In a joint initiative by the Office of the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, the North America Delegation, the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, and the Jewish Agency for Israel, a first-of-its-kind ceremony was held in New York to honor Jews who were murdered in antisemitic attacks outside the State of Israel.
The ceremony was attended by WZO Chairman Yaakov Hagoel, Minister of Diaspora Affairs Ofir Akunis, Israel’s Consul General in New York, the Jewish Agency’s North America Head of Delegation Gal Atia, and Avraham Moses, Chairman of the Organization for Victims of Hostile Acts.
Michal Cababia, Representative of the WZO Executive, opened the event by emphasizing the profound significance of the moment and the historic need for official recognition of Jews who were murdered simply for being Jewish. I noted that this marks a groundbreaking decision by the Government of Israel, initiated by the Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, to recognize victims of antisemitic attacks in the Diaspora as victims of hostile acts.
During the ceremony, official certificates of recognition were presented to two families: the Halberstam family, in memory of their son Ari Halberstam—a 16-year-old yeshiva student murdered in an antisemitic shooting attack in the heart of New York City in 1994; and the Klinghoffer family, in memory of Leon Klinghoffer—a 69-year-old Jewish-American man murdered in an antisemitic hijacking aboard the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985.
Attendees heard moving words of remembrance from family representatives, who shared personal memories and gave voice to the stories of their loved ones who were murdered.
