Brooklyn, NY – Councilman David G. Greenfield, Councilman Brad Lander, and Councilwoman Sara González are announcing legislation today that would co-name the Boro Park portion of 13th Avenue after Raoul Wallenberg who saved thousands of lives during the Holocaust.
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“Raoul Wallenberg is one of the great heroes, humanitarians and righteous gentiles of World War II,” explained Councilman Greenfield. “Mr. Wallenberg gave his life to save tens of thousands of Jews. Thanks to Raoul, thousands of my constituents are here today. This is a well-deserved recognition from the next generation of those that Mr. Wallenberg saved.”
Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, traveled to Hungary during the summer of 1944 with the intention of saving as many lives from Nazi destruction as possible. By that time, over 400,000 Jews had been deported to concentration camps. About 200,000 remained in the ghettos of Budapest, the city where Wallenberg set to work protecting as many Jewish residents as he could.
Wallenberg rented 32 buildings throughout the city, declaring them extraterritorial under Swedish diplomatic authority. Though the buildings were only suited for about 5,000 inhabitants, Wallenberg quickly issued Swedish passports to over 30,000 Hungarian Jews and moved them into the newly-established diplomatic posts. The passports identified the bearers as Swedish citizens, saving them from deportation to the concentration camps.
Wallenberg recruited over 300 people in Budapest to participate in his humanitarian efforts. While they were well-drilled in the diplomatic maneuvering at the center of Wallenberg’s operation, he would often spur them to more dramatic feats. Hearing one night that Jews were being bound, shot, and set afloat on the Danube, Wallenberg asked members of his staff whether they could swim and led a team into the icy cold water, where they saved over fifty people.
After the war, Wallenberg was detained by the Soviets and is presumed to have died in Soviet captivity. Thousands of the people he saved during the Holocaust immigrated to the United States after the war, and many of them settled in Boro Park. Among those saved are luminaries of the scientific and political community, including the late United States Congressman Tom Lantos.
“Raoul Wallenberg’s selfless actions during the Holocaust have had such an important impact on our lives,” said Councilmember Lander. “If it weren’t for him, many of our friends and neighbors in Boro Park might not be here today. It is therefore vital that we gather as a community and pay tribute to this legendary individual so our future generations will never forget him.”
“I am happy to join my colleagues in remembering a man who meant so much too many,” said Councilwoman González. “Mr. Wallenberg’s actions saved thousands of lives and he deserves gratitude from the community and this great City.”
The co-naming will coincide with Wallenberg’s 100th birthday next year. The Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Commission, spearheaded by the Friedlander Group, will be organizing the effort to honor Wallenberg’s legacy culminating with an effort to secure the Congressional Gold Medal for Mr. Wallenberg. This street renaming will be one of many events during 2012 that will commemorate his achievements and heroism.
“As Jews, we have the most to be grateful for in regard to the heroism of Raoul Wallenberg and his life-saving actions,” said Ezra Friedlander, CEO of the Friedlander Group and spokesman for the Commission. “Indeed as 2012 approaches, we anticipate that it will be known as the ‘Year of Wallenberg’ and I commend leaders from both the city and federal level for taking this important issue to heart”.
Shoin tzeit !!!
A very Nobel idea but there is a place where we remember all the righteous gentiles , that is the holocaust museum .
There are many founders of yiddishkiet in America that need to be remembered . For some reason we like to glorify our neighbors before our own
Again , I’m not diminishing what Mr Raul did for us but I think 13th av should be reserved for the satmarer Rebbi or R’ Moishe etc….
Thank you for remembering what Mr. Wallenberg did for so many. Are any of his children or heirs alive, so they can be at this dedication? I am a child of one of his “swedish citizens” and am very grateful.
I think it’s important to show the world the appreciation we have for those people that are so (positively) influential in Jewish history. Gentile or not, what he did for the Jews in Budapest is not comparable to anyone else. I want my kids to walk down 13h ave and think of Wallenberg so they will never forget his contributions to our people.
To #1 - “Big Mo”- I disagree with you. Raoul Wallenberg was more than a righteous gentile. In addition to establishing safe houses and granting thousands of Swedish identity papers to Hungarian Jews and other Jews, he stopped a planned massacre of the Jews of Budapest. He paid for his heroic deeds with his life, when the Soviets arrested and imprisoned him. For some reason, the Soviets could not comprehend that someone would have done what he did, only out of humanitarian concerns. Since not everyone has the opportunity to visit the Holocast Museum, I think that the renaming of 13th Avenue, would be a fine tribute to that individual.
I agree with Bigmo- I think that our main avenue should be named for a great yid or as a remembrance to Leiby.
Wow! This is amazing. It shows you how when public and private sectors collaborate, we achieve great results. Kudos to Ezra Friedlander for spearheading this!!
The reason Rav Gidalia Shore and many other gedolim were against having a Holocaust museum, as quoted by Rav Shurkin in Meged Givaas Olam, is because it will just serve as a reminder to the non-jews what thay can accomplish when they put their efforts in to it. It would be better to let them forget, they said.
I would assume its a good idea to remind them what good they can do when they try. This will also show them that we don’t forget them and their efforts are not wasted on ingrates. The Satmar Rebbe and Reb Moshe and anyone who chooses to follow in their footsteps probably don’t need such prompting.
I am btw a grandchild of a survivor who was saved on more than one occasion by non-jews who placed their own safety and the safety of their family to save him.
I wonder how many of us would do the same for a minority of non co-religionists.
And if svaras like being the am hanivchar think that means your blood is redder, they say the same svara the other way. And just remember we are are michalel shabbos to help non-jews extinguish a fire so in the future they will do the same for us.
Pointless since nobody will ever use that name. I’m goin shoppin on raoul st. Ya rite. Better name a school or institution.
lets name 14th. avenue Oscar Schindler blvd.
Raoul Wallenberg was a great man who did much for our people. Like a previous poster, I too am the child of one such person. Having a street in a Jewish neighborhood that carries an honorary name after him shows the gentiles that the community appreciates his sacrifice.
Please, let’s not get into a “rebbe olympics” to decide which rebbe deserves the title. What next, Eastern Parkway becomes Lubavitch Boulevard?
Probably noone is reading this article anymore but someone found the gemara i was looking for its pesachim 87b before two dots.