New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his Jewish Heritage celebration at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan on Monday, December 13, 2004. Pictured (left to right) are:Rabbi Joy Levitt, Associate Executive Director for Programs, Jewish Community Center in Manhattan; Hon. Mark Friedlander,  Supreme Court Justice, The Bronx, and Past President, Riverdale Jewish Community Council; Fira Stukelman, V ice President and Past President, American Association, Holocaust Survivors from the Former Soviet Union; Michael Miller,  Executive Vice President & CEO, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York; Thompson; Rabbi Marc Schneier, President, Foundation for Ethnic Understanding; Dr. Georgette Bennett, President, Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding; Seymour Zises,  President, Family Management Corporation; Rabbi Shea Hecht, Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education; and, Dr. Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor, City University of New York.

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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. honored seven New Yorkers of Jewish descent for their accomplishments at his 2004 Jewish Heritage celebration on Monday, December 13 th.

The event, which was co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York and the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan celebrated the contributions of Jewish New Yorkers.

“We know that the early Jewish settlers, like the future generations that came to these shores, faced many challenges,” Thompson said. “ Today, we may be far removed in time from the days of the first Jewish settlers and early immigrants. But we have much to learn from their example. Their dreams, their resilience, and their courage are a source of inspiration as we meet the challenges of today, at home and abroad.”

The distinguished honorees were: Dr. Georgette Bennett, President, Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding; Hon. Mark Friedlander, Supreme Court Justice, The Bronx, Past President, Riverdale Jewish Community Council; Dr. Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor, City University of New York; Rabbi Shea Hecht, Chairman of the Board of Directors, National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education; Rabbi Marc Schneier, President, Foundation for Ethnic Understanding; Fira Stuckelman, Vice President and Past President, American Association, Holocaust Survivors from the Former Soviet Union; and Seymour Zises, President, Family Management Corporation.

The chorus of the Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Middle School of Ramaz and The Neginah Orchestra performed at the event.