Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Antal, a respected Shliach, educator, elected official, and communal leader from Montreal, passed away on Friday night after suffering a heart attack while teaching a Sicha in Shul. Full Story
Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Antal, a respected Shliach, educator, elected official, and communal leader from Montreal, passed away on Friday night, 20 Teves, 5786.
He was 60.
Rabbi Antal was teaching a sicha in Shul on Shabbos when he suddenly suffered a heart attack and passed away.
Rabbi Mordechai Antal was a respected educator, elected official, and communal leader whose influence extended across Montreal’s Jewish and general educational landscape.
He served as President of the Union of Jewish Schools in Montreal, where he was a principled and passionate advocate for Jewish education, institutional responsibility, and the long-term strength of the community.
He also served as a Commissioner on the Montreal English School Board, an elected public role he fulfilled with integrity, fairness, and deep concern for the welfare of students and families. In every professional capacity, he was known for thoughtful leadership, ethical clarity, and an ability to bridge communities with respect and dignity.
A gifted teacher and speaker, Rabbi Antal communicated with clarity, depth, and warmth. He earned the trust and admiration of colleagues and peers not through position alone, but through consistency, responsibility, and genuine care for others.
Above all, Rabbi Mordechai Antal lived a life of shlichus. A devoted member of the Montreal Lubavitcher community, he embodied the Rebbe’s vision through action—through an open home, a welcoming presence, and tireless involvement in communal life.
Most recently, he served as a shliach at the Jewish Russian Community Centre, alongside his in-laws, Rabbi and Rebbetzin Sirota. There, he became a source of connection, warmth, and inspiration. His home was always open, his table always welcoming, and his time always available. He was deeply involved in community gatherings, celebrations, and moments of need, believing that Judaism is lived through relationships, responsibility, and care.
Rabbi Antal was deeply loved by his friends and cherished by those he taught and guided. He showed up for others in need consistently, leaving a lasting imprint on countless lives.
A dedicated and devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grandfather, his family was at the center of his life.
He is survived by his wife Masha (nee Sirota) and children, Mendel Antal, Yitzchak Antal, Pinchas Antal, Hencha Gestetner, Tzvi Hirsch and Rivkah Antal.
The Levaya will take place today-Sunday (January 11th) at 2:30 at the Jewish Russian Community Center 5380 Bourret Ave, then approximately 2:45 at 6405 Westbury Ave (Yeshiva on Westbury).
The Kevurah at S. Sophie 2415 2e rue Ste. Sophie, QC J5J 1N5
Mincha will be at the field in the cemetery.
Mariv bzman
6355 Mountain Sights Ave – 4 minyanim
Baruch DayanHa’emes: Mordechai Shmuel ben Pinchas
