Margaret Tietz acquires lobby Holocaust mural

Jamaica’s Margaret Tietz Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, originally an institution for Holocaust survivors which now serves people of all faiths, has acquired a Holocaust mural in an effort to attract more Orthodox Jewish residents.
On Wednesday, July 2, the center celebrated the dedication of this six-by-seven-foot lobby mural with Kosher pasta and pastries.
The creator of the artwork, Michoel Muchnik, explained that the image depicts the path of the Jewish people from persecution - a black patch in the mural’s lower left corner – to freedom - the hills, arches and domes of Jerusalem, painted in yellow and orange.
The upper left half of the artwork features an encased Torah scroll written in 1901 for the Jewish community of Votice, Czechoslovakia, which was later exterminated by the Nazis. In 1984, Margaret Tietz acquired the sacred scroll, of great significance for Jewish people, but was unable to display it at a prominent place until now, explained Gerald Hart, the center’s executive director.
“Everybody has long known that Margaret Tietz is a house of God - now it makes it official,” said Councilmember James Gennaro. “I couldn’t think of a better addition to the world of Tietz.”
Another component of the center’s effort to appeal to Orthodox Jews is a Kosher kitchen, which opened in May, said Hart.
Margaret Tietz is reaching out to Orthodox Jews because “it is an underserved community,” said Hart, explaining that only three facilities in Queens serve Kosher food.
Founded in 1971, this 200-bed center is also a member of the NYU Rusk Rehabilitation Network. It is located in Jamaica Hills, on 164-11 Chapin Parkway.