Russell J. Bloom of Jacksonville, died June 2, 2007, after a long illness. A native of Jacksonville, he graduated from Samuel L. Wolfson High School in 1967, where he was Vice President of the National Honor Society. He earned his bachelors degree in liberal arts from Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College). He later earned a masters degree in journalism from the University of Florida. Russell's passion for helping others became his career, beginning with his work with the Peace Corps, which took him to West Africa for two years. He then spent 15 years in Cali, Columbia, as a teacher. When he returned to Jacksonville, he devoted the next 10 years of his life to resettling refugees from all over the world to Jacksonville. In recent years, he worked with the United Nations' refugee programs in Tajikistan and Brazil. Most recently, he worked with the Jacksonville Children's Commission. Russell was involved in Jacksonville Sister Cities Association, for which he served as a Board Member and volunteer translator. He was instrumental in securing funds for the Wheelchairs for Peace and Book Projects, which benefited Jacksonville's sister cities. He also served in the Rotary Club, Human Rights Advocacy Committee, Leadership Jacksonville and many other community service and volunteer organizations. He is survived by his son, Jaime Bloom and his wife, Yohanna and their children, Russell's adored grandchildren, Diamante and Daniella; his mother, Natalie Bloom; brother Malcolm Bloom and his wife, Sharon, and their children Abby and Hannah; sister Patty Nussbaum and her children, Lindsay and William of Jacksonville; sister Nancy Bloom Loventhal of Nashville, TN, and her children Natalie and Justin; sister Beth Kochba of Great Falls, VA, and her husband Avi and their children David, Jonathan and Dana. He was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Bloom. A service to honor the life of Russell Bloom will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 4, 2007, at Congregation Ahavath Chesed, 8727 San Jose Boulevard, Jacksonville. In accordance with Jewish tradition, flowers are respectfully declined and memorial contributions may be made to the Jacksonville Sister Cities Association, the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville Heart/Lung Transplant Department or a charity of your choice. In Russell's memory the family respectfully urges the people whose lives he touched to consider becoming organ donors. Hardage-Giddens Hendricks Ave. Funeral Home is serving the family.