Portion of Hudson Avenue to be renamed Sidney Shoham Place after legendary rabbi

A little more than a month ago I got a call from Earl Rosen, the president of Beth Zion Congregation on Hudson Avenue in Côte Saint-Luc. He wanted my feedback as a city councillor in regards to how we could honour the memory of the legendary Rabbi Sidney Shoham, who passed away last September.

I knew Rabbi Shoham practically all of my life. He spoke at my Bar Mitzvah and I had the pleasure of speaking to and seeing him so often. It is hard to believe he is no longer among us!

Rabbi Shoham at our golf luncheon last July.

In disussion with Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and Allan J. Levine, the councillor for District 5, we agreed that naming the portion of Hudson Avenue where Beth Zion is located Sidney Shoham Place would be a fitting honour. Our Director of Claims and Litigation/Acting Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Jonathan Shecter and Director of Public Works and Communications Darryl Levine were asked to work with the synagogue. As a result, not only will Hudson, between Kildare and the synagogue be renamed but the civic address will become 1 Place Sidney Shoham Place.

Rosen made the formal announcement to congregants on April 30. Councillor Levine was in attendance. “The response was tremendous,” he told me.

The street re-naming ceremony will take place on Sunday, September 25, 2016, with all of Rabbi Shoham’s family in town. The time of the event will be announced later this summer.

Côte Saint-Luc will issue a formal statement on Monday.

Rabbi Shoham passed away on September 20, 2015 at age 86. He served as rabbi at Beth Zion Congregation for more than 50 years.

Here is the blog I wrote from his funeral.