WHAT: Commissioner Rodney Ellis will announce a new pedestrian bridge in Meyerland to be named after the late Rabbi Samuel Karff. The event will feature Commissioner Ellis, Houston Parks Board President and CEO Beth White, Rabbi Karff’s daughters and other stakeholders who made the bridge possible. The Rabbi Samuel Karff Bridge – a 634-linear-foot, pedestrian-bike bridge that will span Brays Bayou from North Braeswood to South Braeswood boulevards – will expand recreational opportunities by improving the connection between surrounding communities and the Brays Bayou Greenway. It will also provide a safe route for students to walk or bike to schools and improve access to nearby parks, libraries, and businesses. The project also includes constructing approximately 428 linear feet of concrete trail section. Rabbi Karff, who served as the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel from 1975 to 1999, was a strong advocate for civil rights, social justice and equality. He passed away on Aug. 15, 2020.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 10 a.m.
WHO: Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Liz Karff Seitz, Rabbi Karff’s daughter
Beth White, President & CEO, Houston Parks Board
J. Kent Friedman, Chairman, Harris-Houston Sports Authority
State Rep. Ann Johnson, District 134
Dr. Milton Rahman, Harris County Engineer
WHERE: 5 Lookout Court, Houston, 77025
LIVE STREAM: youtube.com/@CommissionerRodneyEllis/streams
The late Rabbi Samuel Karff’s daughters will help celebrate the naming of a pedestrian-bike bridge after their father during an event on April 9 hosted by Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Houston Parks Board President and CEO Beth White.
Attending the event will be Amy Karff Halevy, Elizabeth Karff Seitz and Rachel Karff Weissenstein – daughters of Rabbi Karff, who was a strong advocate for civil rights, social justice and equality.
“Our father, Rabbi Samuel Karff, devoted his life to building bridges—bridges that connect hearts and minds across the divides of race, religion, and ideology,” the Karff daughters said in a statement. “Through his work with the Three Amigos, his social action partnership with Reverend Bill Lawson and the late Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, our father tirelessly worked toward fostering unity, nurturing compassion, and deepening understanding among all people.
“It fills us with profound pride that Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who knew and worked with our dear father, is commemorating our father's enduring legacy by dedicating this beautiful pedestrian bridge in his name. This bridge will serve as a lasting symbol of our father's vision, connecting communities and bringing together individuals from all walks of life.”
Commissioner Ellis said he’s honored to commemorate Rabbi Karff’s enduring legacy by dedicating this beautiful pedestrian bridge in his name.
“The late Rabbi Samuel Egal Karff dedicated his life to fostering understanding, unity, and justice while faithfully serving Congregation Beth Israel—the oldest Jewish congregation in Houston,” Commissioner Ellis said. “It is our profound honor to dedicate this pedestrian bridge in his memory—a bridge that symbolizes the connections he tirelessly worked to build across communities.”
Said White with Houston Parks Board: “By investing in projects that connect neighborhoods, parks, and greenspaces, we continue to make progress toward a more accessible and equitable county. The dedication of the Rabbi Karff Bridge is a poignant symbol of this mission in action, bridging not just distances but also connecting communities and enhancing the Bayou Greenways system.”
Construction of the 634-linear-foot bridge, which will span Brays Bayou from North Braeswood to South Braeswood boulevards, started in January. It’s expected to be completed in the fall.
The Rabbi Karff Bridge will expand recreational opportunities by improving the connection between surrounding communities and the Brays Bayou Greenway, a linear hike-and-bike trail along the majority of Brays Bayou between the Ship Channel and northern Fort Bend County. Brays Bayou Greenway is part of Bayou Greenways, which consists of 150 miles of trails and 3,000 acres of green space along Houston’s bayous.
The bridge, which will be maintained by Houston Parks Board, will create safer opportunities for students to walk or bike to neighborhood schools as well as improve access to nearby parks, libraries and businesses. The project also includes approximately 428 linear feet of concrete trail section.
Commissioner Ellis said parks, trails and green spaces improve community health, build social connections and expand environmental safeguards.
“My office has prioritized expanding equitable access to green space and trails for all communities,” Commissioner Ellis said. “This project is one more critical piece of connecting this vast city with quality green space and accessible trails.”