Uri and Rachel Shoham Special Shabbat, February 11, Services Begin at 9:15 AM

Please join us at Historic Congregation Kesher Israel on Shabbat morning, February 11, 2023, when we will honor our friends and much loved members Uri and Rachel Shoham. The opportunity to express our gratitude and admiration to the Shohams is an event we anticipate with enthusiasm and love. It’s important to share some of the backgrounds of these two extraordinary people who are reticent about drawing attention to themselves.

Uri was born in Jerusalem to Yaakov and Sophie Perl on February 10, 1942. His schooling in Holon, Pardes Channa, and Tel Aviv included years of yeshiva instruction. After high school, Uri joined the Israel Defense Forces as a paramedic with the paratroopers. During his term of army service, Uri participated in more than 60 jumps with the paratroopers. Following his army service, Uri earned his degree and worked as a CPA until 1977. In 1977, Uri emigrated to the United States where he became Chief Financial Officer of the Hosiery Corporation of America, a position he held until 1992. He later joined Gelt Financial Corporation as a partner until his retirement in 2021.

Uri came to Kesher Israel in 2009. Since his arrival in our synagogue, he has become a fixture known for his ready smile, the sparkle in his eye, and the ease that he projects in making everyone he meets feel comfortable and welcome in the synagogue. He has served as a Gabbai, distributor of Shabbat morning honors and aliyot, and former teacher of b’nei mitzvah. For these last 650 days, Uri has hosted the Kesher Israel daily zoom minyan. His technological prowess is unsurpassed. His perfect coordination of our daily minyan without fail, never missing a day, has been a boon to our congregation and has made us the envy of synagogues around the country.

Rachel Shoham was born in Tel Aviv to Eliezer and Victoria Sirkis. Rachel grew up in Moshav Mishmar HaShiva and went to high school in Tel Aviv. She met Uri on a blind date on Shabbat Shuva in Holon in 1962, and they were married six weeks after her high school graduation in August 1964. She is an accomplished glass blower for more than 16 years. Her work has been exhibited in the Museum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, and the Dover Connecticut Art Museum. Rachel earned her Bachelor of Nursing from Temple University and graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Frankford School of Nursing. Rachel is known by many for her skills in real estate, – buying, selling, renting, and remodeling. She also enjoys cooking, knitting, and sewing.

Rachel and Uri are the parents of Dr. Daniel and Vicki of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Dr. Shmuel and Ruth Polk of Tacoma Park, Maryland; and Gilead and Donna Manoliu, of Toronto. They are the proud sabba and savta (grandparents) of five grandchildren.

Please join us on this Special Shabbat, when we honor Uri and Rachel.

Rabbi Mitchell Romirowsky