Eugene achieved many successes in school and dedicated them to his Mom.
Yelena had a short, but fulfilled life. She is survived by her son Eugene, who follows his mother’s example and strives to excel in his studies. Eugene is now doing his bachelor study in Cornell University.
Life must go on … and it will. Both of Yelena's nieces are named after her.
A note to Elena from a coworker
Letter from Fred Alger to Boris
Letter from Elena's former professor at Pratt Institute to Boris
Letter from one of Elena's former professors at Pratt Institute
Yelena Belilovsky Memorial in Larchmont/Mamaroneck, Westchester County, NY
Yelena Belilovsky Memorial Bench
In 1993, Yelena and her family made a bold decision to leave Ukraine and immigrate to the U.S. As many other immigrants, they experienced excitement of becoming a part of the greatest country in the world, difficulties of getting used to the unfamiliar environment, hardship of starting all over again, and deep satisfaction of finally finding home.
One of the first efforts that Yelena undertook in the US was continuing, or rather, restarting her education. Having Master Degree in Engineering from Ukraine, she went for another one, this time Master of Library Science from Pratt University. It was not easy for the family that just arrived and did not have substantial savings. Yelena had to spend hours every day changing two different buses across Westchester County, avoiding more expensive train commute to save money. She graduated with excellent grades and new ambitions.
Yelena Belilovsky Pratt Institute Diploma
After several years of hard work and dedication, America gave Yelena what she deserved – confidence in herself and in the family’s future, happiness and belief in the great things to come.
One of the last joyful events in Yelena’s life which she cherished so much was Bar Mitzvah of her son Eugene. In the Fall of 2001, Yelena was a proud mother, confident and ambitious professional, and a very happy person.
Yelena Belilovsky and her son Eugene
Yelena Belilovsky traveling
In the summer of 1996, she received a phone call that changed her life in a variety of ways – she was invited for an interview with an investment-management firm of Fred Alger Management for a position of an information specialist. She was gradually reaching the very top of the librarian career. Having joined Fred Alger Management, she soon found her salary doubling, her responsibilities multiplying, and her reputation growing.
Yelena grew with the firm. By the end of millennium, Fred Alger Management expanded significantly and a small office on Maiden Lane became too small to host the ambitious and growing firm. The firm’s management made a grand, but tragic decision to move their offices to the World Trade Center, Tower 1 floor 93. Yelena’s office was an impressive sanctuary of the firm’s knowledge, facing the Statue of Liberty and towering on top of the greatest city in the world. In 2001, Yelena was promoted to Assistant Vice President and was actively preparing for the next step in her carrier - Series 7 Financial Certification Exam and exciting move into the financial analyst role.
Upon graduation from Pratt Graduate School of Information and Library Science with the Master of Library Science, she started working as a public librarian in the small local Larchmont Public Library. She learned the business very fast and soon her desire to grow and learn new things prompted her to move on. After 1 year with the Larchmont Public Library, she joined a more challenging environment of a private Esto Photographics library. Yelena left her footprints there by initiating digital image processing, cataloging, and archiving project and personally implementing this latest technology in a rather traditional library business.
In the summer of 1996, she received a phone call that changed her life in a variety of ways – she was invited for an interview with an investment-management firm of Fred Alger Management for a position of an information specialist. She was gradually reaching the very top of the librarian career. Having joined Fred Alger Management, she soon found her salary doubling, her responsibility multiplying, and her reputation growing.
Yelena grew with the firm. By the end of millennium, Fred Alger Management expanded significantly and a small office on Maiden Lane became too small to host the ambitious and growing firm. The firm’s management made a grand, but tragic decision to move their offices to the World Trade Center, Tower 1 floor 93. Yelena’s office was an impressive sanctuary of the firm’s knowledge, facing the Statue of Liberty and towering on top of the greatest city in the world. In 2001, Yelena was promoted to Assistant Vice President and was actively preparing for the next step in her carrier - Series 7 Financial Certification Exam and exciting move into the financial analyst role.
Upon graduation from Pratt Graduate School of Information and Library Science with the Master of Library Science, she started working as a public librarian in the small local Larchmont Public Library. She learned the business very fast and soon her desire to grow and learn new things prompted her to move on. After 1 year with the Larchmont Public Library, she joined a more challenging environment of a private Esto Photographics library. Yelena left her footprints there by initiating digital image processing, cataloging, and archiving project and personally implementing this latest technology in a rather traditional library business.
Yelena Belilovsky and her son Eugene
Yelena Belilovsky and her son Eugene
Yelena Belilovsky Memorial
Yelena Belilovsky's nieces, both named after her
Chernobyl Disaster that Happened on Yelena's Wedding Day 40 Miles Away
Yelena Belilovsky and her son Eugene
Eugene Belilovsky's Bar Mitzvah
Yelena Belilovsky Traveling
Yelena Belilovsky with her husband Boris and son Eugene
Yelena and Eugene in front of the World Trade Center (over Hudson River)
Yelena was born in the City of Kiev, Ukraine in 1963 in the Jewish family of an engineer and a doctor. She also had a younger brother.
Young Elena Belilovsky
Young Elena Belilovsky
Yelena graduated with honors from a high school in Kiev and received the highest academic award in the former Soviet Union – the Gold Medal. While in high school she was awarded the certificate for scholastic achievement for every year she studied.
Yelena Belilovsky School Awards of Excellence from Soviet Union
Yelena Belilovsky with her husband Boris on their wedding day
On Saturday April 26, 1986 Yelena and Boris were celebrating one of the most joyful occasions of life – her wedding. Ironically, the same day had become the one of most tragic days in the history of mankind – the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Yelena celebrated her wedding approximately 40 miles way from the melting reactor.
Queen Elizabeth II September 11 Memorial Garden
Conseleya 9/11 Memorial
Dewitt 9/11 Memorial
Montclair State University 9/11 Memorial
East Newark 9/11 Memorial
Fair Haven 9/11 Memorial
Freehold Township 9/11 Living Memorial Tree Grove
Crescent Beach Park - Flagpole/Memorial for 9/11 Victims
Garrison Elementary School American Patriot Garden
This webpage is dedicated to a great person, exceptional daughter and sister, devoted mother and wonderful wife.
Yelena Belilovsky (née Tisnovsky) lived a short but great and fulfilled life. Born in the former Soviet Union in 1963, she lived through the breakdown of the Soviet Union, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster and creation of the new country of Ukraine. She graduated with honors from every educational institution she attended, started family and gave birth to a son.
In 1993, she fulfilled her dream and immigrated to the US, where she grew professionally from a librarian at a local public library to an Assistant Vice President at a Wall Street firm.
New York Times Portraits of Grief
Hers had been the dream of so many immigrants — to find a better life for herself and her family: a comfortable home, a good school for her son, a good job. And find it, she did. Indeed, in many ways, Yelena Belilovsky, who immigrated to this country from Kiev in 1993, had found all that she ever wanted. "She loved living in this country," said Ross Tisnovsky, her younger brother.
Mrs. Belilovsky, 38, lived with her husband, Boris, and son, Eugene, 13, in Mamaroneck, N.Y. Despite an early struggle with English, she managed to go back to school, received a Master of Library Sciences degree and landed a job at Fred Alger Management, where she had recently been named assistant vice president for information. She took pride in her job and the fact that everyone at work knew her by her Americanized first name, Helen.
She was so enamored of her new life in the United States that she eventually persuaded Mr. Tisnovsky and their parents, Leonid and Emma Tisnovsky, to leave the familiar surroundings of their homeland and to take a big gamble on this country as well. "It is devastating," Mr. Tisnovsky said. "The only reason our parents came here was to be with Helen and me."
Thank you Ross for this
Thank you Ross for this beautiful memorial... Eugene your Mom IS proud of you!
Posted by Irene from Kiev and Baltimore
Yelena was a wonderful friend
Yelena was a wonderful friend and co-worker. I will never forget her kindness patience and most of all the friendship we shared when we worked together at Fred Alger. I still miss her. This memorial will stand in proof of who we lost and many more like her. I hope no one ever forgets.
Posted by Maryann Fuentes
It's good to read more about
It's good to read more about Yelena. I didn't know her but she worked at the same company (Alger) as my nephew who also perished on 9/11.
Posted by Boris Musich
I had the wonderful
I had the wonderful opportunity to know Helen (Yelena)during at a number of SLA Downtown Luncheons. We would often run into each other in lower Manhattan as well as on the Metro North train. She was a warm and friendly woman. I am so sorry for the loss suffered by her family. I continually pray for her and her family.
Posted by Dominique Beauport
Even 10 years later, the pain
Even 10 years later, the pain of losing people like Yelena still lives on.
RIP.
Posted by Eduard Berdichevskiy
I am a Freshman doing a…
I am a Freshman doing a project on Yelena and how her family, friends, and coworkers were impacted on her death. She sounds like she was a really wonderful person and it would have been absolutely amazing if she was still here with all of you. I am so sorry for what you guys went through with this loss. I wish you all well and a happy life moving forward, I don't know her personally but I do know she would want all of you to be happy and try your best to move forward as much as you can.
Posted by Grace Russell
Harbor Island Park
Hello. I recently found a beautiful spot to sit and relax at Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck. I enjoy sitting here while looking out to the water to think and process my thoughts. After many visits and many hours of reflection, I finally noticed a memorial plague made for Helen, surrounded by beautiful, freshly picked flowers. I googled her name and found this memorial site. I’m currently the same age as her when she passed.
I didn’t know Helen personally, but as I sit here with this beautiful view ahead of me, I’m curious who she was and how she lived. By the comments of others, I can easily see that she was loved and appreciated. I hope that I can make good choices in life that will lead me to receiving similar love from my friends and family.
My sincere condolences to the family for your loss.
Posted by Allen
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