The Honor of Co-named Streets
Abe Lebewohl Park
People have been honored here in New York with co-naming of streets or places for them. Look for the special green signs below the other street signs and check out nycstreets.info/honorstreet
The Abe Lebewohl Park is the co-name for the present St. Mark’s Park at the corner of East 10th St. and Second Ave. St. Mark’s Church is in the background. The large tree on the right used to be at the curb of Stuyvesant Street, a diagonal lane that was part of Manhattan’s original colonial layout. When combined with Astor Place, it ran diagonally from Broadway to the eastern edge of Stuyvesant’s farm or bowery, until the 1811 street grid was superimposed over most of Manhattan above Houston Street. The block of Stuyvesant Street east of East 10th Street was already well developed in 1811, so it was spared. However, the street created a triangular space in front of the church, which no longer fit the grid pattern, so it was made into a park. Photo credit: Brian J. Pape, AIA.
The Honoree is Abe Lebewohl (1931-1996), born in Ukraine, who came to the US (Williamsburg, with his parents and brother) in 1950 after surviving World War II and years in a displaced-persons camp. In 1954, after working at a Coney Island deli, he opened a delicatessen at Second Avenue and 10th Street. He later moved to the Lower East Side and was unofficially called the “Mayor of Second Avenue.” In 1958, Abe married the love of his life, Eleanor, and they had two daughters, Sharon and Felicia.
Known for both his generosity and good food, Abe’s 2nd Avenue Deli attracted the rich and the poor, the unknown and the famous. It was patronized by actors and patrons of the Yiddish Theatre in its waning days, and later become a popular East Village dining spot. Muhammad Ali, Joe DiMaggio, Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Joan Rivers, Molly Picon and Fyvush Finkel were among his customers. The eatery is still famous for its pastrami sandwiches and matzoh ball soup.
Abe’s brother Jack said, “We provide livelihoods for numerous people (employees). We provide food for our customers who also get a certain spiritual enrichment by eating in the restaurant.”
Abe had a gregarious and altruistic nature. If a homeless person on the street was hungry, Abe made sure they ate. Once, a new employee needed money so he and his wife could afford to adopt their child. Abe’s daughter Sharon said, “Without hesitation, Dad gave his employee the money and never asked for a penny back. The guy said to my father, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give you this money back,’ and Dad said, ‘You’ll give it back to me by being a good father.’ ”
Tom Birchard, who ran Veselka, the nearby Ukrainian restaurant, said, “Abe was a role model in many ways. He used to say, ‘The more successful businesses around me, the better for me. It brings people to the neighborhood. It’s good for all of us.’ It was Abe’s mentorship and guidance that helped Veselka succeed. He was always generous with his time and his advice with me.”
On March 4, 1996, just before 9 a.m., Abe drove to NatWest Bank located six blocks from the deli. Police say Abe was sitting in his van before entering the bank when he was shot three times. The $12,000 that he was going to deposit was taken, as well as his wallet. “His funeral was one of the most memorable, impactful funerals I’ve ever been to,” Birchard said. “It was literally a turn-away crowd.”
Abe’s family has continued running his business, now in the hands of Jack’s sons, Josh and Jeremy. Thirty years later, the case is still unsolved and his family is still seeking answers. “I know that the detectives feel personally connected to this. I know that even today they’re working on it,” said Sharon.
Anyone with information on the murder of Abe Lebewohl is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or visit crimestoppers.nypdonline.org.
Sources include: Inside Edition
