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NYC Philanthropist Michael Edelstein Honored at Manhattan Supreme Court Holocaust Remembrance Event

By: Fern Sidman

In an extraordinary display of remembrance and solemn reflection, the Manhattan Supreme Court building—one of New York City’s most iconic judicial landmarks—became a sacred gathering place on Thursday afternoon as over 200 people assembled under its historic rotunda for a special Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) commemoration.  The event was sponsored by the members of The Jewish Lawyers Guild and the Gender Fairness Committee of the Supreme Court, Civil Branch.

The hallowed air beneath the building’s grand dome was filled with the weight of memory and mourning, as participants paid tribute to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, as well as the countless other victims of Nazi barbarism. The sense of solemnity that blanketed the gathering was tangible, broken only by the quiet sounds of reflection and grief that echoed softly through the grand marble corridors.

An Event Steeped in Tradition and Reverence

Presiding over the ceremony was The Honorable Martin Shulman, Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, who delivered poignant welcoming remarks and served as the Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon. Justice Shulman’s deep commitment to the legal profession and to Jewish communal life made him a fitting figure to lead such a significant event.

In an interview with The Jewish Voice, Judge Shulman said, “My remarks essentially paraphrased those made by Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday in Poland. The president said, “With a broken heart, I remind us all that although after the Holocaust we vowed, ‘Never again,’ today, even as we stand here, the souls of dozens of Jews again ‘yearn within a cage,’ ‘thirsting for water and for freedom’; as 59 of our brothers and sisters are held by terrorist murderers in Gaza, in a horrific crime against humanity. The return of the hostages is a universal human imperative; and I call from here upon the entire international community to mobilize and put an end to this humanitarian crime.”

Judge Shulman added that commemorating the Holocaust and the evil that spawned it is the most effective way of challenging the rapidly escalating anti-Semitism that has taken hold of American college campuses.

As reported, Justice Shulman is a longstanding and active member of the Jewish Lawyers Guild, currently serving on its Board of Directors. His professional affiliations extend widely, including membership in the New York County Lawyers’ Association, the New York Women’s Bar Association, and the New York State Bar Association. His dedication to the judiciary and the community has been recognized through numerous honors, such as the Melvin C. Levine Award, the Benjamin N. Cardozo Award, and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Alumnus of the Year Award.

A seasoned lecturer and educator, Justice Shulman has long been a respected presence at legal conferences, bar associations, and the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program at Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School, where he serves as a faculty member.

Reflections from the Judiciary

Joining Justice Shulman in delivering readings and reflections were several distinguished members of New York’s judiciary:

Honorable Deborah A. Kaplan, who now leads the Citywide Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Initiative after an illustrious tenure overseeing major civil litigation as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge. Justice Kaplan has become a transformative figure in promoting alternative paths to conflict resolution in New York’s complex civil legal landscape.

Honorable Adam Silvera, recently appointed as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for New York City Courts in September 2024, also offered eloquent remarks. Justice Silvera now oversees the administration and operations of New York City’s vast and bustling trial courts, succeeding Justice Kaplan in that critical role. His leadership is instrumental in guiding some of the largest and busiest courts in the nation.

Honorable Suzanne J. Adams, who in October 2024 was appointed Administrative Judge for the Manhattan Civil Supreme Court, also took part in the commemoration. Justice Adams leads the day-to-day operations of one of New York State’s most active civil jurisdictions, supervising an enormous judicial workforce that includes 60 Supreme Court Justices, 285 non-uniformed court staff, 104 uniformed officers, and 121 chambers personnel.

Each of these judicial leaders brought their own unique voice and perspective to the remembrance, highlighting the shared responsibility of legal institutions in ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten and that the values of justice, humanity, and dignity endure.

Candle Lighting: A Personal Link to Tragedy and Triumph

In a powerful act of tribute, six individuals were called upon to light six candles in memory of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, along with countless others who perished at the hands of the Nazi regime.

Five of the six honored participants were relatives and descendants of Holocaust victims, each carrying with them the weight of family histories shattered by the horrors of genocide. According to the event’s program, they included Judy White, Esq., Honorable Karla Moskowitz (Ret.), Esther Blatt, Ariella Zweben, Esq., and Barbara Lissner Urbach, Esq.

Each of these individuals stood not only as representatives of their families’ legacies but also as living testaments to the resilience of a people who refused to let the memories of their loved ones vanish into the void of history.

Their quiet, reverent lighting of the memorial candles infused the rotunda with profound symbolism—each flame flickering against the marble walls represented a defiant declaration that even in the aftermath of unspeakable loss, life and memory endure.

A Survivor’s Light: Mr. Michael Edelstein

The sixth candle was lit by the only Holocaust survivor to participate in the ceremony: Mr. Michael Edelstein, a Manhattan resident now in his 90s. As he approached the candle stand, accompanied lovingly by his children Ronald and Susan, the audience erupted into thunderous, heartfelt applause.

Mr. Edelstein’s presence brought a living connection to a world that is rapidly slipping beyond the reach of direct human memory. His story, both harrowing and inspiring, is recounted in his memoir, “Live Another Day: How I Survived the Holocaust and Realized the American Dream.”

As The Manhattan Supreme Court commemoration program highlighted, Mr. Edelstein’s journey began in Skala-Podolsk, in western Ukraine, where at the age of 10, he escaped a Nazi roundup by rolling under barbed wire during Sukkot of 1942. This daring act was only the beginning of his odyssey for survival.

Six months later, he again narrowly evaded death by escaping the liquidation of the Borshchov ghetto. For more than a year, young Michael survived by hiding in forest bunkers and the ruins of buildings, until Nazi forces were finally expelled from the region in 1944.

Following liberation, Mr. Edelstein spent his adolescent years in displaced persons camps in postwar Germany, before arriving penniless in New York in 1951. Embodying the American dream he so cherishes, he built a life from nothing—serving in the U.S. Army, becoming a successful roofing contractor, and raising a family in Brooklyn. His memoir weaves together richly textured memories, often punctuated by a distinctly Yiddish humor that captures the indomitable spirit of survival and hope.

Among the many moving moments, the reflections of Ronald Edelstein, son of Michael Edelstein, offered a deeply personal insight into the enduring significance of remembrance and the urgent challenges facing the Jewish community today.

Speaking to The Jewish Voice at the conclusion of the ceremony, Ronald expressed heartfelt gratitude and admiration for the event, which honored his father’s extraordinary life journey from survival during the Holocaust to becoming a successful businessman and philanthropist in the United States.

“Today’s event was the most moving and beautiful Yom HaShoah memorial that I have ever attended,” Ronald said, his voice imbued with emotion. “The fact that the Jewish Lawyers Guild and the Gender Fairness Committee saw fit to honor my father meant the world to me and my entire family.”

For Ronald and his family, seeing Mr. Edelstein recognized not merely as a survivor, but as a symbol of resilience, dignity, and triumph over hatred, was an affirmation of the countless sacrifices and struggles that Holocaust survivors endured to rebuild their lives.

Beyond the deeply personal honor of the day, Ronald emphasized the broader purpose of his father’s testimony and the importance of events like the Yom HaShoah commemoration.

“It is my hope that my father’s experiences during the Holocaust will help to inspire a new generation of Jews to ensure that such evil never rear its ugly head again,” Ronald said.

His words reflected a crucial message that permeated the entire event: Remembrance must not be passive. It must translate into action, education, vigilance, and resilience in the face of rising hatred.

Ronald’s reflections also carried a sobering warning about the current climate of growing antisemitism. He did not shy away from confronting the uncomfortable reality that hatred against Jews, thought by some to be confined to the pages of history, is again on the rise worldwide.

“The fact is, we are living in perilous times and anti-Semitism is off the rails,” he said bluntly. “We must be constantly vigilant and dedicate ourselves to fighting this perennial hatred.”

He added that, “the memory of the six million must not only be honored; it must serve as a shield and a rallying cry against the forces of bigotry that still threaten Jewish communities today.”

El Maleh Rachamim: A Prayer for Eternal Peace.

After the final candle was lit, the assemblage participated in the collective chanting of El Maleh Rachamim—the Jewish prayer for the souls of the departed. Reverberating through the solemn rotunda, the prayer’s ancient words called upon God’s infinite mercy to grant rest and peace to the victims of the Holocaust.

“God full of Mercy,” the prayer implores, “grant perfect rest under the wings of Your Divine Presence to the souls of all the holy and pure who were slaughtered.” Recited traditionally at funerals, graveside visits, and memorial services such as Yizkor, the El Maleh Rachamim binds generations of Jewish mourners across centuries and continents in a single voice of yearning, memory, and love.

Featured Speaker: Rebbetzin Chaya Leah Walkin-Small

The highlight of the recent Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) commemoration was a deeply moving appearance by Rebbetzin Chaya Leah Walkin-Small, a Holocaust survivor whose extraordinary life journey stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

A descendant of some of Poland’s most distinguished Torah families, Rebbetzin Walkin-Small’s life was forever altered at the tender age of five. In her eloquent remarks, delivered via video from Chicago to an audience that listened with rapt attention, Rebbetzin Walkin-Small recounted her family’s perilous route: first from Poland to Vilna, then onward to Kobe, Japan, and finally to Shanghai, China. Each step of their journey, she explained, reflected the desperate plight of thousands of Jewish families, cast adrift by genocide and facing overwhelming obstacles at every turn.

In her soft yet firm voice, Rebbetzin Walkin-Small described her early days in Kobe, where, for a brief time, she experienced what she called a “relative safety.” Kobe offered a temporary haven, a place where Jewish refugees could regroup, find housing, and rebuild a semblance of normal life after the trauma of escape. Religious life was revived, children continued their studies, and a battered but determined community formed once again.

Yet even that safety proved fleeting. As the war widened and Japan’s alliance with Nazi Germany deepened, Jewish refugees in Kobe found themselves under growing suspicion and pressure. Authorities demanded that the refugees leave, and they were soon forced to seek shelter elsewhere.

Rebbetzin Walkin-Small vividly recounted the dangers of the next chapter in her young life: the desperate exodus from Japan to Shanghai. “It was a journey filled with terror,” she said, remembering how boats carrying Jewish refugees were frequently targeted and destroyed, their desperate passengers perishing at sea. The refugee ships were exposed, vulnerable to both natural dangers and the malice of war.

She spoke with quiet emotion about the miraculous fortune that allowed her and her family to survive the treacherous voyage. Against seemingly impossible odds, their vessel safely reached the shores of Shanghai, one of the few remaining cities in the world at that time willing to accept Jewish refugees without visas or papers.

The SAR High School Choir

In a performance that combined youthful energy with profound reverence, the young singers of the SAR High School Choir offered a moving musical tribute that resonated deeply with the assemblage.

Led by Rabbi Kenneth Birnbaum, a renowned choir master celebrated for his dedication to nurturing musical excellence in Jewish education, the SAR students performed a series of magnificent pieces that filled the rotunda’s marble hall with melodies of sorrow, remembrance, and hope.

Their repertoire was enriched by the accompaniment of a violinist, whose delicate and mournful strains wove around the choir’s harmonies, lending a haunting beauty to each composition. The combination of voices and strings created a powerful atmosphere, allowing the audience to feel the emotional depths of memory and longing in a visceral way.

A particular highlight of the musical portion came when a young lady soloist from the choir stepped forward. With grace and clarity, she performed a stirring solo that captivated the audience, her voice soaring through the cavernous space with a blend of youthful innocence and profound maturity.

Her solo performance served as a bridge between the historical suffering commemorated during the event and the enduring strength of the next generation—a generation entrusted with the sacred task of remembering, teaching, and ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten.

Thanking Those Who Made This Possible

In closing remarks and program acknowledgments, heartfelt thanks were extended by both The Jewish Lawyers Guild and the Gender Fairness Committee to the many individuals and institutions whose collaboration and commitment made the day’s powerful commemoration possible.

A centerpiece of the event was a special exhibition of Holocaust artifacts, made possible through the generous cooperation of the Amud Aish Memorial Museum (AAMM). These precious items, shared with attendees in the grand rotunda of the courthouse, offered an intimate glimpse into the lives of Jewish refugees who fled Nazi persecution in Europe and found a temporary haven in Shanghai during World War II.

Gratitude was especially extended to Rabbi Shalom Friedman, Director and CEO of AAMM, Eli Kleinman, Founder and President of AAMM and their dedicated staff.

Their efforts in curating and transporting these invaluable historical pieces helped to anchor the remembrance ceremony in tangible memory, reminding all who attended of the real human lives behind the statistics and stories of survival.

The program’s success also owed much to the leadership of the Jewish Lawyers Guild: Avram Turkel, Esq., President of the Guild, and Alyssa Grzesh, Esq., Vice President as both played central roles in planning and overseeing the event.

Special acknowledgment was given to the program co-chairs, Judge Martin Shulman, who also served as Master of Ceremonies, and Judge Deborah Kaplan, whose ongoing leadership in the courts and commitment to Holocaust memory has been widely recognized.

Their vision and stewardship ensured that the program maintained a tone of dignity, solemnity, and reflection appropriate for the occasion.

Also deeply involved in the success of the event were prominent members of the judiciary: Judge Adam Silvera, Judge Suzanne J. Adams, and Judge Lisa A. Sokoloff of the Supreme Court of New York County.

Their participation underscored the profound commitment of the New York State court system to honoring Holocaust survivors and their legacy.

The legal community’s contribution extended beyond the bench. Essential support came from Joan Levenson, Esq., Principal Law Clerk to Hon. Deborah Kaplan, Priva Simon, Esq., Principal Court Attorney of the Supreme Court of New York County, and Gregory Testa, Esq., Associate Court Attorney and co-chair of the Gender Fairness Committee.

Their work in coordinating logistics, managing program details, and ensuring smooth operations on the day of the event was instrumental in its seamless execution.

Additionally, the critical behind-the-scenes work of the court’s administrative team was recognized, including Peter Sorrento, Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court of New York County Civil Branch, Michelle Gonsieski and her excellent team — Naomi Ruiz, Augustine Capote, Luis Carrera, Sergio Colon, Ralph Franca, and Ahmad Jenkins.

Each played a crucial role in preparing the courthouse and managing the numerous logistical requirements that such a large-scale event demands.

In today’s world, no major public event can succeed without a reliable and skilled technology team. Special thanks were extended to Tiffany Rosa of the Supreme Court of New York County, and the exceptional technology team of Roberta Apicella, Peter May, Stephen Blomstedt, and Jason Mills.

A Legacy Preserved

As the echoes of the event faded into a profound silence, it was clear that the commemoration had achieved its most vital purpose: to bear witness, to honor the departed, and to reaffirm a collective commitment that the horrors of the past must never be forgotten.

In a building devoted to the pursuit of justice, the Holocaust Remembrance Commemoration at the Manhattan Supreme Court was a stirring reminder that memory itself is an act of justice—a living safeguard against the erasure of history and a call to conscience for all generations to come.