FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30th, 2025
POWERS CONTACT:
Emma Johnson
ejohnson@council.nyc.gov
347-864-4925
PARK EAST SYNAGOGUE CONTACT:
Howard Cannon
hcannon@rubenstein.com
973-985-9845
New York City Council Member Keith Powers Holds Street Co-Naming of East 67th Street in Honor of Yad Vashem
Photo Credit: Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit
NEW YORK – City Council Member Keith Powers held a street co-naming event honoring Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. East 67th Street, between 3rd Avenue and Lexington Avenue, will now be known as Yad Vashem Way.
The event was held in collaboration with Park East Synagogue, an historic New York City landmark house of worship and one of the nation’s leading modern Orthodox congregations. Park East Synagogue plays a vital role in the cultural, civic and spiritual life of New York City, and since 1962 has been led by Senior Rabbi and renowned human rights activist Arthur Schneier.
The event was attended by esteemed members of the international community, including Chairman of Yad Vashem Dani Dayan and Consul General of Israel Ofir Akunis. The group was joined by representatives of the Upper East Side, including Congressman Jerry Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Council Member Julie Menin, Senator Liz Krueger, and Assemblymember Alex Bores. Menashe Shapiro of the office of Mayor Eric Adams presented a Proclamation noting the work of Yad Vashem.
Rabbi Arthur Schneier has been the Senior Rabbi at Park East Synagogue since 1962. An Austrian-born survivor of the Holocaust, he has served as an envoy on behalf of four Presidential Administrations, and been honored with the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal and the U.S. Department of State Special Recognition Award. Rabbi Schneier has served as chairman of the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, and founder and president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, among many other leadership roles.
“Auschwitz crematoria are the graveyards of my grandparents and family members. We honor the memory of 6 million Jews including 1.5 million children with the renaming of this street to Yad Vashem Way,” said Rabbi Arthur Schneier, a Holocaust survivor and the senior Rabbi of Park East Synagogue. “I am grateful to Mayor Eric Adams, Councilmember Keith Powers and the New York City Council for their commitment to preserving the history and lessons of the Holocaust. Yad Vashem Way shall serve as an eternal reminder of the sacred duty to Never Forget and the resilience of the Jewish People. Antisemitism and Holocaust denial are on the rise globally, particularly after the barbaric Oct 7th attacks by Hamas. The promotion of Holocaust awareness and education are important so that future generations will learn to bear witness and can ensure that the horrors of the past are never repeated. May we hear the cry of the oppressed, stand up for human rights, and fight for freedom.”
“In a time of rising antisemitism and fear, it is more important than ever before that we remember what happened during the Holocaust,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “New York City is home to the most survivors of the Holocaust outside of Israel, but sadly that number is shrinking. We must continue to educate future generations about the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust so that they never happen again, and now every person who looks up at the street sign proclaiming East 67th Street as Yad Vashem Way will understand the history and resilience of the Jewish people. I am proud to honor the memory of the victims today.”
“This street sign is more than a name—it is a powerful symbol of our shared responsibility to preserve Holocaust memory and combat the disturbing rise of hatred and intolerance.” said Chairman Dani Dayan at the unveiling. “By bringing the name of Yad Vashem to the heart of Manhattan, we are hopeful that this street will inspire those who pass by it to remember the murdered and the survivors and to carry the story of the Holocaust forward with them.”
“The co-naming of this street as Yad Vashem Way is a living testament to the resilience of the Jewish spirit and the unshakable fortitude of survivors who made a home for themselves and their families in New York City”, said Congressman Jerry Nadler. “We must all continue to uplift the stories of those who experienced the Holocaust – both of those who were murdered and those who survived – and honor their memory by staunchly recommitting to confront anti-Semitism wherever we encounter it.”
“As the number of Holocaust survivors draws closer to zero every year and antisemitism increases, adding new pieces of Jewish heritage to our city is incredibly meaningful. Yad Vashem Way will forever remind passersby of the mission to never forget the horrors suffered by millions and the resilience of those who survived,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “I’m grateful to Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Yad Vashem, and my colleagues in City government for their work to ensure that this important chapter of history is preserved and we can continue to learn from it.”
Senator Liz Krueger said, “The mission of Yad Vashem is as important today as it has ever been. As more and more time passes, we must work that much harder to ensure that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten, and we must constantly recommit ourselves to saying “never again” to antisemitism, to the dehumanization of those who are different, to the weaponization of fear for political gain, and to discrimination and hate of any kind.”
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