Poynter reports that the late Ed Koch will be buried at Trinity Church Cemetery with a grave marker inscribed with the brave last words of Daniel Pearl, the journalist kidnapped and beheaded by jihadists in 2002.
This @Poynter headline gives me chills: "Ed Koch’s grave marker is inscribed with journalist Daniel Pearl’s last words" http://t.co/sZSHCStI
— Nina L. Diamond (@ninatypewriter) February 1, 2013
The former New York City mayor’s headstone was placed in 2009 and reads, “My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish.”
https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/297343688672161792
Koch wanting last words of Daniel Pearl on tombstone brings me to tears. Pearl's simple statement/declaration of faith incredibly powerful
— Lisa Fingeroot (@LisaFingeroot) February 1, 2013
Koch wrote about “what’s on my tombstone, and why” in 2011:
On my tombstone, which awaits me at the Trinity Church nondenominational cemetery at 155th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, I had inscribed the last words of Daniel Pearl — uttered at his publicly viewed murder — which were, “My father is Jewish. My mother is Jewish. I am Jewish.” I believe those words should be part of the annual services on the Jewish High Holiday of Yom Kippur, and should be repeated by the congregants.
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More at Poynter, including an excerpt of a 2008 interview with Koch about the grave marker.
Update:
Koch died on the eleventh anniversary of Daniel Pearl’s murder.
Father Jewish, Mother Jewish, I am Jewish, #NY Mayor Ed Koch gravestone, Daniel Pearls Last words, Both died Feb 1st http://t.co/dPlgTVFl
— Raphael Gluck (@einfal) February 1, 2013
Mayor Ed Koch, whose tombstone is engraved with final words of slain @WSJ reporter Daniel Pearl, died Feb.1, same day Pearl did, 11yrs ago!
— Swapna Venugopal (@SwapnaVenugopal) February 1, 2013
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