On a beautiful, chilly Sunday morning in December 2015, members and friends of Congregation Adereth El gathered to officially inaugurate an everlasting memorial to our Rabbi Sidney Kleiman, z”l. Finally, after countless numbers of emails, and two years of political red tape, Mayor Bill DeBlasio signed into law the establishment of “Rabbi Sidney Kleiman Way.” The new street sign can be seen on the corner of East 29th Street, and Third Avenue.
We were honored by the presence of New York State Comptroller Tom Dinapoli who spoke about Rabbi Kleiman’s involvement in the broader community. It was also meaningful to enjoy the presence of members of Rabbi Kleiman’s immediate family. Rabbi Kleiman’s grandson Heshy expressed his heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for this very moving gesture. Rabbi Shloush, as always, gave a wonderful tribute to his rabbi and mentor, and thanked members of the community for attending that morning. He highlighted the fact that Rabbi Kleiman represented a piece of New York history. He was a legendary figure in the neighborhood. He served as chaplain at Bellevue hospital for fifty years and led this congregation on East 29th Street for nearly seventy five years.
Zelda Goldsmith, who was the impetus behind the naming of the street, remarked on the connection between Rabbi Kleiman’s family and her own, as her grandson and Rabbi Kleiman’s great-grandson are good friends. It is interesting to note as well, that “Kleiman” just happens to be Zelda’s maiden name, but no relation! The morning ended with a beautiful brunch served in the shul’s social hall.