Obituary of Ernest L. Fasano

Elienai (Ernest) L. Fasano, 73 of Piscataway died peacefully on Thursday, December 4, 2008 at Greenbrook Manor Nursing Home with his wife at his side. He was born in the Bronx in 1935 and was a graduate of Monroe High School in the Bronx. After attending college for several years he worked for several companies before forming his own company (Ceramic Metal Systems)in 1972 making refractory metals. He was quite successful in this endeavor but the Lord had other plans for him. He was of a Sephardic Jewish background and the Spirit of God reached into his life and brought him untoHimself recognizing Yeshua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah (i.e. the Son of God). Elienai dedicated his life to study of God's word and eventually became learned of the scriptures and became licensed as the Reverend Elienai Fasano under the auspices of Beth Messiah Messianic Congregation of Livingston, NJ. In September, 1983 he established Shepherd of Israel Ministries as Chairman of the Board of Directors and as President of SOI. He had a campus ministry out at RutgersUniversity in New Brunswick conducting bible studies and missionary outreach among the student body from 1988 to 1998. His role at SOI Ministries included his reaching out to others in physical and emotional need, sometimes spending hours and hours going into days in either their home or hospital room, all of which was done in a very selfless way, completely disregarding his own personal physical pain and/or discomfort. His role at Shepherd of Israel was to reach out to the other messianic mission organizations such as Chosen People Ministries, Jews for Jesus, Shema Yisrael and Messengers of the New Covenant and help them in any way he could. Elienai had the Heart of a Lion and Spirit of a Warrior so very devoted to God Himself, and the things of God. It could be easily be said how his life was one thatwas displayed in the teachings in Hebrews 11:5--"--He Pleased God." He was predeased by his parents Angelo and Lillian Raskin Fasano and his brother Robert Fasano. He is survived by his wife Leona Pankowski Fasano, his sister Lillian Single and husband William of Maywood, and his brother-in-law Clem Pankowski and wife Maryann of The Villages, Florida. He will be deeply missed by his niece Laura Single of Ramsey, nephew William Single and wife Kim of Lodi, niece Kathy Calcado of Maywood, niece Laura Guimont and husband Frank of New Hampshire and niece Robin Wronski and husband Chris of Bridgewater. Relatives and friends are invited to attend services at Higgins Funeral Home, 752 Mountain Blvd, Watchung on Monday, December 8, 2008 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM with services starting at 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM with emtombment following at Somerset Hills Memorial Park, Basking Ridge. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to either Congregation Shema Yisrael, P.O. Box 804, Southfield, Michigan 48037-0804 or Chosen People Ministries, 241 East 5lst Street, New York, New York 10022-6502 or Jews for Jesus, 60 Haight Street, San Francisco, California 94102-5802. Ernie Fasano was a Sephardic Jewish man originally born in the Bronx Borough of New York in 1935. He became involved in some of the harder criminal ways of that day until the Spirit of God reached into his life and brought him into Himself recognizing Y?TShua (Jesus) as the Jewish Messiah, i.e., the Son of God. Ernie made a 180 turn in his life dedicating himself to the study of God?Ts word and eventually became learned of the scriptures to the point of his licensing as the Reverend Ernie Fasano under the auspices of the Jewish Messianic Congregation Beth Messiah of Livingston, New Jersey. Establishing Shepherd of Israel Ministries, he was both chairman of its Board of Directors as well as holding the office of President. Acting as a missionary from SOI, Rev. Fasano had a very heavy ministry in healing and prayer. In his life, he had all so many individuals upon whom, he followed God?Ts Word in laying hands upon and praying for their variety of illness only to see the revelation of God?Ts hand in the healing=2 0of their maladies. Rev. Fasano was also very involved in conducting Bible Studies, missionary outreach among the student body @ Rutgers University, preaching in church bodies as well as Jewish Messianic Congregations, counseling individuals in God?Ts word as well as discipling new believers in their new found belief. His role at SOI Ministries included his reaching out to others in physical & emotional need, sometimes spending hours & hours going into days in either their home or hospital room, all of which was done in a very selfless way, COMPLETELY DISREGARDING HIS OWN PERSONAL PHYSICAL PAIN AND OR DISCOMFORT. Again, in this selfless way throughout his own chronic long-term personal health decaying & debilitating fashion, he would take those in health-need situations to doctors, hospitals & emergency rooms and physical therapists, etc. Another primary function in the role of Shepherd of Israel was one that worked coordinating the roles of different mission organizations(e.g., Chosen People Ministries (formerly American Board of Mission to the Jews), Messengers of the New Covenant, Shema Yisrael, Jews For Jesus, etc. In addition to ALL of these duties & responsibilities, Rev. Fasano had the Heart of a Lion & Spirit of a Warrior and was so very devoted to God himself, and the things of God. His teachings emulated that which God Himself taught through His SonY?TShua and what brought Rev. Fasano around in the opposite direction he was headed as a potential criminally inclined young man from the Bronx. It could so easily be said how his life was one that displayed that which subscribed to that of the teachings in Hebrews 11:5 - - ?o . . . He Pleased God.??