NYC Council renames Holocaust Survivors Initiative in honor of Elie Wiesel

The New York City Council has renamed its $2.5-million program to provide Holocaust survivors living at or below the federal poverty line with a wide range of services as the “Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivors Initiative” in honor of Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, who passed away last month.

“As one of the world’s most prominent Holocaust survivors, Elie Wiesel channeled the pain of his experiences to speak out against genocide, champion for human rights and promote basic human dignity,” Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said in a statement after meeting with the Wiesel family in New York on Thursday. “The Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivors Initiative will ensure New York City’s Holocaust survivors can live their lives out in dignity and is a fitting tribute to a man whose extraordinary grace in the face of inconceivable anguish is a testament to the endurance and triumph of the human spirit.”

The City Council pledged to invest $2.5 million into the program in the FY2017 budget. The program was