Mourners filled Central Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday to honor Julia Hyman, a 26-year-old associate at Rudin Management, who was one of four victims in Monday’s mass shooting just three blocks from where the funeral was held.
A 2020 graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Julia was remembered as a gifted friend, a devoted daughter and sister, a passionate athlete, and someone who threw herself fully into every aspect of life.
At the time of her death, she had been working for Rudin Management Company at 345 Park Ave. for nine months.
“Julia, one of the brightest lights in our world, has been stolen from us, much too soon,” said Rabbi Maurice Salth, who led the packed funeral service on July 30.
Calling on mourners to honor her life through acts of compassion, Rabbi Salath said, “Let us replicate the acts you know Julia would do. Let us live with purpose.”
Born and raised in NYC, Julia played lacrosse and captained three varsity sports at Riverdale Country School, where she was awarded the Founders Award. She spent summers at Trip Lake Camp and studied abroad in Hong Kong during her time at Cornell.
During Wednesday morning’s service, her uncle Rob Pittman painted a portrait of a young woman wise beyond her years, full of energy, and defined by her deep emotional intelligence.
“We gather with hearts shattered and spirits heavy, struggling to make sense of a world that has lost someone so luminous, so full of promise, and so deeply loved,” said Pittman.
Pittman described how early “innate emotional intelligence” blossomed into a remarkable sense of conviction and courage in her adult life.
Julia didn’t just attend events, he said; she created them, planned them, curated playlists, and served as the DJ.
“She stepped out of her comfort zone to study in Hong Kong, she supported younger athletes as a Riverdale alum, and she made time for Shabbat services before going out with friends,” he said.
He told the story of how, after suffering a spinal fracture at age 12, Julia redirected her energy into cooking, teaching herself new recipes by watching food shows and shopping at Whole Foods on her own. “Ambitious, self-sufficient and fiercely independent,” he said, “Julia was always capable of learning new things.”
Pittman also highlighted Julia’s creative talents, noting that she taught herself guitar using YouTube, had a deep sense of fashion, and stayed ahead of cultural trends, often introducing them to friends and family first.
“Whether we’re talking about every color of Adidas Sambas, wearing hoodies and baseball caps, or listening to Gracie Abrams at the early stages of her career, Julia was ahead of the curve without second-guessing herself or concern about fitting in,” he said.
He spoke of her close relationship with her cousins and the close bond with her sister, Alison, a connection he described as both “fierce and gentle, unshakable.”
“She loved her sister with a vengeance more than anything else on this earth,” he said, before quoting from a wedding speech Julia had written for Alison, he said: “Being Ali’s little sister is my favorite thing in the world. You are my role model, my confidant, my best friend, and I am forever your number one fan.”
He went on to address Julia’s parents, Nancy and Craig, directly, assuring them that their daughter’s life, though cut tragically short, was filled with purpose, impact, and love. “Julia got exactly what she needed from you, and she really did come out perfect,” he said.
Some of Julia’s cousins described her as “quietly confident, strong and authentic,” adding, “Julia was the energy of our cousin crew.”
“It’s about Julia’s essence. It goes so deep,” her cousin Jill said. “What made Julia so cool was how real she was. She was her truth, and that just hit so beautifully hard.”
Friends from Riverdale, Jesse, Isabel, Libby, Madeline, Sashi, Megan, Annabelle, Eliza, Jenna, Emily, and Georgie, shared a list of “18 of the million things we love about Julia”
They recalled her sharp memory for birthdays, her unmatched loyalty, and a signature laugh described as a “full-body experience with many snorts and squeaks.”
College friends from Cornell called her their “DJ, personal chef, sneakerhead, IT department, and the USA women’s national team’s biggest fan.”
“You would find her listening to Gracie Abrams with one AirPod in her left ear, cradling her lacrosse stick in her right hand, and studying for a test that wasn’t for three weeks, all at the same time,” they said.
“She was the kind of person who would send you an album after a hard day — not just any album, but one that somehow understood you,” one friend said.
They remembered her habit of documenting everything, including a one-second-a-day video during senior year, and her ability to make “mundane school nights” into “core memories.”
“She didn’t do anything halfway. She was all in,” one said.
A private burial followed the service, while a single night of Shiva was scheduled for Wednesday evening at Temple Emanu-El.
Also killed in the shooting were NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, 32BJ SEIU security officer Aland Etienne, and Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner.
Officer Didarul Islam’s funeral service is set to take place in the Bronx at Parkchester mosque, Jam Masjid, on Thursday.
