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Park Renaming Does Weinstein Justice
By Joseph Orovic
The Weinstein brothers had a daily ritual. Whether by climbing over the fence or sneaking through a hole, Jonathon, Peter and Jeremy found themselves on the field at Vleigh Place Playground, often playing ball into the night. Now, decades later, the park will bear their father’s name.
In memory of a life of public service, Kew Gardens Hills’ Vleigh Place Playground is now called Judge Moses Weinstein Playground.
“When you get to do a park renaming, you do it for someone who has done so much,” State Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said at the renaming ceremony. “I’m proud to be here for the renaming of the park after someone who is often called a role model.”
Judge Weinstein’s list of accomplishments is considerable: he survived the Battle of the Bulge in World War II; spent a decade in the State Assembly, from 1959 – 1969, serving as speaker in 1968; and was a trial and appellate judge of the State Supreme Court.
He also lived around the corner from the playground.
Weinstein’s family, down to his great grandchildren, came to the ceremony, and his sons couldn’t have felt prouder.
“When young people come to this park to play, it will be a culmination of everything he stood for,” Peter Weinstein said. “He truly believed in looking out for the next generation.”
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