Crowley Discusses Efforts to Address Holocaust-Era Property Restitution
Rep. Crowley is joined by Holocaust survivors Clara Ulman (left) and Essie Shor at Bronx House.
On Friday December 4, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, met with seniors from Self Help’s Holocaust Survivor Program at Bronx House to recognize them for their courage and extraordinary personal experiences. Crowley presented congressional citations to more than two dozen survivors from the program.
“We are honored to have so many survivors still with us, and in our community, who have shared their powerful testimonies of one of the most horrific tragedies of our time,” said Rep. Crowley. “Their stories are ones of courage and hope, and it’s critical that we do all we can to share those stories with future generations.”
At the event, Crowley also spoke about his efforts to secure the return of assets stolen from Jewish families during the Holocaust.
In July, Crowley, along with Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Leonard Lance (R-NJ), led a bipartisan group of legislators in calling on the U.S. Department of State to take additional steps to address Holocaust-era property restitution. In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, the legislators urged him to review which countries have not complied with their promises to return Holocaust Era stolen property.
“Several decades removed from the horrors of the Holocaust, a substantial amount of Jewish-owned property still hasn’t been returned to their rightful owners, nor have they been compensated,” Crowley continued. “It’s important that we do what we can to ensure European governments are keeping their word.”
Congressman Crowley is the nine-term representative from the 14th Congressional District of New York, which includes sections of Queens and the Bronx. He is a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and serves as Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives.
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