Uri Shoham

Uri Shoham, a man of courage, compassion, and individuality, passed away on May 5, 2025 at the age of 83. His extraordinary life—from pre-independence Jerusalem to the Philadelphia area, which he called home for nearly half a century—was a life of devotion to family, Judaism, and Israel. Beloved husband of Rachel (nee Sirkis); Loving father of Daniel Shoham (Virginia Vega-Vargas), Shmuel Shoham (Ruth Polk), and Gilad Shoham (Dana Manoliu); Dear brother of Dvora Reif; Adoring grandfather of Jacob, Aaron, Max, Ethan, and Alexander.

Born Uri Perl in 1942 to Yaakov and Sophie Perl, who fled Nazi-dominated Romania, Uri grew up amid Israel’s 1948 triumph and the Holocaust’s somber revelations. A teenage battle with severe colitis could not stop him for long, and he recovered to serve as a front-line medic in the Israeli paratroopers. He braved enemy fire across three wars, including the 1973-4 Yom Kippur War, and numerous deployments. During the Yom Kippur War, Uri was aboard a Hercules aircraft that airlifted an entire mobile hospital to Kibrit Air Base, a captured Egyptian airfield on the west side of the Suez Canal. The flight, under 20 minutes and crossing the canal, evaded a launched surface-to-air missile as ground battles raged below. At the hospital, Uri treated a gravely wounded Egyptian Colonel, a captured prisoner of war, who refused a life-saving blood transfusion, citing prejudice against “Jewish blood.” The command presented a Geneva Convention form, warning that refusal could be fatal, prompting the Colonel to relent. Uri, using halting Arabic learned from booklets, engaged the Colonel in conversations over weeks of care. These exchanges dismantled deep-seated biases, revealing the humanity of his captors. In 1977, the Colonel, transformed by this encounter, served on the Egyptian team negotiating the Camp David Peace Agreement,

In his 20s, Uri adopted the surname Shoham, rejecting 2,000 years of Jewish exile. He married Rachel, his lifelong love, and raised three sons—Daniel and his wife Virginia, Shmuel and his wife Ruth, and Gilad and his wife Dana—and adored five grandsons: Jacob, Aaron, Max, Ethan, and Alexander. His family was his pride and joy.

A brilliant accountant, Uri built a CPA practice in Israel until 1977, when he was recruited to Philadelphia to help establish Hosiery Corporation of America (HCA). As HCA’s CFO, he played a pivotal role in its growth, anchoring his U.S. career. He also maintained a thriving CPA office in the greater Philadelphia area for many years. An early adopter of technology, he embraced home computers and remote work.

Uri’s passions were boundless. A licensed pilot, he soared for pleasure and travel. He savored classical music, played the electric organ, and read The Wall Street Journal avidly. Ever the trailblazer, and to the horror of his children, he delighted in blending Manischewitz with single malt. He was his own man. He found a home in Conservative Judaism, at Ohev Shalom in Richboro, PA and later, when he moved to Center City, Philadelphia, at Historic Kesher Israel, serving as Torah reader, gabbai, and host of the daily Zoom minyan for nearly two years, fostering communal prayer. A champion of the underdog, he shunned gossip and lived with integrity. Relatives and friends are invited to Graveside Services, Wednesday, 11 AM precisely at Laurel Hill West Cemetery (sec. Makom Shalom), Bala Cynwyd, PA. Shiva will be observed at his late residence.

Uri Shoham’s life was one of courage, innovation, and devotion. His memory—as a healer, soldier, and singular spirit—will endure.