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Members of New York City’s Jewish and Muslim communities gathered in Brooklyn on Wednesday afternoon for a unique interfaith forum commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which this year marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.
The event was hosted by Pakistani-American community leader Raja Azad Gul, in partnership with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
“I stand with my Jewish brothers always, everywhere,” Gul told the audience. “Whatever happens, we are united.”
Muslim and Jewish community coming together to remember the horrific holocaust 80 years ago on this Holocaust remembrance Day. We cannot let anything divide us we must unite against hate we must stand united as we have always done. We are in the best city in the world #OneNewYork pic.twitter.com/mpszrhUsal
— Raja Azad Gul (@RajaAzadGul) January 29, 2025
The speakers lineup featured Holocaust survivor Dolly Rabinowitz, CAM Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz, Deputy CEO of the International March of the Living and CAM Senior Advisor Revital Yakin Krakovsky, Rabbi Eric Greenberg, Brooklyn Jewish leader Dovi Zeitlin, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Deputy Chief Richie Taylor, NYPD Assistant Chief Charles McEvoy, NYPD Inspector Adeel Rana, and community activist Devorah Halberstam, whose 16-year-old son Ari was murdered in the 1994 Brooklyn Bridge terrorist attack.
“The memory of the Holocaust reminds us that the seeds of hatred must be confronted wherever they appear,” Katz — who presented Gul with CAM’s Community Excellence Award — said. “This is why interfaith events like this one are so important. They remind us that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. When people of different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds come together, we create a powerful counter-force to hate. True leadership brings people together, and together, we can demonstrate that love, understanding, and respect can triumph over prejudice and division.”
Rabinowitz, a Czech-born Auschwitz survivor, recalled the horrors she endured during the Holocaust and urged the international community to support Israel’s right to self-defense in the aftermath of the October 7th massacre.
“I keep praying that the God lord will save all of us human beings from the atrocities that I went through as a young girl,” Rabinowitz said.
Yakin Krakovsky noted, “The fact that we are hosted here, by Raja Azad Gul, is not merely symbolic — it carries a powerful message of hope. It demonstrates a rejection of extremism and division by the majority who embrace peaceful coexistence.”
“We must stand united against this rising tide of hate,” she emphasized. “We must fight it together. Throughout history, despite numerous challenges, Jews and Muslims have coexisted and found compassion for one another in times of war and conflict.”
I was privileged to attend tonight’s Holocaust Remembrance event, marking the 80th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation. A powerful and moving evening to reflect on history, the resilience of survivors, and the importance of remembering. pic.twitter.com/ii4kIf49vj
— NYPD Brooklyn South (@NYPDBklynSouth) January 28, 2025
Earlier this month, CAM and the George Washington University (GWU) Program on Extremism conducted a specialized law enforcement training session for NYPD chiefs, senior officers, and other high-level municipal personnel and interfaith community leaders.
A full photo gallery from Wednesday’s event is available HERE.
