Hy Genee was President and Spiritual Leader of Kehila Kedosha Janina in New York for fifty years.
Hy was born on April 27, 1922 on the Lower East Side of New York on Orchard Street to Morris (Behoraki) Genee and Fani Genee, both from Ioannina. Hy lived his entire life within the confines of the Lower East Side. It was a world that defined him and a world he was proud to be a part of. He worked as a tailor to support his family, but was always educating himself about the world, his religion and his culture, not for self-gratification but as a means of educating others. Whatever he did, whether it was making a pair of pants or leading our congregation, he did with pride and joy of knowing who you are, where you came from and where you are going.
Hy kept Kehila Kedosha Janina alive for over fifty years, serving as both President and Spiritual Leader, and conducted the services in the beloved Romaniote tradition. As a leader of the Kehila Kedosha Janina, Hy saw the synagogue/museum become a designated New York City historical landmark. He loved being part of the Greek Jewish world, which brought with it a vibrancy to the Lower East Side that cannot be found anywhere else. There was not a person who met Hy who was not touched by him.
Hy’s passing on February 13, 2006 was a loss for the entire Romaniote community. On October 16, 2016, after six months of community outreach and approvals, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio officially co-named Broome Street “Hy Genee Way” in honor of all that Hy contributed to our community and to New York City.
You can read more about Hy’s leadership and legacy at Kehila Kedosha Janina in the Romaniote Newsletter published after his passing here.