MILWAUKEE – The city is poised to post honorary street signs for Rabbi Michel Twerski, spiritual leader for the largely Orthodox West Side community, and Ron Sadoff, local investment management guru and founder of a school serving some of the most troubled parts of town.
A city committee unanimously approved the honorary creation of Rabbi Michel Twerski Blvd., on North 51st Boulevard, from Burleigh Street to Keefe Avenue. The synagogue Twerski leads, Congregation Beth Jehudah, 3100 N. 52nd St., is close to that busy strip, with many area Jews walking to the shul or to one another’s Shabbos dinners from homes nearby.
Twerski is the Hornosteipel Rebbe — a role of spiritual leadership in the Chernobyler-Hasidic tradition with international Jewish standing. He is an acclaimed composer of Jewish liturgical melodies (nigunim) and his songs have reached global audiences.
The city Public Works Committee also unanimously approved an honorary street name for Ron Sadoff at North 36th Street from West Meinecke Avenue to West Wright Street. One of several Milwaukee College Prep sites, at 2449 N. 36th St., would be on the honorary “Ron Sadoff Way.”
Sadoff, 85, is the founder of Milwaukee College Prep, which has opened and operated K–8 schools since 1997. The network of local schools educates more than 2,100 children in some of the most marginalized communities along Milwaukee’s North Avenue corridor. He also founded Sadoff Investment Management in 1978, later acquired by Wealth Enhancement Group, and is a longtime Jewish community supporter.
The street names would be honorary only. In other words, 51st Boulevard, from Burleigh Street to Keefe Avenue, would still be 51st Boulevard for mailing and governmental purposes. But a sign would be added below or above the official sign, reading “Rabbi Michel Twerski Blvd.”
The Twerski family did not ask for the honorary sign, though family members contacted by the Chronicle did not express opposition. It was West Side resident Gerald S. Glazer, coming from a place of love and appreciation, who turned in the application for the honorary sign. He played some of the rabbi’s music for the committee, talked about how it has been pioneering, and spoke about how the rabbi attracted Orthodox families from out of town. “In recent years, the Jewish community of the Sherman Park area has grown largely because of his efforts,” Glazer said.
One alderman expressed appreciation for good relations between the West Side Jewish community and other area residents.
“I think it’s important to recognize our rabbi, just like so many other people are being recognized by street names, and especially since he’s brought so many people into the community around the 51st Boulevard area,” said Glazer, speaking with the Chronicle after the committee meeting. He said he hoped the move would help visitors recognize the neighborhood as Jewish and that it would feel even more welcoming for them.
At the meeting, a total of 11 honorary street sign names were proposed, honoring people like Bishop Betty Hayes and the Rev. John W. McVicker, Sr. The committee limited discussion on each proposed honorary naming, in the interest of time. It had received an unusual flurry of such applications all at once, after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran stories in September about citywide honorary street names.
“My father wanted to give back to the community and thought inner city education needed help,” Bryan Sadoff told the committee. “He thought a good education was the way to break the poverty cycle and to keep young kids on a path to contribute to society. For those that are not familiar, MCP started with one school and a few grades. Now it is four campuses, each of them west of I-43 off of North Avenue, in one of Milwaukee’s most underserved neighborhoods.”
The data, he said, shows that even though Milwaukee College Prep only goes to eighth grade, the students are more likely to graduate from high school and college. Bryan Sadoff said his mother, Micky Sadoff, was also a great help in the endeavor.
Bryan Sadoff told the committee: “As one of Milwaukee’s most famous stock picking investment managers he has been quoted saying ‘starting MCP was the best investment I have ever made.’ A way to pay tribute and honor him, while he is still living, would be to name the block of his first MCP school, Ron Sadoff Way.”
The Milwaukee Common Council was expected to take up the proposed honorary street names, as approved by the Public Works Committee, after the Chronicle press deadline. If approved, applicants must pay for the installation and upkeep of the honorary signs.
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It’s 51st Boulevard
Did you know? Numbered streets in Milwaukee are often called streets, like 76th Street or 27th Street. But in the vicinity of the West Side, 51st Street officially becomes 51st Boulevard.
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