Holocaust Hero Commemorated In Parsippany 80 Years After His Disappearance

PARSIPPANY, NJ — County officials, local church leaders, and municipal officeholders came out in Parsippany this weekend to commemorate a hero of the Holocaust.

Officials commemorated the 80th anniversary of the disappearance of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat whose actions saved the lives of more than 100,000 Jews during World War II.

County Commissioner John Krickus joined Mayor James Barberio, local clergy, representatives of the Swedish Consulate, and members of the Jewish and Swedish American communities gathered around Smith Field Park’s Wallenberg sculpture on Sunday to honor the hero.

“This is more than a day of remembrance; it is a powerful reminder that we must stand up against antisemitism, hatred and intolerance. One person with integrity and courage can make a difference, even in the darkest times,” said Barberio, who presented a proclamation recognizing the 80th anniversary of Wallenberg’s disappearance.

The “Courage and Compassion: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg” program was sponsored by the Adath Shalom Synagogue, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, the Parsippany Interfaith Council and the Morris County Human Relations Commission.

The program featured speeches from clergy leaders, musical tributes, prayers, and more.

In addition, Rabbi Moshe Rudin of Adath Shalom and the Morris County Human Relations Commission presented the 2025 Wallenberg Scholarships to this year’s recipients: Gabriella Albano of Parsippany Hills High School and Emma Gonzalez of Parsippany High School.

Eleven white roses were placed at the base of the Wallenberg sculpture at the end of the program, each representing one million of the eleven million lives lost during the Holocaust.

About Wallenberg

Wallenberg was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on Aug. 4, 1912, and worked as an architect and businessman before being recruited by the U.S. War Refugee Board in 1944 to aid Jews persecuted by the Nazis.

The diplomat issued "protective passports," or as Germans called them, "Schutz-Passe" to thousands of Hungarian Jews, saving them from deportation to the Auschwitz death camps.

Wallenberg also established soup kitchens, nurseries, hospitals, and safe houses, and helped create the “International Ghetto” to provide shelter and protection.

In just one year with the U.S. War Refugee Board, Wallenberg had saved more than 100,000 Jews from persecution and helped another 50,000 emigrate to safer countries.

In January 1945, Wallenberg was accused of espionage and arrested by the Soviet Union. He was never heard from again.

According to the Architect of the Capitol, Soviet officials requested a report on the fate of Wallenberg in 1956. The report said he had died of a heart attack in 1947.

“Wallenberg’s legacy continues to inspire humanitarian efforts worldwide and remains a powerful example of the impact one individual can have in the face of evil,” a Morris County statement read.