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 City Hall, New York - Council Member David I. Weprin (D-Hollis), Chair of the Council Finance Committee, presented a proclamation on behalf of the City Council honoring the people of the Dominican Republic for establishing a safe haven for Holocaust refugees who were forced to leave their homelands during the height of Nazi persecution in Europe.
Council members Weprin and Martinez presented the proclamation at the opening of the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center’s Sosua exhibit, entitled, “Sosua, Refuge from the Holocaust in the Tropics”, which pays tribute to the extraordinary compassion and generosity showed by the people of the Dominican Republic who provided a safe haven for hundreds of Jewish refugees, saving them from extermination. Also attending the ceremony were Francisco Fernandez, Consul General to the Dominican Republic, Luis Lithgow, United Nations Ambassador from the Dominican Republic, NYS Senator Frank Padavan, NYS Assemblyman Jose Peralta and Eduardo Marti, president of Queensborough Community College, which houses the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center.  Council member David Weprin: “Five years ago our country was victim to an unimaginable tragedy at the hands of terrorists. Similarly, over sixty years ago another group of innocent people, Jews throughout Europe, were subjected to equally tragic and barbaric attacks by Nazi Germany. Just as thousands of New Yorkers came to the aid of our City in its time of need, the people of the Dominican Republic came to the aid of Jewish refugees of the Holocaust, saving them from certain extermination. Tomorrow we will honor the memory of our fallen but not forgotten brothers and sisters who perished on 9/11, and the many heroes who came to the rescue that day. Today, we honor the heroes of a time long ago, but also not forgotten, the people of the Dominican Republic, for their role as saviors of hundreds of Jewish refugees.” “As a Jew, as a believer in freedom for all and tyranny by none, I thank the people of the Dominican Republic for their humanity, their compassion and their strength for being the only country to do what was right when it was needed most.” “The efforts of the Dominican Republic changed the course of history, not only for the hundreds of Jews who lives were saved, but for all mankind, because they showed that race meant nothing, skin color meant nothing, religion meant nothing, and compassion for all and malice toward none meant everything.” Arthur Flug, Executive Director, Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center: “The story of the compassion of the people of the Dominican Republic isn’t widely known. Because of their efforts, almost seven hundred people who would have perished in the furnaces of Auschwitz were able to live. The Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center is most grateful for the funds supplied by Councilman Weprin to create this exhibit”. Eduardo Marti, President, Queensborough Community College: “As a Latino and as the president of Queensborough Community College, I am extremely proud that our Holocaust Resource Center is hosting this exhibit. The courage demonstrated by the people of the Dominican Republic during this difficult period of time should be applauded and recognized”. In addition to the $1.5 million Councilman Weprin has secured for the Holocaust Center over the past two years, he personally donated $7,500 from his discretionary fund in this year’s budget for the Sosua exhibit at the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center. |
