In Memoriam Dr. Oded Bar-or

With the death of Oded, the pediatric exercise science community lost one of its founding and most important contributors – and of course, a good friend. Oded’s contributions are well documented in his numerous publications and there is no need for reiteration. His insights, questions and research into many domains of childhood and adolescence in the context of physical activity, sport, obesity and temperature regulation, among others, have opened new vistas for the present and subsequent generations of sport scientists. What will be missed is his personal touch – pleasant personality, sly sense of humor, work ethic, kindness, and constant focus on youth, i.e., the next generation. The unfortunate inevitability of death influences individuals differently. I am no exception. For a good part of our careers, Oded and I participated in many meetings. Given our interests in children and adolescents, we often ended up on the same programs. We were colleagues due to our mutual interests in youth. Over time, collegiality grew into friendship – in other words, colleagues became friends! I believe we reached this point during a one or two hour stroll around the walls of Dubrovnik when we were there for a meeting in 1988. During this stroll - taking in the history of this beautiful walled city - our conversations roamed from church history, architecture, family background, among other topics. I recall Oded asking me where I learned so much about the Catholic Church, specifically the saints. Of course, I referred to my parochial school education in a Polish neighborhood of Brooklyn. In response, Oded noted his own family history in Poland prior to migrating to Israel. We had a lot more in common than ever anticipated. Our friendship blossomed over the years since this fortuitous stroll. Oded will be missed by many but he will not be forgotten.