Hochul Names Panel for Holocaust Memorial
Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed 19 educators, historians, and Jewish communal leaders to advise on a New York state Holocaust memorial in Albany.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Judaism
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Governor Kathy Hochul appointed 19 members to an advisory panel for a permanent Holocaust memorial at Empire State Plaza in Albany. The panel will help shape the memorial's design, educational goals, and commemorative elements.
Why it matters
The memorial is intended to honor six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi persecution, and to serve as an educational resource for future generations. The panel's work will determine how the state commemorates those victims and teaches about the genocide.
The 19-member panel was appointed under legislation sponsored by state senator Patricia Fahy and Assembly member Gabriella Romero and signed in December 2025. The New York State Office of General Services will provide administrative and logistical support, though the memorial's final design and completion timeline have not been announced.
The players
Kathy Hochul
Kathy Hochul is the Governor of New York who signed the memorial legislation and appointed the advisory panel.
Patricia Fahy
Patricia Fahy is a New York state senator who co-sponsored the legislation establishing the Holocaust memorial.
Gabriella Romero
Gabriella Romero is a New York State Assembly member who co-sponsored the legislation establishing the Holocaust memorial.
New York State Office of General Services
The New York State Office of General Services is the state agency providing administrative and logistical support for the memorial's development.
The details
The panel will advise the state on creating a permanent memorial at Empire State Plaza, with input on its design, educational goals, and commemorative elements. Hochul also announced $70 million in September for 290 nonprofits to fund security at organizations vulnerable to hate crimes.
Timeline
December 2025: Hochul signed the legislation establishing the memorial.
September: Hochul announced $70 million in nonprofit security grants for 290 organizations.
November 6, 2026: Hochul appointed the 19-member memorial advisory panel.
Roadmap
The December 2025 legislation that created the memorial set the state's commitment to permanent Holocaust remembrance, and the new advisory panel moves that commitment into the planning stage. The panel's appointments mark the transition from authorizing the memorial to shaping its educational and commemorative content.
For New Yorkers, the memorial will offer a permanent public place at Empire State Plaza in Albany to learn about the Holocaust and its victims. The $70 million in nonprofit security grants also means Jewish and other vulnerable community organizations may see funded protective measures.
The takeaway
Residents interested in Holocaust education can follow the advisory panel's work as it shapes the memorial's design and educational goals. Watching how the state allocates its remembrance and security funding offers insight into how New York commemorates victims of genocide.
Further reading
For related coverage, see the Judaism section on New York religious and cultural news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Heritage Florida Jewish News.
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