This past Wednesday, November 29th at The Bronx Museum of The Arts, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr, along with The Bronx Jewish Historical Initiative, celebrated the induction of this year’s honorees to the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame.
“The Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame showcases people who have made extraordinary contributions not just within the community but also throughout our great borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Diaz further added, “I want to thank this year’s class, folks from all walks of life from sports to finance to public service, for all that they have done for The Bronx and beyond.”
This year’s honors went to WPIX-TV anchor Marvin Scott, former New York Yankee Ron Blomberg, famed architect Daniel Liebeskind, former New York City Councilwoman June Eisland, playwright Miriam Hoffman, illustrator and designer Joel Iskowitz, Executive Vice President & CEO for the Jewish Community Relations Council Michael S. Miller, and Bernstein Global Wealth Management’s Jeffrey Wiesenfeld.
Many don’t associate the Jewish community with The Bronx but our borough was once home to the largest Jewish population in NYC. To this day there isn’t a borough that comes anywhere close to the historic high of when our borough was called “the Jewish Borough” with 49% of the population of Jewish decent in 1930.
In the South Bronx, the number was closer to 60% and it’s not uncommon today to see many former synagogues throughout our borough now converted to Christian churches of various denominations.
Mazel tov to all the honorees!
