'Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising' moves to Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County
“Today, we remember the millions who perished, and all who suffered, fought back, and refused to surrender their humanity during the Holocaust. They left us a legacy and a charge — to refuse silence, to stand up for every person whose freedom is under threat, and to build, together, the just and beautiful world they fought and died for. That responsibility is now all of ours to carry. And this sculpture, standing here is a daily reminder on whose shoulders we stand.
Mir zaynen do. We are here. May their memories be for a blessing.”
– From Ann Toback’s Unveiling Remarks
Photo credit: Stephanie Fischetti
"For the Workers Circle, remembrance has never been something you observe. It has always been a mandate for action."
– Ann Toback, CEO
In 1976, the Workers Circle, a Jewish social justice organization, commissioned a sculpture, “Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising," as the first such monument in New York City. It was displayed in its New York City headquarters until 2011 when the Workers Circle moved to smaller offices. The sculpture was then kept safe in storage until the proper home could be found for it.
The roughly 8-foot bronze tableau, created by the Polish Holocaust survivor Natan Rapoport, depicts four figures protecting a child and fighting back with a menorah, a pistol and Molotov cocktails in their hands. Rapoport sculpted similar monuments that can be found on the street in Warsaw where the uprising began and in Israel’s National Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.
“Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising” will now reside in the garden of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County where thousands of visitors will encounter it, reflect, and be inspired to take action.
