(Five Towns Jewish Times)

This week, President Donald Trump appointed Marty Oliner, the former three-term mayor of Lawrence, NY, to the United States Holocaust Museum Commission.

Marty Oliner was born in the Landsberg displaced persons (DP) camp, which was located near Munich, in the American zone. His family immigrated to the United States shortly after the war and settled in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where Marty attended YeshivaChaim Berlin.  Afterward, Marty attended BTA and was the first member of his family to graduate high school, attended law school, developed a successful law practice.  Healso entered the business world and is a well-known philanthropist.

The Council, which meets twice a year, consists of 55 members appointed by the president, as well as five members each from the Senate and House of Representatives and three ex-officio members from the Departments of Education, Interior, and State. Presidential appointments serve for a five-year term.

Marty is singularly dedicated to developing the ties and relationships between the United States and the only democracy in the middle – east, the state of Israel.   Mr. Oliner is the co-president of Religious Zionists of America, Chairman of the Israel Bonds, New York Region, Member of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, Committee Member of the Jewish Agency, and Chairman of the Center for Righteousness and Integrity.

Mr. Oliner served as one of six member of the Executive Board of Touro College with Dr. Bernard Lander.  He has been a trustee of Touro for over thirty years.   He is the former president of Shaaray Tefila in Lawrence.

Mr. Oliner is married to Reva, they have three children and nine grandchildren.

“The goal is to educate both Americans and American Jews about the horrors of the holocaust,”  remarked Mr. Oliner.  “European fascism and anti-Semitism are growing at an alarming rate – driving thousands of Jews out of their homes to seek sanctuary in the United States and in Israel.  As a member of the board of the US Holocaust Museum and as a child of Holocaust survivors, I need to spread the idea of “Never Forget.”