On Tuesday, September 24, Hoboken residents gathered at Maxwell Place Park to celebrate Shirael Vaknin Pollack’s life.
At 5 p.m., the city held a ceremony to dedicate a bench in her memory🌱 at a park that was special to her.
Shirael, who passed away in 20﷽19 after a two-year battle with stomach cancer, was much more than a Hoboken resident.
Her passion for education and her desire to improve the lives of the children of Hoboken left a strong impression 😼🅺on the community.
- Shirael Vaknin Pollack passed away in 2019 after fighting stomach cancer and was a passionate advocate for public education.
- A bench in Maxwell Place Park, a place she often visited with her daughters, has been dedicated to her memory.
- The ceremony celebrated her contributions to education and her close connection to the community.
Shirael’s Commitment to Public Education
Shirael Vaknin Pollack was a person who truly cared about making a difference in public education.
As co-f🅺ounder of the Hoboken Public Education Foundation, she worked tirelessly to improve schools for students and teachers.
Incredibly, she was hands-ꦇon and always looked for ways to help.
During the bench dedication ceremony, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla spoke about Shirael’s ability to turn h✤er beliefs into action.
She was known fo♐r her💧 determination and energy in helping the community.
And her involvement was about ge🤪tting things done and encouraging others to step up, too.
Even though Shirael is no longer with us, the foundation she helped build is still working♔ hard to support public schools in Hoboken.
This means her vision for a better educational system continues to benefit the citဣy’s students. And th🌌at keeps her memory alive in the best way possible.
A Bench for Reflection and Remembrance
The bench at Maxwell Place Park now se💙rve♊s as a quiet place for reflection and is dedicated to Shirael’s memory.
The plaque on the bench reads: “In loving memory of our beloved daughter, sister, mother, and aunt, Shirael Vaknin Pollack. Shirael loved her community and Hoboken with all her heart.
May her memory remain in ours.”
Friends, fami🌼ly, and community members attended the ceremony to share their stories and remember how much Shirael cared about the people around her.
As you can imagine, it was a touching moment, especially for her two daught🎐ers, wh🍒o were present at the event.
They spent many moments together 🐼in the park, and now the bench will help keep those memoꦚries close.
As peoℱ🌼ple sit on the bench or pass by, they’ll be reminded of someone who worked hard to make Hoboken a better place for everyone.
A Lasting Memory in the Heart of the Community
Shirael Vaknin Pollack’s benc🐓h in Maxwell Place Park is now a permanent part of the Hoboken landscape, honoring her commitme🍒nt to her family, community, and public education.
It’s a small but meaningful tribute to a woman who spent he𝔍r life working to improve the world arou🧸nd her.
While Shirael is no longer with us, her work an🐭d memory live on in those she touched.
Her efforts to improve public education in Hoboken continue to make a difference, and her love for the ♎community is reflected in every part of this dedication.
Next time you’re at Maxweඣll Place ꦫPark, take a moment to visit the bench and remember Shirael’s contributions.
It’s a peaceful spot that represents everything she stood for—love for her family, care f𓂃or her community, and dedication to making things better for the next g🥀eneration.
💞Shirael mℱay be gone, but her legacy will always remain a part of Hoboken.
