Jan Buchalter

Jan Buchalter was born on January 22, 1954, in New York City, to the late Zachary and Jean Buchalter. She grew up in New York City alongside her older brother, Mark (Bucky) Buchalter. Jan is survived by her brother, Bucky; her sister-in-law, Suki; her nieces, Jessa and Sage; her nephew, Dylan; her great-niece and great-nephew, Coral and Cruz; and a myriad of cousins from her large Jewish, Italian extended family.

Jan may have been small in stature, but she was mighty in spirit. Fearless, determined, and unapologetically herself, she lived life on her own terms. She had her way of doing things, and rarely could anyone convince her otherwise. She loved the water and would plunge into nearly any body of water she encountered, without hesitation or fear.

Beneath that fierce independence was a deep well of love. Though she never had children of her own, she loved her nieces, nephews, and great-niece and great-nephew with her whole heart. Jan was a healer and a cook, expressing her care for others through nourishing meals prepared in her own unmistakable style.

In the early 1970s, in her longing for a spiritual connection, Jan learned about a young teacher named Maharaji (Prem Rawat), who had moved from India to the United States. He had the gift of showing people where inner peace resides within each of us. Jan’s life was transformed after receiving this experience, known as Knowledge. For more than 50 years, she traveled around the world to hear him speak, dedicating her time and energy to volunteering and supporting his peace efforts.

In her earlier years, Jan could be stubborn, opinionated, and dogmatic. But as she grew older, her rough edges softened, revealing the pearl she had always been. She came to shine brightly through her service, generosity, and kindness toward others. Along the way, Jan formed lifelong friendships with people in every corner of the world. These friendships became a treasured part of her extraordinary journey. Jan will be deeply missed by the hundreds of friends whose lives she touched and inspired through her clarity, determination, tireless volunteer work, and extraordinary dedication to her path. Her life leaves behind a legacy of service, friendship, and an unwavering commitment to peace.

Jan approached her death with the same determination and unwavering dedication to what she believed in that had guided her throughout her life. In her final weeks, she overcame significant physical challenges to make one last journey to Australia, where she could be with her beloved teacher and the community that had meant so much to her. Having fulfilled this heartfelt wish, Jan returned home, where she passed away peacefully on September 26, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jan’s memory to The Prem Rawat Foundation (https://tprf.org/), a charitable nonprofit organization that provides peace education programs, clean water, food for children and families in need, and humanitarian aid in response to disasters around the world.

An online Celebration of Life will be held at 10am PST on November 29th. If you are interested in attending please email celebratingJan1129@gmail.com to receive the link.