Woodmere plaza, street is named for Friedman

Woodsburgh resident David Friedman was recognized for his four years as the United States envoy to Israel on Tuesday, when the Town of Hempstead gave Woodmere Plaza his name and unveiled an “Ambassador David M. Friedman Way” street sign in his honor.

The co-named street is on Franklin Place.

Town Supervisor Don Clavin, Councilmen Bruce Blakeman and Anthony D’Esposito, along with local community, elected and religious leaders helped to dedicate the plaza in Friedman’s honor.

Friedman, a lifelong Five Towns resident who grew up in North Woodmere, was a key player in President Trump’s decision to move the US embassy in the Jewish State to Jerusalem in 2018. He was pivital in the Trump administration’s overall approach to Israel, which was highly favorable toward the Jewish state.

Friedman’s father was Rabbi Morris Friedman, who led Temple Hillel in North Woodmere for 33 years. The synagogue and the Friedman house hosted President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

Friedman MC’d the embassy dedication in Jerusalem that featured speeches by presidential adviser Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

At the dedication, Friedman said, “On this exact day 70 years ago, at almost this exact time, David Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence.”

On Friedman’s departure from Israel at the conclusion of Trump’s term, Netanyahu praised the Long Islander.

“There was never a better ambassador than David Friedman in establishing the deep ties between Israel and the US; in correcting the diplomatic injustices that were created over the years in global diplomacy regarding Israel, and in establishing the status of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and many other things some of which have yet to be told,” he said.