Amid rising antisemitism driven by pro-Palestinian radicals, New York builds a memorial demanding moral clarity.
Outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced the launch of the “Queens Holocaust Memorial”, a landmark project dedicated to honoring the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and the survivors who rebuilt their lives in New York—particularly in Queens, home to one of the world’s largest survivor communities.
The memorial, to be located on the grounds of Queens Borough Hall, is envisioned as a permanent space for remembrance, education, and unity. A total of $3 million from the city and borough president’s office has been allocated for the project. DCAS will oversee site designation and coordinate with community organizations and civic leaders.
The City will initiate a formal design process that includes a commemorative garden and public artwork. The Percent for Art program will oversee artist selection in collaboration with historians, artists, and Holocaust survivors—ensuring that the memorial reflects authenticity, reverence, and historical truth.
Mayor Adams declared, “It is not enough to say ‘never again’—we must live it with our actions.” He pledged to confront rising antisemitism head-on, emphasizing the administration’s duty to call out hate, promote compassion, and uphold New York’s identity as a haven of coexistence.
Queens Borough President Richards echoed this commitment, warning that rising Holocaust denial and antisemitic incitement—much of it energized by radicalized pro-Palestinian and Arab narratives—make this moment urgent. “Our commitment to ‘Never Again’ must never waver,” he said. The memorial will stand as both a tribute and a rallying cry against contemporary hatred.
Moshe Davis, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, framed the memorial as a rebuke to intolerance—a timely counter to the graffiti, threats, and extremist rhetoric targeting Jewish communities across the globe and across New York, especially in recent months.
New York, home to more Holocaust survivors than anywhere else in the world, became a refuge after the liberation of the camps. Thousands of survivors rebuilt their lives in Queens—establishing families, businesses, cultural institutions, and helping shape New York into a global Jewish center.
The memorial, originally proposed by the Queens Jewish Community Council, will be the borough’s first major Holocaust memorial. The council will spearhead additional fundraising to complete the commemorative artwork. Once established, the site will host remembrance ceremonies, student education programs, and community gatherings designed to foster solidarity and historical understanding.
At a time when pro-Palestinian and Arab extremist groups increasingly weaponize antisemitic rhetoric—including calls for intifada, demonization of Israel, and Holocaust trivialization—New York’s decision to create this memorial underscores the city’s stance: remembrance, resilience, and unwavering support for the Jewish community.
