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| COMPTROLLER THOMPSON HONORS JEWISH LEADERS AT CITY HALL EVENT
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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. honored six New Yorkers for their accomplishments at his sixth annual 2007 Jewish Heritage and Culture celebration at City Hall on January 7, 2008. The event was co-sponsored by the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty and the Jewish Community Relations Council. “We celebrate our city’s special bond of friendship with the nation of Israel, a bond whose connections grow stronger every year,” Thompson said. “As we celebrate the history and the contributions of New York City’s Jewish community, we also reaffirm our solidarity with Israel. And as we continue to work toward peace in the Middle East, we must work at every turn to fight against hatred and bigotry that threaten our communities closer to home.” The Comptroller noted recent anti-Semitic episodes and hate crimes in the city and nation, including last month’s attack on four Chanukah celebrants on the subway and last week’s incident in which swastikas were painted near Jewish institutions in Brooklyn. “With a rise in racist and anti-Semitic incidents over the past year, I have recently joined with New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind and others in New York City to form The Jewish-Black Alliance,” the Comptroller said. “This interfaith coalition of clergy, community leaders and elected officials will work to confront bias crime as it occurs and foster dialogue and understanding. Fear is indeed the biggest obstacle to hope. As young people here and in Israel pursue their dreams – whatever they might be – let us join together in filling their hearts with hope. In sewing the seeds of optimism and a faith in the future, we help the next generation to grow strong.” During the event, Thompson presented his Creative Artist Award to acclaimed actor Fyvush Finkel, a Brooklyn native who starred in the hit television series Boston Public and Picket Fences and appeared for 12 years in the touring company of Fiddler on the Roof. “When you get an Emmy on television, that is the pinnacle of an actor’s career,” Finkel said. “But tonight, to get this award and this man’s introduction, that is the pinnacle of my heart.” Thompson also presented awards to: Barbara Ribakove Gordon, Founder and Executive Director of the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry; Richard Rabinowitz, Founder and President, American History Workshop, and Lynda B. Kaplan, Media Director and Planner, American History Workshop; Michael Halpern, President, International Shoppes; and, Nachum Segal, Host and Executive Producer of JM in the AM. “Today tens of thousands of metro area residents tune into Mr. Segal each morning for his unique blend of reporting, community news, and music programming,” Thompson said. “Others catch up with the show later in the day through the internet. Mr. Segal has earned a solid place in New York City radio history.” The Ramaz Lower School Choir performed at the event.
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