Borough Park, NY – City Council Approves Renaming 13th Ave To World War II Hero Raoul Wallenberg

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    Borough Park, NY – Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, one of the great heroes of World War II who is credited with saving as many as 100,000 Jews from certain death at the hands of the Nazis, will be forever honored along 13th Avenue in Borough Park, which was renamed in his honor at the urging of City Council Members David G. Greenfield and Brad Lander. The renaming of 13thAvenue between 36th Street and 60th Street was approved by the City Council last Wednesday and is the centerpiece of the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Commission, which is commemorating Wallenberg’s 100th birthday this year.

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    “I am thrilled and grateful that Raoul Wallenberg will be honored and remembered here in Borough Park for generations to come. The largest concentration of holocaust survivors in the United States lives in Borough Park including hundreds of local families who trace their survival to Mr. Wallenberg’s heroism. I thank my colleagues on the City Council for supporting this renaming, which ensures that the name and legacy of Raoul Wallenberg lives on,” said Councilman David G. Greenfield (D-Borough Park).

    “I am gratified that the legislation to co-name 13th Avenue Raoul Wallenberg Way has been voted on and is on its way to becoming law. ‘Wallenberg Way’ will remind the world of the extraordinary heroism displayed by Raoul Wallenberg in the saving of over 100,000 Jews, many of whom later established their families and communities in Borough Park,” said Councilman Brad Lander (D-Park Slope).

    Video below of recent meeting of the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Commission with Majority Leader Eric Cantor discussing the co-naming of 13th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY

    “I want to thank Council Members Greenfield and Lander for taking the initiative to co-name 13th Avenue ‘Wallenberg Way’ in commemoration of Raoul Wallenberg’s centennial,” said Ezra Friedlander, CEO of The Friedlander Group and spokesman of the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Commission, which was created to highlight Wallenberg’s 100th birthday. “We are grateful to the Council Members for celebrating this milestone and for lobbying to have Wallenberg Way grace the streets of Borough Park.”

    Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who put his life on hold in the summer of 1944 and embarked on a mission that led to the saving of as many as 100,000 Jewish Hungarians who were otherwise bound for death in Nazi concentration camps. Serving as first secretary at the Swedish Legation in Budapest, Wallenberg devised a plan to issue Swedish “protective passports” and establish safe houses in buildings throughout Budapest. Many descendants of the survivors call New York City and southern Brooklyn home today.

    In honor of the 100th anniversary of Wallenberg’s birth, the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Commission is presenting a national campaign “to highlight the incredible heroism exhibited by Raoul Wallenberg.” The group is also seeking for Wallenberg to be recognized with a Congressional Gold Medal. Once the street renaming is signed into law by the Mayor, a celebration will be held along 13th Avenue to unveil new signs bearing the name ‘Wallenberg Way’.


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    10 Comments
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    yochtzel
    yochtzel
    12 years ago

    Its the least we can do!

    enlightened-yid
    enlightened-yid
    12 years ago

    Is there an official date for this ceremony?

    Grumpy
    Grumpy
    12 years ago

    Hakaras HaTov is a beautiful thing.

    12 years ago

    This is one of the rare cases where there is NO segment of the yiddeshe community that would disagree with such a kavod….I cannot imagine anyone would be opposed for any reason (other than perhaps the minor cost of posting a few signs).

    speakup
    speakup
    12 years ago

    I always think about him and about the courage he demonstrated in the face of horrific, unspeakable evil. From where do brave and heroic men like Wallenberg arise? How did he come to embody the true measure of righteous behavior? What did he see growing up as a child? Who were the role models of his youth, and who inspired this unusual man to essentially give his life so that others could be saved? He continues to inspire me and millions of people around the world, Jews and non Jews alike, who are humbled by his great courage and incredible character. Where are this century’s Wallenbergs? Are there any out there today?

    shredready
    shredready
    12 years ago

    great to bad we could not do more

    Reb Yid
    Reb Yid
    12 years ago

    “will be forever honored “

    “Forever” is a long time to assume that a street will keep the same name.

    DanielBarbaz
    DanielBarbaz
    12 years ago

    Raoul Wallenberg was a true hero. Let us not forget that he was captured by the Red Army at the end of the war and his exact fate has never been determined. It is time for the Russians to open any documents and reveal the truth. Uncovering Wallenberg’s fate is equally as important (if not more so) than naming a street after him.

    12 years ago

    Great opportunity to start teaching our chidren and Bochurim and daughters, how beautiful it is in the eyes of Hashem, when one does Chesed with his fellow Human Being, without caring if he was born to the same kind of a mother as we were born.
    We are all the precious creation of HKB”H.