10/31/2026
SAFE HAVEN MUSEUM PAST PRESIDENT JUDY COE-RAPAPORT NAMED TO GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S ADVISORY COMMISSION FOR CREATION OF NEW YORK STATE HOLOAUST MEMORIAL!
On 28 October 2026 Governor Kathy Hochul announced the establishment of a new advisory commission consisting of 19 members that will provide guidance on the creation of a permanent New York State Holocaust Memorial at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. This group comprises educators, historians and community leaders.
The memorial will commemorate the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust and millions of other victims of N**i persecution. It will recognize the resilience of survivors and their families, while serving as an enduring site of remembrance and resistance against antisemitism and all forms of hate.
"The New York State Holocaust Memorial will be a powerful tribute to the millions of lives lost and a lasting reminder of our shared responsibility to preserve the truth of history." Governor Hochul said. "At a time when antisemitism and intolerance continue to threaten communities across our state, nation and around the world, this memorial will ensure that the stories of victims, survivors and their families remain visible, remembered and recognized. By bringing together this distinguished advisory commission, New York is sending a clear message that we will stand firm against all efforts to sow hate and divide our communities."
In December 2025, Governor Hochul signed S.5784/A.7614 during her annual Hanukkah reception establishing a permanent Holocaust Memorial at the Empire State Plaza in Albany to recognize victims and survivors of the Holocaust, and to educate the public about the history of the Holocaust and the dangers of antisemitism, racism and all manifestations of intolerance. Amid a rise in antisemitism in New York State and across the nation, the memorial educates students and the public about the Holocaust.
The officers and board of the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum wish to express their sincere thanks to Governor Hochul for appointing Past President Judy Coe-Rapaport to the new advisory commission, in recognition of her tremendous efforts to establish and promote the museum dedicated to preserving the memory of 982 Holocaust victims from Europe brought to the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944, and the over six million Jews and other victims of the N**is during WWII. We would also like to congratulate Judy on her well-deserved appointment, and express our pride and heartfelt gratitude to her for nearly three decades of dedicated service to the museum, refugees, and their families.
