We here at Patience T'ai Chi express our profound sympathy at the passing of a great and powerful influence in the Tai Chi world, Sifu Stanley Israel, who passed away here in New York on March 13 after suffering a stroke.

Sifu Stan began his studies in the martial arts with the Japanese arts of karate, judo and jujitsu, eventually achieving black belt status. He began his study of Tai Chi with Prof. Cheng Man-Ching in the 1960s and subsequently became one of Prof. Cheng's most accomplished American students. Stanley Israel was, first and foremost, a passionate man and a great fighter. He fought tirelessly to secure the rights of those under him as a past president of the Corrections Officers' Benevolent Association and, even as a competitor on the Judo mat, it is said that he never lost a match.

Although Stanley would no doubt wish his work with C.O.B.A. to be the thing he would most want to be remembered for, we here at Patience will always remember Sifu Stan, not only for his astonishing skill in the art he loved so much, but also for his unique perspective on Tai Chi Chuan. He reacted strongly against the idea that T'ai Chi was merely a health exercise, teaching, in his own special manner, the idea that real Tai Chi was no different in its methods or goals than any other martial art: involving strength, labor, the application of scientific principles and intense discipline to achieve mastery. It was Sifu Stan who taught us that Tai Chi was something with which one had to struggle, enduring pain to develop proficiency. As a teacher, Stanley constantly forced his students to question their very beliefs about the art they practiced. It was this approach that made his contribution to Tai Chi so unique and invaluable. One could agree or disagree with Stanley Israel, but one could never ignore him.

Sifu Stan left behind him many excellent students at the New York Push Hands Club who continue to carry on his legacy, but we here at Patience will always remember him as a permanent fixture of our Thursday night Advanced Class; as someone who was willing to share his knowledge of the art he loved so well and his food at the restaurant after class. Even though we knew him for many years, we will always feel unequal to the standard he set: so great was his Tai Chi ability. Still, wherever we gather together to eat and talk of our art, a chair will be empty in memory of him; and wherever people gather to speak of great men in the martial arts let his name forever be spoken.

Sifu Stan is survived by his beloved wife and son. They have our deepest heartfelt sympathy at the loss of this wonderful man.