📸 Cover photo: Mordy Photos 

David Einhorn was not only a survivor of the Holocaust; he was a beloved community leader who transformed his suffering into a message of hope. He spent many years speaking to students and young adults, recounting his experiences and emphasizing the importance of Holocaust education, especially for younger generations. He was a remarkable man who, even through the most trying of times, never abandoned his faith or his commitment to kindness and humanity. We are profoundly grateful to have welcomed and served David as part of the JCCGCI family. 

David was born in Romania in 1926 and grew up with his parents, three sisters, and two brothers. During the Holocaust, his family was deported to Auschwitz. His parents and siblings were tragically murdered by the Nazis, leaving David as the sole survivor of his family. Yet even amid unimaginable deprivation and danger, his courage and concern for others were already evident: he risked his own life to care for fellow prisoners and help provide them with food.

Following the war, David made his way to Israel, where he began rebuilding his life. He later moved to New York City, where he would put down roots and became a cherished presence in the local Jewish community.

David took great pride in his wonderful family, and just days prior to his passing, he was surrounded by generations of love as dozens of family members gathered to celebrate his 100th birthday. JCCGCI was privileged, together with our partners, to host a once-in-a–lifetime celebration honoring David’s life, his unwavering resilience, and his determination to uplift those around him.

His family was joined community members from all walks of life who came to celebrate this extraordinary milestone, including Holocaust survivors, community organizers, elected officials, and many others touched by his legacy.

From the moment David entered the celebration, he was greeted with cheers and applause. Many rose to their feet and gathered around him, eager to offer their congratulations. Throughout the evening, he was showered with love and admiration as family and friends rose to speak, offering moving reflections on the man who had become a beacon of hope. Again and again, their stories returned to the same remarkable truth: David refused to allow unimaginable loss to define the limits of his life. By sharing his testimony and devoting himself to others, he transformed suffering into generosity, remembrance, education, and renewal — a testament to extraordinary strength of spirit.

The evening also brought moments of formal recognition, as several elected officials presented David with citations and awards honoring his century of life and his decades of service to the Jewish community. He even received recognition from U.S. Representative Yvette Clarke, New York State Senators Simcha Felder and Bill Weber, New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, and New York State Assembly Members Michael Novakhov, Simcha Eichenstein and Kalman Yeger. David and his guests also enjoyed a personal performance from vocalist Shulem Lemmer.

The evening concluded with a powerful ceremony as the final letters of a Sefer Torah were written in David’s honor and in memory of the parents and siblings he lost in the Holocaust. At the time, it was a deeply meaningful way to honor David and his extraordinary life and legacy. In retrospect, however, the moment carries even greater meaning. The completion of a Sefer Torah in David’s honor became a profound symbol of the life he had lived: a life of faith, continuity, and spiritual triumph in the face of those who had sought to destroy all three.

The Nazis had subjected David to almost unimaginable suffering and loss, but through it all, he never abandoned his faith or his values. Decades later, he continued educating young people about the Holocaust, ensuring that the world would remember both what happened and those who were lost. Now, the Torah completed in his honor stands as an enduring expression of the faith he preserved, the family and community he rebuilt, and the Jewish future that survived with him.

“David Einhorn captured the hearts of so many of us here at JCCGCI and beyond,” says Sarah Lieberman, Assistant Director of Connect2 Friendly Visiting. “Knowing David was knowing greatness. He was a connection to the strength and resilience of a generation that continues to inspire us.” 

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners who helped make this extraordinary celebration possible: Makor Care and Services Network, Nachas Health, The Claims Conference, and HEI Holocaust Education Initiative. Together, they helped create a tribute worthy of this historic milestone — one that all who attended will long remember.

The celebration was unforgettable when it took place. Following David’s passing only days later, however, it has assumed an even deeper significance. What was then a joyful celebration of an extraordinary life now also feels like a precious gift: a final opportunity for his family, friends, community, and those who served him to surround David with the love and appreciation he had inspired in so many others.

“How fortunate we were to tell him, while he could still hear it, how deeply he was loved, admired, and appreciated,” said Zehava Birman Wallace, LCSW, Director of Club 2600 Socialization for Holocaust Survivors, Holocaust Survivor Case Management, and Sunday Older Adult Center Program. “David leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured not only in the story he carried, but in the countless lives he changed simply by sharing it.” David will be deeply missed at Club 2600, where his warmth, presence, and friendship enriched our survivors and staff month after month.

David Einhorn’s life was a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. He carried the heaviest of burdens, yet transformed his suffering into compassion, education, and community-building. He rebuilt his life and created a loving family from unimaginable loss, and he spent his later years ensuring that the world would never forget what happened or the lives and families that were destroyed.

He lives on in every student who heard his testimony, every survivor he stood beside, every family member who carries forward his values, and every life he has touched. Though David is no longer with us, the light he brought into this world continues to shine through his family, his community, and all those privileged to have known him. JCCGCI will forever be grateful to have called David Einhorn one of our own. His courage, his faith, and his story will never be forgotten.

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