[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO HOWARD RUBENSTEIN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2001

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me today in 
paying tribute to the extraordinary talent and civic contributions of 
Howard J. Rubenstein, who will be honored on Sunday at the Fifth Annual 
Heritage Dinner of the Museum of Jewish Heritage--A Living Memorial to 
the Holocaust.
  Mr. Speaker, Howard Rubenstein was dubbed by Newsweek Magazine as the 
``Dean of Damage Control.'' That praise is indeed appropriate because 
Howard is one of America's foremost public relations consultants. A Phi 
Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he later 
finished first in his class in the night school division at St. John's 
University School of Law, and later was awarded an honorary doctor of 
law degree from the University. Howard founded his public relations 
agency in 1954 and ran it from his parents' kitchen table until his 
mother refused to answer the family phone, ``Rubenstein and 
Associates.'' Today his firm is one of the nation's largest and best-
known independent public relations agencies with a staff of more than 
190 people.
  Mr. Speaker, the Museum of Jewish Heritage--a Living Memorial to the 
Holocaust, opened to the public in 1997. Overlooking the Statue of 
Liberty and Ellis Island, its mission is to educate people of all ages 
and backgrounds about the 20th century Jewish experience before, during 
and after the Holocaust. The Museum contains more than 2,000 
photographs, 800 artifacts, and 24 original documentary films. The 
Museum's core exhibition combines archival material with modern media 
to provide a thoughtful and moving chronicle of history, keeping the 
memory of the past alive and offering hope for the future.
  Howard Rubenstein is being honored by the Museum of Jewish Heritage 
for his extraordinary commitment to public service. He has served as a 
member of numerous civic and philanthropic organizations, and currently 
sits on the Executive Committee of the Association for a Better New 
York. He is a trustee of the Police Athletic League, the Central Park 
Conservancy, and the Inner
  Mr. Speaker, one particular episode stands out in my reflection upon 
Howard Rubenstein's service to his community. In 1991, the Brooklyn 
community of Crown Heights exploded in a chain reaction of violence, 
riots, and ever mounting divisions between the area's African-American 
and Hasidic Jewish populations. These disputes escalated, eventually 
dividing the city and receiving national attention. Responding to a 
request for his assistance from then Mayor David Dinkins, Howard 
undertook the difficult task of diffusing the tensions between the 
African-American and Jewish communities. He organized a ``Peace 
Conference'' in Crown Heights and then planned a ``Neighbor to 
Neighbor'' event at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. There he screened the 
movie, ``The Liberators'', a film depicting the liberation of a Nazi 
concentration camp by African-American soldiers, to an audience of over 
1300 Jews and African-Americans. The showing was broadcast live on New 
York television, while simultaneously 500 ``Neighbor to Neighbor'' 
meetings were held in homes and community centers around the City. 
Howard's efforts were critical to defusing tensions as well as 
restoring civility and understanding in Crown Heights. I believe that 
this efforts speak volumes about the character and commitment of this 
outstanding man.
  Mr. Speaker, in an era when business leaders all too often fail to 
demonstrate a devotion to the needs of our society, Howard Rubenstein 
is a model for all of us to emulate. I invite my colleagues to join me 
in extending warmest congratulations and sincere appreciation to Howard 
J. Rubenstein on this special occasion.

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