Shalom!
We are all saddened to learn of the passing of former New York Mayor Ed Koch. We join our fellow New Yorkers in honoring his memory with a special edition of Israel Line.
Mr. Mayor, this one’s for you.
Israel Saddened by Passing of Ed Koch
Earlier today, February 1st, 2013, the Consulate General of Israel in New York released the following statement:
“This morning we lost a great friend, one who stood not only by the Jewish people and the State of Israel, but also by humanity. The Consulate General of Israel in New York was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend, Ed Koch. History will remember Ed Koch as one of its greatest leaders, who epitomized everything that we love about the world’s greatest city. He was always outspoken, true to his word and a staunch defender of human rights. The ties between New York and Israel, between the United States and Israel, are as strong as they are today because of towering figures such as Ed Koch.”
Take a Stroll Down Ed Koch Street in Tel Aviv!
Wall Street Journal
Ed Koch thought about his final resting place, famously worrying that his body might end up somewhere besides Manhattan. He also weighed with great care the inscription on his headstone, which was placed at Manhattan’s Trinity Church Cemetery in 2009.The grave marker is inscribed with words spoken by Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl before he was killed by militants in Pakistan:
“My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish.”
The former three-term mayor of New York, who died Friday, explained the selection in a 2012 interview with the Journal. “Well, that’s me, too,” he said of Mr. Pearl’s last words.
“I think that statement is as important as the most holy of all statements in Jewish ritual,” Koch said. “I think that every Saturday, we ought to say, ‘My father’s a Jew, my mother was a Jew, and I’m a Jew,’ with great pride.