Sheldon Lobel

Sheldon Lobel, 86, of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, died after a brief battle with cancer, on November 1, 2023. Sheldon was born in Queens, New York, on November 26, 1936, to Mary and Alexander Lobel. The second of three children, Sheldon was a proud product of the New York City school system, having attended Erasmus High School, Brooklyn College, and Brooklyn Law School, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class. Aside from a brief stint as an army medic during basic training, nearly the entirety of Sheldon’s professional career was devoted to his work as one of the premier zoning and land use attorneys in New York City. He was responsible for applications that housed tens of thousands of New Yorkers and provided homes to hundreds of businesses.

Sheldon met the love of his life, Adele, in 1965, when they were set up by mutual friends. After only six weeks, it became apparent that Sheldon and Adele were made for each other. They married five months later, becoming inseparable for 57 wonderful years. The two couldn’t wait to start a family of their own, and Sheldon’s children — Marci, Michael, Richard, and Adam — meant the world to him.

Sheldon clearly enjoyed being a husband and father, but anyone who knew him would tell you his true passion was being a grandparent. He treasured his time with his grandkids, never failing to engage them in a heated political discussion, meet them for breakfast at a diner, or take in one of their many sporting or theatrical performances.

Sheldon had lifelong friends dating back to his youth in Brooklyn and through his many years as a lawyer. He was simply the best schmoozer you could imagine, able to walk into any situation and immediately make lasting friendships. He regularly engaged restaurant servers in order to hear their entire life story, much to his family’s chagrin. He even sometimes picked up clients merely by walking into a bar and being his friendly self.

Sheldon was passionate about his role as a zoning attorney. He was a counselor in the truest sense of the word and was beloved by clients, colleagues, and even those who opposed him. Almost everyone who knew him has a story about how he helped them obtain some approval, how hard he fought on their behalf, or how he was in their thoughts well after his work had been completed. He had a particular fondness for assisting religious and educational institutions, having helped to locate or expand over 500 synagogues, churches, mosques, and schools. This reflected his deep connection to Judaism and Israel, which were cornerstones of his life and outlook.

Sheldon is survived by his wife, Adele; brother Theodore and sister Arlene Kleinman; daughter Marci Lobel-Esrig (Marc); and sons Michael (Mauricio), Richard (Kelly), and Adam (Hiroko), as well as grandchildren Caleb, Jordan, and Kyra Esrig; Jack and Henry Lobel; and Shunji and Kayano Lobel.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the UJA-Federation of New York or Magen David Adom.

May his memory be a blessing.