Never Forget, Never Again: Groundbreaking Held For New Queens Holocaust Memorial Site

Community leaders, askanim, and others joined First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards on Tuesday for the groundbreaking of the “Queens Holocaust Memorial,” a new public site to honor the memory of the six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust, as well as the survivors who rebuilt their lives in New York City.

According to the Mayor’s office, the memorial will be located on the grounds of Queens Borough Hall and serve as a permanent site of remembrance, education, and unity.

“It is not enough to say ‘never again’ — we have to live it with our actions too. By preserving the stories of both victims and survivors, by creating a permanent space for remembrance and reflection, by promoting understanding and solidarity across generations, this memorial will live out the meaning of ‘never again,’” said Mayor Adams. “As our city and our country confront the rising tide of antisemitism, our administration will not remain silent. We will use our office to call out hate wherever we find it, encourage compassion wherever we need it, and create a city where everyone can live side by side in harmony.”

New York City is home to more Holocaust survivors than any other city in the world. Following the liberation of the concentration camps, thousands of survivors came to New York, many settling in Queens’ Jewish communities—Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens Hills, and Far Rockaway, among many others—where they rebuilt their lives, raised the next Jewish generation, established businesses, enriched the city’s cultural institutions, and helped make New York a global center of Jewish life.

“This Holocaust Memorial in Queens honors the profound anguish and undeniable truth of actual genocide that tore families and communities apart. But it also reflects the extraordinary resilience of those who survived. Of people who carried unimaginable pain yet still chose hope, rebuilding, and the promise of a new future,” said Assemblyman Sam Berger, who represents the frum community of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, said. “Many Holocaust survivors, my grandparents among them, came to Forest Hills seeking safety, dignity, and a chance to start again. They didn’t just rebuild their own lives. They helped build Queens. Their strength, their values, and their determination are woven into the rich and diverse history of this borough. They opened businesses, raised families, contributed to our civic life, and helped create the vibrant community we are proud to call home.

“Trauma leaves its mark, but it does not have to define us,” continued Sam Berger. “This memorial stands as a reminder of the past we must never forget, and as a testament to the enduring spirit of those who transformed their suffering into a legacy of resilience, community, and hope.”

The Project

The city and the Office of the Queens Borough President have allocated a total of $3 million to support the project’s development; the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) will oversee the site designation and coordination with community stakeholders and civic leaders. The City will advance a formal design process to build a commemorative garden and public artwork.

The artist selection process will be led by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ “Percent for Art” program in consultation with artists, historians, and Holocaust survivors.

“When hate crimes, vandalism, and extremist rhetoric targeting Jewish communities are happening both nationally and globally, this memorial will stand not only as a powerful testament to those lost and to those who rebuilt, but also as a rebuke to intolerance and a reminder of our imperative to confront hatred with moral clarity,” said Moshe Davis, executive director, Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism.

The memorial was originally proposed by the Queens Jewish Community Council in partnership with local civic and faith leaders. The City of New York will formally designate and dedicate the site for the purpose of a Holocaust Memorial through a DCAS assignment letter. The Queens Jewish Community Council will lead additional fundraising efforts to support the design and construction of the commemorative artwork.

When complete, the Queens Holocaust Memorial will be the first major Holocaust memorial in Queens, joining other sites of remembrance throughout New York City. The memorial site will host Holocaust remembrance ceremonies, educational programs for students, and community gatherings that promote understanding and solidarity across generations and communities.

“This Holocaust Memorial Garden we begin to build today, is a reminder of what can happen if we forget the past. It will also serve to keep our focus on the present, while we hope for our future,” said Michael Nussbaum, chairman, Holocaust Memorial Garden. “The Memorial Garden will be a place where anyone can come to reflect and seek peace.”

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“No matter how much time passes since the evils of the Holocaust, New York City’s commitment to the pledge of ‘Never Again’ must never waver. That is why, in the face of rising tides of heinous anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial across our society, I could not be prouder to lead this effort alongside the administration and the Queens’ Jewish community in creating this critically important memorial here at Queens Borough Hall,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “The Queens Holocaust Memorial will not only pay a touching tribute to the six million innocent Jews murdered by the Nazis and the survivors who settled in our borough afterward, but it will also serve as daily inspiration for our fight to forge a future free of anti-Semitism. I thank all our city and community partners for their commitment to see this memorial through.”

“The Queens Holocaust Memorial Garden will create a lasting place of reflection and remembrance for the Jewish community in Queens. This garden will stand in honor of the six million Jews who were systematically persecuted and murdered, as well as the millions of non-Jewish civilians, soldiers, and prisoners of war who also perished across Europe,” said Melinda Katz, district attorney of Queens. “As time passes and we lose more Holocaust survivors—those who witnessed these atrocities firsthand—it becomes our collective responsibility to preserve their stories and protect the truth. I thank Mayor Eric Adams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Memorial Garden Chairman Michael Nussbaum for their commitment in bringing this meaningful project to life. This memorial will serve as a powerful reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred to ensure that history never repeats itself.”

“This Holocaust Memorial Garden is symbolic of the times we live in. A garden shows the beauty that surrounds us, while the memorial honors the memories of those who were brutally murdered during the Holocaust. It is vital to continue to honor the memory of the Holocaust, while also providing support to the remaining 14,700 survivors who live in New York City,” said Masha Pearl, executive director of The Blue Card. “This is a beautiful creation, and we are honored to take part in this memorial. Thank you to Mayor Eric Adams and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards for making this vision a reality.”

“I have seen how education helps young people understand the world around them and recognize the dangers of prejudice and intolerance. This memorial garden will give students and families a place to learn, reflect, and confront the realities of antisemitism and other forms of hate crimes,” said Toby Stavisky, New York State senator. “Michael Nussbaum and I both began our careers as social studies teachers, and we know how important it is to reach children early. That’s why I committed $1 million in capital funding to help bring this project to life. This garden will serve as a living classroom and a reminder that understanding our history is essential to ensuring that ‘never again’ is not forgotten.”