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Arts & Entertainment

Munich 11 Sculpture Unveiled at JCC

An 11K walk to raise money to feed the hungry in Rockland and Israel began after the dedication ceremony.

JCC of Rockland introduced the first Munich 11 memorial sculpture in the U.S. Sunday at the Jewish Community Campus in West Nyack.  The Munich 11 stands for the 11 Israeli athletes who were killed in terrorist attacks at the 1972 Munich Olympics. 

An 11K walk to raise money for the hungry in Rockland and Israel followed the unveiling.  Approximately 500 people attended.

“We’ve gotten a lot of support from all the local synagogues and schools and a lot of our partner organizations," said JCC Maccabi Director Eric Lightman.  “It’s really great to see everyone kind of coming together as one community in unity to show that they support this good cause.” 

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The unveiling of the sculpture was part of a series of 11 events that will eventually culminate with JCC of Rockland hosting the 2012 Maccabi Games, an occasion that brings Jewish athletes from around the world together.

“There were 11 events that we scheduled a year ago - one for each of the 11 athletes- leading up to the games,” said Barry Kantrowitz, a co-chair of the Maccabi Games.  “The unveiling of the memorial was number four; the walk was number five.  And number six is November 5, called Rock the Games 2.  11 will be the opening ceremony [for the Maccabi Games].”

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Rabbi Paula Mack Drill, Jewish Federation of Rockland County President Nat Wasserstein, Active International VP Joe Allen, and former NFL Quarterback Jay Fieldler spoke at a donor luncheon at noon.  Ankie Spitzer, the wife of fallen Munich 11 athlete Andre Spitzer, also spoke to the crowd through a video message.  She currently resides in Israel, and she visited Rockland County last year. 

After the luncheon, the crowd gathered around the new sculpture on the front lawn of the campus.  Dr. Ben Berger, the father of fallen Munich 11 weightlifter David Berger, attended the event with his family. 

“I think it’s a good thing to keep the idea of the 11 people alive,” he said.  “Not a memorial necessarily to the 11, but maybe as a stepping stone, between their lives and other countries, of peace - a peace stepping stone between countries.” 

Berger spoke to the assembled crowd outside.  The sculpture was donated by Ilse and John Lang, Bonnie and Alan Elkin, and Ellen and Arthur Wagner.  John Lang, Alan Elkin, and Arthur Wagner addressed the crowd, as did retired Israeli Brigadier General Yehuda Halevy.  Eric David Laxman, who sculpted the statue, introduced the work of art.  The sculpture by Eric David Laxman is of an abstract flame; surrounding the base of the flame are the names of the Munich 11.        

The 11K walk started immediately after the sculpture unveiling.  The proceeds of the walk will go to People to People, Jewish Family Services, and Relief and Rescue: Food Packages for Israel’s Youth at Risk through the Jewish Federation of Rockland County.

“One of the important things for me was raising the consciousness for the issue of hunger in the community,” said the CEO of JCC of Rockland David Kirschtel. 

All participants of the walk received t-shirts and goody bags with 11 biographical cards, each displaying one of the Munich 11 on them.  They also received Minute of Silence bracelets.  The families of the Munich 11 have been asking for a minute of silence at the Olympics but have been turned down since 1972.   

“All we ask for is a moment of silence for peace between countries,” Berger said.  “We don’t ask for a moment of silence in memory of the Munich 11.  And they always turn us down with the same excuse - that the Olympics are not a political thing.” 

Kirschtel said Sunday was the 39th anniversary of the Munich 11 tragedy according the Hebrew calendar.  Sunday’s events corresponded to the Hebrew date of the Munich 11 events: September 5.        

“In Israel today, there are memorials every year,” he said.  “There are memorials that take place on the Hebrew calendar date.  I’m good friends with Ankie Spitzer.  They’re having several memorials in Israel today.”    

Kirschtel said the JCC of Rockland has dedicated its JCC Maccabi Games to the memory of the Munich 11. 

“For us, it really is about that dedication and remembering, and so the sculpture again to me is a permanent fixture now on our campus," he said.  “It’s one thing to have a walk, it’s one thing if you have an event.  But those things come and go.  Sculptures are permanent.”

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