightsandhills.org/jeffs- space. After Sunday's Virtual Celebration, we will have four reception rooms for guests. Here are the links for those rooms: CARINGBRIDGE HTTPS://GATHERINGUS.ZOOM.US/J/95638573286 MEETING ID: 956 3857 3286 PARK SLOPE NEIGHBORS HTTPS://GATHERINGUS.ZOOM.US/J/96725703960 MEETING ID: 967 2570 3960 FGI HTTPS://GATHERINGUS.ZOOM.US/J/92755792936 MEETING ID: 927 5579 2936 FRIENDS OF JEFF AND PETER HTTPS://GATHERINGUS.ZOOM.US/J/98248041421 MEETING ID: 982 4804 1421