Touro hosts lecture on recovering stolen Jewish art
Lawyer Mel Urbach gives the Touro College and University System’s Presidential Lecture, “Recovering Nazi Looted Art: The Last Prisoners of the Shoah,” in observance of Yom Hashoah on May 4 at 7:30 p.m. The talk will be at the Lander College for Men, 75-31 150th St., in Flushing. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.
Mr. Urbach devotes his legal practice to helping Holocaust victims recover artifacts stolen during the years of Nazi terror, using a combination of international law, arbitration, mediation, and dispute-resolution techniques. He represents World War II victims and during the last two decades he has participated actively in recovering several billion dollars for his clients. He also has recovered stolen artwork and artifacts, which include porcelain collections and Judaica.
Dr. Alan Kadish of Teaneck, president and CEO of Touro College, said that returning the artwork goes beyond the responsibility to reclaim stolen property. “As the number of living Holocaust survivors dwindles, it is ever more important to protect the legacy of its victims,” Dr. Kadish said. “Mr. Urbach points us toward a path of continued advocacy for our people and its history. We must be active in the present in order to honor our past and ensure our future.”
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