Obituary

An appreciation of Jonathan Ezra Donahaye (1935–2008)

   Jonathan Donahaye was born in Toulouse, France in 1935. He obtained his B.Sc. at the University of London, Imperial College before emigrating to Israel in 1960 where he was one of the founders of the Stored Products Research Laboratory, Ministry of Agriculture in Jaffa. In 1986, he submitted his dissertation to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he was duly awarded his doctorate. In 1989 he spent a sabbatical year with the World Hunger Program, at Brown University, Rhode Island, USA. In 1992, he was promoted to Grade A Research Scientist, equivalent to University Professor, at the Israel Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) and 2 years later Jonathan was elected as Head of the Department of Stored Products, at the ARO.
   He served as lecturer and consultant for the Israel Foreign Assistance Service and FAO on the conservation of stored products in the Far East, Africa and South America. Searching for viable, innovative and appropriate technologies that can be easily implemented where they are needed, Jonathan became a leading researcher in developing non-chemical postharvest technologies; he worked on chilling systems, on modified atmospheres, and on the hermetic storage of products that need protection from insects, mites and mold damage in semi-permanent plastic storage structures.
   Jonathan was known for his many talents. He loved woodwork, and he built guitars and lutes. Among other activities he also established a website on fountain pens (http://www.FTIC.info/Donahaye/ConwayStewart/ ) and another on the insects that he loved, Insects of the Land of Israel (http://www.FTIC.info/Donahaye/insects/israeliinsects.html ).
   Jonathan retired in 2000, but continued with his professional interests and served as consultant on various missions, and in publications within a consultancy company he established together with his colleagues. He edited the book of Proceedings of the International Conference on Controlled Atmosphere and Fumigation in Stored Products, which was held in Australia in 2004, and established a website for this book (http://www.ftic.info/CAFSITE/CAF.html ).
   Jonathan was active in publications of post-harvest technologies and was on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Stored Products, from 1999 until his death.
   He passed away on January 23, 2008. He leaves his wife Marcel, a daughter and a son, and 6 grand children. We all will miss Jonathan; he will remain in our memories as a talented entomologist, an excellent scientist, a very good companion, and as a person with goodwill to help others.

Shlomo Navarro
Post Harvest Entomologist, FTIC (Food Technology International Consultancy) Ltd.
Secretary of the International Conferences on Controlled Atmosphere and
Fumigation in Stored Products Permanent Committee Israel
E-mail address: snavarro@ftic.info