At Holocaust remembrance, Council Speaker pushes for educating youth

Holocaust survivors and descendants gathered at Temple Emanu-El on the Upper East Side Sunday for the annual Gathering of Remembrance.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage hosted the program of music, stories, and a candlelight ceremony.

Democratic City Council Speaker Julie Menin, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, warned of the rise in antisemitic incidents in New York. She also spoke of having launched a program to bring every eighth-grade public school student to the museum’s Holocaust Exhibition to learn for themselves about the horror of Nazi Germany.

“I know and I am hopeful that collectively, by speaking out against antisemitism by holding events like we are today that honor the memories of those that were killed in the Holocaust, that is how we will prevail at this very difficult time,” Menin said.

Menin also defended the bill she pushed for that the council passed last month, after demonstrations outside the “Park East” synagogue last year. It requires the New York City Police Dept. to clearly designate security perimeters to manage protests outside houses of worship, while also preserving free speech.

The law passed on a 44-5 council vote, creating a veto-proof majority.