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Boston election ballot mess raises concerns about city’s ability to handle ranked-choice voting

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1 year ago

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Boston election ballot mess raises concerns about city’s ability to handle ranked-choice voting


Boston’s failures in last week’s election have prompted concerns around whether its Election Department, now under investigation by the Secretary of State’s office, would be able to handle a “dramatic” shift to a ranked-choice voting system.

Opponents of a Council proposal that seeks to overhaul the city’s election process with a ranked-choice voting system, where voters would rank their favorite candidates, have seized onto last week’s ballot shortages as proof that Boston is not equipped to handle “sweeping changes” to its electoral system.

“Ranked-choice voting is deeply flawed and should be kept far from Boston,” MassGOP spokesman Logan Trupiano said. “Before even considering sweeping changes to our electoral process, Boston must first prove it can manage a basic election.

“Mayor Wu must be held accountable for this complete failure,” Trupiano added. “With the Secretary of State’s office right here in Boston, how could such a blunder happen? Despite 766,200 ballots printed and delivered, polling locations across the city ran out of ballots. It is absolutely unacceptable.”

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Secretary of State William Galvin launched an investigation into the Boston Election Department and is considering receivership after a series of Election Day snafus left polling places in multiple neighborhoods short on ballots, reflecting what he described as “incompetence” on the part of city elections officials.

Galvin placed the Boston Election Department under receivership in 2006, after similar ballot shortages hampered that year’s November state election, in which former Gov. Deval Patrick was elected.

The Secretary of State’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Mayor Michelle Wu last week initially blamed the ballot shortages on heavy turnout. Her office later pivoted to saying there was a “miscalculation in formulas to set ballot deliveries for precincts that would be processed ahead of Election Day.”

The city’s election failures came amid a City Council push, led by the body’s President Ruthzee Louijeune, for a switch to ranked-choice voting — a process Boston Election Department officials have already said would create operational challenges, additional costs, and prolong the amount of time it would take to count ballots on election night.

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A spokesperson for Mayor Wu said in a statement the “City of Boston Elections Commission will always carry out their charge to administer free and fair elections under the laws that define election procedures in the Commonwealth.”

“We continue to work closely with the Secretary of State’s office and to conduct our internal review to identify needed improvements for the most efficient and effective ways to ensure full access to the ballot,” the Wu spokesperson said.

Gregory Maynard, a political consultant and executive director of Boston Policy Institute, said, however, that the city’s handling of last week’s election “doesn’t bode well for Boston’s version of ranked-choice voting.”

“One of the major advantages of Cambridge, Massachusetts’ version of ranked-choice voting is that it doesn’t require a preliminary election, so the city can focus on just the November Election Day,” Maynard said. “The plan Boston is pursuing still has a preliminary and adds all this complexity to the actual ballot counting in November.”

Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said “ranked-choice voting doesn’t deliver on its promises,” and “only elects a winner by eliminating ballots.”

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“Even if Boston could hold its elections without controversy, ranked-choice voting is a bad idea,” Craney said.

Larry DiCara, an attorney and former city council president, called ranked-choice voting a “very interesting idea from very well-intentioned people who do not necessarily understand how complicated voting is for a lot of people, and how even more complicated it would be.”

“I think that it’s a great thing for highly intelligent people who can figure it out, and for people, who English is not their first language … I think it’s confusing,” DiCara said. “You’ve got to be careful when you’re running elections because people’s franchise is at stake, and the simpler we make it for people, the better.”

A request for comment from the council president, Louijeune, on whether last week’s election mishaps raised concerns about the Election Department’s ability to handle ranked-choice voting was not returned.

Louijeune put forward the proposal in June as a way to “modernize how we vote and how every vote is heard in our elections.” The Herald reported last month on a similar statewide ballot push that is underway. A prior ballot question was defeated by Massachusetts voters in a 2020 referendum.

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Some of her colleagues, however, did not shy away from weighing in.

“After last week’s failure in leadership by the Boston Election Department, it’s obvious Boston is unable to move forward with a dramatic shift to ranked-choice voting,” City Councilor Ed Flynn said. “I’m against a change from the current system to a more complicated and confusing ranked-choice voting.

“We need to refocus our efforts on neighborhood services and the delivery of basic city services, including conducting an effective Election Day operation,” Flynn added. “We also need a dramatic change in leadership at the Election Department, including the implementation of a state receiver, to ensure this failure never takes place again.”

Councilor Erin Murphy, who last week co-wrote a letter to Galvin’s office with Flynn pushing for receivership and co-sponsored a Council hearing order on “voter accessibility and election preparedness” with Louijeune, raised similar doubts.

“We’re a long way from ranked-choice voting being implemented in Boston, and my immediate focus is ensuring that every voter who wants to participate in our elections can do so without barriers,” Murphy said. “Right now, my priority is to address critical issues within our current system before we even consider introducing a major shift like ranked-choice voting, which I don’t believe the Election Department is equipped to handle at this time.”

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Boston, MA

Starting 5: Ingram wins it, Shai lifts OKC, Boston cools Detroit

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13 hours ago

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November 27, 2025

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Starting 5: Ingram wins it, Shai lifts OKC, Boston cools Detroit


Winner, winner, turkey dinner.

Brandon Ingram called game to lift Toronto to 4-0 on the second-to-last night of Emirates NBA Cup Group Play.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Feasting: OKC & Toronto extend win streaks to stay unbeaten in Cup Play

More Streaks: Boston snaps Detroit’s historic heater, Herro lifts Miami to another dub

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Setting The Stage: Three wins create three “win-and-in” Group Play finales on Friday

Roundup: Houston & Memphis pull off late rallies to cap a hectic 9-game slate

Season Of Giving: 20 years of NBA Cares and holiday support across the league

BUT FIRST.. ⏰

Friday Finale: After a day off to celebrate Thanksgiving, the NBA returns on Friday with an 11-game slate to close Emirates NBA Cup Group Play. 

That includes a Prime doubleheader as the Bucks visit the Knicks (7:30 ET), before the Lakers welcome the Mavs (10 ET).

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1. BEAST STREAKS: OKC IMPROVES TO 18-1, INGRAM CALLS GAME

The Thunder entered Wednesday not only eyeing a crucial Group Play win, but one of the best starts in NBA history.

Standing in their way: Anthony Edwards and the Wolves, eager to avenge last year’s West Finals loss and cut into OKC’s push for more hardware.

But when Minnesota made its run, the champs responded.

Thunder 113, Wolves 105 (West A): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on an MVP performance (40 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) to give OKC control, but the Wolves never went away and an Edwards 3 with 1:02 left made it a one-point game.

Twenty-four seconds later, Chet Holmgren (12 pts, 9 reb) answered with a lead-extending triple, and SGA sealed it at the line as OKC never allowed another bucket – closing on an 8-1 run to earn its 10th straight win, improving to 18-1 and 3-0 in Group Play. | Recap

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  • “We knew they were going to fight, give us a challenge,” said SGA postgame. “It took us making plays on both ends of the floor down the stretch to come out with a W – and we did so.”

All-Time Open: The Thunder are just the fifth team ever to start a season 18-1 or better and the second in three decades, joining the 2015-16 Warriors – who finished with the best record in NBA history (73-9).

  • The Other 3? The 1993-94 Rockets, ‘90-91 Blazers and the ‘69-70 Knicks. Houston and New York both won the NBA title that season
  • OKC Identity: It’s Shai’s 16th 30-piece of the season and OKC’s 11th time holding an opponent to 105 points or fewer – both the most in the NBA
  • Elite Execution: Amid the 10-0 run, SGA is averaging 32.0 ppg on 58.2% shooting, while the Thunder are allowing just 101.1 ppg with a +20.9 point differential
  • Where They Stand: Ant led Minnesota (31 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast, 5 3s), which is eliminated from Cup contention, while OKC can clinch West A with a win over Phoenix on Friday (9:30 ET, League Pass)

Having already clinched East Group A, the red-hot Raptors eyed a 4-0 Group Play finish to boost their odds of homecourt advantage in the Quarterfinals.

With 0.6 seconds left on Wednesday, Brandon Ingram delivered for Jurassic Park.

Raptors 97, Pacers 95 (East A): Tied at 95, Jakob Poeltl blocked Indy’s attempted winner, setting up Ingram’s (26 pts, 8 reb) heroic jumper to complete Toronto’s perfect Group Play and grab its fifth clutch win in its 9-game W streak – now the hottest in the East. | Recap

  • “Just wanted to be super aggressive, and get into my spots,” Ingram said of his game-winner, with the moment reminding him of last shots he’s “seen on TV.”
  • Pitching In: Scottie Barnes (24 pts, 10 reb) and Immanuel Quickley (15 pts, 6 ast) supported Ingram, while season highs from T.J. McConnell (16 pts, 7 reb) led Indy
  • Historically Hot: This is just the fifth time in team history that Toronto has had a win streak as substantial as 9 games
  • “We’re going to need this crowd big,” Ingram said postgame, with the win and Detroit’s loss ensuring the Knockout Round visits The North

2. MORE STREAKS: CELTICS COOL PISTONS, HEAT WIN AGAIN

A historic stretch of 14 games and 28 days of perfect results all culminated in 15 pivotal seconds Wednesday night.

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That’s when Boston’s defense took control.

Celtics 117, Pistons 114 (East B): Derrick White (27 pts) closed with 11 4th-quarter points on three of a season-high six 3s, and forced one of two key turnovers in the final 15 seconds as Boston stood tall in a wild finish to snap Detroit’s 13-game win streak. | Recap

  • C’s Keys: Jaylen Brown (33 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk) set the tone in all aspects as Boston’s defense held Detroit to its 2nd-lowest field goal percentage (39.8) of the season
  • All-Out Cade: Cunningham (42 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast) led all scorers, nearly willing the Pistons to OT by drawing a 3-shot foul, but couldn’t hit the game-tying free throw 
  • “I couldn’t be more proud of the group,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Detroit’s franchise-record-tying win streak coming to an end. “Win or loss.”
  • Winner Take All: The Pistons (2-1) meet the Magic on Friday (7:30 ET, LP) to decide East B, while Boston is eliminated despite the victory

ICYMI: Tyler Herro is back – and the Heat can’t stop stacking dubs.

Heat 106, Bucks 103 (East C): After scoring 24 and the game-winner in his season debut on Monday, Herro led Miami again with 29 points and 7 dimes as the Heat held on to edge out Ryan Rollins (26 pts) and the Bucks, extending their win streak to six games. | Recap

  • Spo’s 800th: With the win, Erik Spoelstra became the 9th-fastest coach to reach 800 career victories and just the 17th all-time
  • Eyeing Its Ticket: Miami finishes 3-1 in Group Play and will clinch East C if the Bucks beat the Knicks on Friday (more on that below ⬇️)

3. SETTING THE STAGE: 3 WINS CREATE 3 ‘WIN-AND-IN’ FRIDAY FINALES

While Orlando and Detroit entered Wednesday already locked in for an East B winner-take-all duel on Friday, three more teams earned group-clinching opportunities with victories last night.

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Suns 112, Kings 100 (West A): In the Thanksgiving spirit, Mark Williams was eating (21 pts, 16 reb, 9-12 FG), while Collin Gillespie matched him with 21 points along with 9 helpers to power Phoenix to a wire-to-wire win, improving to 3-0 in West A. | Recap

  • Suns Shining: Devin Booker added 19 points and 6 assists as the Suns improved to 9-2 in their last 11 – a stretch in which they rank 3rd in DefRtg
  • Winner Take All: Up next for Phoenix? OKC, also 3-0, in a Friday showdown to decide the group (9:30, League Pass)

The Blazers simply needed a win to punch their ticket to the Knockout Round.

De’Aaron Fox and the Spurs had other ideas.

Spurs 115, Blazers 102 (West C): With San Antonio up 2 at the half, Fox caught fire, pouring in 23 of his 37 points in the final two quarters, as the Spurs outscored Portland 59-48 to avoid elimination, despite Deni Avdija’s big night (37 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast). | Recap

  • Deciding Duel: Both at 2-1, the Spurs now face the Nuggets on Friday to decide West C (9:30 ET, LP)

Knicks 129, Hornets 101 (East C): For the first time in the play-by-play era, all five Knicks starters had 10+ points at the half, as New York jumped out to a 72-47 lead and didn’t look back to improve to 2-1 in Group Play, eliminating Charlotte (0-3). | Recap

  • NY5: Led by Jalen Brunson (33 pts, 14-28 FG) and Josh Hart (22 pts, 7 ast), the Knicks’ starting 5 combined for a season-high 111 of their 129 points
  • Win & In: New York can claim East C with a victory over Milwaukee on Friday (7:30 ET, Prime), while a Bucks victory would hand the group to Miami

4. ROUNDUP: HOUSTON & MEMPHIS RALLY FOR LATE DUBS

Trailing by as many as 14 points in the 3rd quarter, Houston flipped a switch.

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Rockets 104, Warriors 100 (West C): The Rockets outscored the Warriors 57-41 in the 2nd half on the strength of Reed Sheppard’s career night (31 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast), leading Alperen Sengun (16 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and five Rockets in double-digits to victory. | Recap

  • Dubs Check: Jimmy Butler III led the Bay with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, with Steph (14 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) exiting in the final minute with quad pain

Grizzlies 133, Pelicans 128 (OT, West C): Vince Williams Jr. was feeling extra generous on Thanksgiving eve, dishing out a career-high 17 assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. (27 pts, 5 3s), Jaylen Wells (25 pts, 5 3s) and Zach Edey (21 pts, 15 reb) all scored season-highs to rally the Grizz past the Pels in OT. | Recap

  • Epic Finish: Memphis chipped away at a 17-point deficit before its 15-7 4th-quarter run forced Zion Williamson (17 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) to extend the game with 0.9 left
  • But overtime was all Grizz, as Jackson (5 pts) and Wells (4 pts) single-handedly outscored NOLA 9-3 to complete the comeback, improving to 2-1 in Group Play
  • Pacing The Pels: Jose Alvarado (24 pts, 6 3s) led eight Pelicans in double figures
  • What It Means: The Grizzlies’ win eliminated the Wolves, Kings, Warriors and Rockets. Memphis contends for the West Wild Card on Friday, facing the Clippers (10 ET, LP)

5. SEASON OF GIVING: 20 YEARS OF NBA CARES

For 20 years, NBA Cares has helped bring people around the world together through the game of basketball.

Established in 2005 to unite the league’s community efforts and amplify positive impact of teams and players off the court, NBA Cares has continued to drive change on key issues facing fans and communities.

Now, as we head into the winter holidays, we also head into one of the key moments on the NBA Cares calendar: the NBA Cares Season of Giving.

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  • “It’s been 20 years of meaningful impact, and that’s what we’re most proud of,” said Kathy Behrens, the NBA’s President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs
  • “[The] commitment to community that’s existed in our league from the very beginning, and will no doubt live on for decades to come, is truly I think what makes the NBA so special.”

Designed to brighten the winter holidays for children and families across the globe, the NBA Cares Season of Giving will reach thousands of children, families and those in need through hundreds of local events.

  • All 30 teams will host local events across the country, with players, legends, coaches and teams – both NBA & affiliate league – engaging communities through education, health, wellness & hands-on service
  • OKC’s Isaiah Hartenstein served meals for Thanksgiving, the Pistons donated food and household essentials for Season of Giving
  • Philly’s Tyrese Maxey hosted his annual Turkey Giveaway, distributing 3,000 holiday meals, while Dylan Harper helped lead the Spurs annual Turkey Drive
  • The Wolves held their annual Holiday Shopping Event, surprising young fans with a shopping spree alongside players, while the Hawks packed 1 million meals at State Farm Arena
  • Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen brought holiday cheer to Open Doors Academy students and Houston’s Jabari Smith surprised residents from the Julia C. Hester Community Center with a Thanksgiving meal
  • The Knicks hosted a fall dinner that served 250 families affiliated with the NYC Department of Homeless Services
  • And for the 28th year, the Pacers provided warm meals and winter essentials inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Hoosiers in need

Join the NBA Family in making a difference this holiday season. Visit NBACares.com to learn how you can help, and follow #NBACares on social as the NBA family highlights charitable efforts from now through Dec. 31.

Want to share Starting 5 with a friend? Send them this link.

Shape the Starting 5.  Email us here.

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Boston, MA

Bots or botox: Confronting AI in the beauty world

Published

1 day ago

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November 26, 2025

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Bots or botox: Confronting AI in the beauty world


The lifespan of lip filler is brief. It’s injected, molded, and quickly absorbed back into the system. Lately, hidden in between the needle and admiring your new pouty grin, a secret third step has crept in: AI.

College students working two jobs, rushing to submit coursework, and maintaining a social life don’t give up looking their best. Time is the price to pay, and young people find themselves leaning on AI tools as a pocket beauty consultant. 

Faith Fronduto, a senior at Boston University, understands how efficiency can outweigh effort when it comes to looking and feeling on par.

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NBC10 Boston

NBC10 Boston

Faith Fronduto, a senior at Boston University.

“We don’t really know what’s real and what’s not,” said Fronduto. “We then therefore feel tempted to contour as well—even if we think it’s wrong or it’s not authentic—just the sole need to fit in.”

The reality is this: in addition to homework and life advice, Gen-Z has found a new way to depend on AI: beauty. And according to experts, it’s forecasted to stay circulating in their daily routine for years to come. 

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To explore this issue, NBC10 Boston collaborated with Boston University journalism students taking an in-depth reporting class taught by investigative reporter Ryan Kath. We took a deep dive into the presence of AI in social media and broadly, the beauty industry.

AI is a skyrocketing presence in the beauty industry 

AI isn’t just simply creeping into the industry, it’s becoming the heart and soul of it. According to a report by The Business Research Company, AI in the beauty industry is expected to skyrocket by 21% in 2029, a whopping $5 billion increase. 

A wave of tools such as “color-matching technologies, virtual try-on technologies, personalized beauty recommendations, chatbots for customer support, AR-based beauty content creation,” are rewriting how we perceive ourselves and others.

Experts studying the effects of AI say that pressure to look “snatched,” Gen-Z lingo for perfect, has only intensified as AI-altered images circulate faster than ever. 

Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, founder and owner of The Spiegel Center, a plastic surgery practice specializing in feminization facial and body surgery, said patients now arrive at appointments with a clear expectation of their ideal “after.”

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Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel with NBC10 Boston's Brianna Borghi


NBC10 Boston

NBC10 Boston

Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel with NBC10 Boston’s AI reporter Brianna Borghi

“People will come in with photos of others that have used artificial intelligence or other visual modification software to look more like themselves,” said Speigel, “What we’re seeing is a more empowered and a more knowledgeable group of young women who come in because they know there are things they can do.”

Spiegel noted he has long noticed the trend for young women wanting to preserve their youth, counteracting the signs of aging around the eyes and between the eyebrows using facelifts and blepharoplasties. Now, he said clients define attractiveness as matching the digitally enhanced image of themselves made with the quick click of the “retouch” wand on social media platforms.

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“You know what’s going on is that with social media and the omnipresent telephone and screens in our lives,” said Spiegel, “We are subjected to so many images in such rapid succession, like has never happened at any time in human history.”

‘No escape from this idea of what bodies should look like’

Dr. Jill Walsh, founder of Digital Aged Consulting Group and researcher and lecturer at Boston University, studies how social media shapes teens’ lives and how parents can guide their children to use technology intentionally. Her work connects digital behavior and psychology, exploring how AI and algorithms especially affect young women.

A website for Dr. Jill Walsh, founder of Digital Aged Consulting Group and researcher and lecturer at Boston University.


NBC10 Boston

NBC10 Boston

Dr. Jill Walsh, founder of Digital Aged Consulting Group and researcher and lecturer at Boston University.

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During a focus group in October with a group of young women, Walsh jotted a variety of words on a whiteboard like “Ozempic,” “body neutral,” and “body positivity.” 

Among all the categories, the women wanted to talk about one thing in particular: the messages they received about their bodies on social media.

“All we’re ever doing is talking about and policing bodies,” Walsh observed. “Even body positivity is still all about your body, right? And there’s sort of no escape from this idea of what bodies should look like.” 

In her mind, AI is going down a darker hole than meets the eye. One of the most alarming developments, she notes, is deep fakes or AI-generated videos that take real people – from family members to politicians or yourself  – to make them say or do whatever they want.

“I can take this body and put my face on it and that’s getting better and better,” Walsh said, while gesturing towards herself. “I do worry about the idealized version of what we’re going to be seeing. I think all of those are really front of mind for me right now.”

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If people continue to doomscroll through TikTok, X, or Instagram and see endless content of nose jobs, face edits, or AI-generated supermodel versions of themselves, these behaviors slowly become normalized, Walsh opined. 

Women are not measuring themselves up with the regular Calabasas supermodels and influencers, but with digitally perfected versions of their own faces.

Walsh said it is hard to pinpoint how this fast-moving, sophisticated technology is taking effect on young women, but she does know that it exploits psychological trends that have infamously shown to have dangerous effects.

“We’re always looking for the person who has more,” Walsh said. “What we do know for sure is that comparison is really bad for our well-being, and for some people can lead to anxiety, depression, disordered eating.”

‘You feel tempted to apply a filter to fit in’

According to a report published by Pew Research Center, public commentary generally assumes Gen Z to be the most frequent users of AI. College students are often accused of using AI to manage coursework, but the role of AI in a student’s life before and after class is lesser known.

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“If I’m trying to compare products like a certain, you know, lipstick or blush and compare prices and show me, okay, where can I get this for the lowest price?” said Fronduto, “You’re putting in pictures and getting a completely different output, and you’re asking it to change things.”

Social media should be an enjoyable platform to interact and connect with friends, but undetectable AI and digital enhancement has skewed reality and set unrealistic expectations on users, Fronduto believes. 

“You feel tempted to apply a filter to fit in thinking that, Oh, I’m just enhancing myself,” Fronduto said. “It’s tempting and I can empathize. Even the filters that make your lips look better and your nose look better, everything is kind of the touch of a button.”

The story was written by Hijazi and Vineeth and edited by Kath.

Celine Hijazi and Anaina Vineeth.


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NBC10 Boston

NBC10 Boston

Celine Hijazi and Anaina Vineeth.



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Boston Holocaust Museum installs historic early 20th-century railcar exhibit

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2 days ago

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November 25, 2025

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Boston Holocaust Museum installs historic early 20th-century railcar exhibit


Traffic stopped on Tremont Street in downtown Boston early Tuesday morning as a 12-ton historic railcar was lifted over a hundred feet into the city’s future Holocaust Museum, an artifact donated by the family of a survivor and personal reminder of the tragic chapter for Bostonians to look up at.

“We don’t look at this rail car as just an artifact,” said Jody Kipnis, co-founder and CEO of Holocaust Museum Boston. “We look at it as a witness to history. It carried human beings who were stripped of their dignity and sent towards ghettos, labor camps and extermination camps. … We’re placing the rail car into the fourth story glass bay window, right across from the Freedom Trail, so that no one walks by without being reminded of the cost of indifference.”

The restored early 20th-century railcar was lifted in a 173-foot-tall tower crane to be installed in the fourth-floor of the museum just after 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, watched by museum officials, government officials, members of the Jewish community and more.

The installation is a major step in the construction of Boston’s newest museum, set to open late 2026. The museum will be the only one in New England solely dedicated to Holocaust education.

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Construction will continue around the massive historic railcar, measuring 30 feet long, 12 feet high, and 8.75 feet wide, officials said. The exhibit will be visible from the street, set up in a protruding bay window, and visitors will be able to walk through the railcar.

“From outside the museum, passersby will see people enter the railcar, but not exit – a visible reminder of the millions of Jews who were transported to their deaths in railcars just like this one,” the museum detailed.

Kipnis said the installation will be one of many interactive parts of the museum.

“We’re inviting the visitor to really examine the past, but then connect it to things that are happening in present day,” said Kipnis. “Not telling the visitor how to do those connections, but helping them throughout the their journey through the museum.”

The CEO said her hope is “people leave committed to standing up against hatred, bigotry and anti-semitism within their schools, communities and workplaces.”

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The railcar was donated by Arizona-native Sonia Breslow, whose father was one of fewer than 100 survivors of the 900,000 murdered at Treblinka, the organization said. The artifact is a “powerful and personal testament to history,” as Breslow’s father was transported to the extermination camp in a railcar of the same type. After surviving the camp, Breslow’s father immigrated to Boston.

The railcar exhibited was discovered in a Macedonia junkyard, the museum detailed, before being brought to the U.S., stored in Arizona and brought to Massachusetts to be preserved by a conservator.

Breslow said Tuesday seeing the railcar lifted into its new home “took my breath away.”

“My father survived a transport to Treblinka in a car just like this,” Breslow said. “Most who were taken there did not survive. For this rail car to be in Massachusetts, a place where he rebuilt his life is deeply personal and ensures that his story and the stories of millions will never be forgotten.”

The crowd applauds as the Holocaust Museum Boston raises a 12-ton early 20th century European rail car to its new home in the future museum. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)
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