Insight
Remember
When • • •
Surveying The States
HMC survey of North American support
of Holocaust education assesses how states allocate grants.
HARRY KI RS BAUM
"Every state
Staff Writer
T
he founder and executive
director of the Holocaust
Memorial Center in West
Bloomfield announced
results of the first-known survey out-
lining the extent of monetary support
of Holocaust education from the cof-
fers of all 50 United States,
Washington, D.C. and every province
in Canada.
Curious to find out what amount of
money is awarded by other states to
Holocaust education, Rabbi Charles
Rosenzveig sent a questionnaire to
governors' offices around the country
in June 1997, asking if their state
awards grants to institutions for
Holocaust education.
In some cases, the questionnaire, put
together by Rabbi Rbsenzveig and Ann
Adamus of the HMC, was passed
around from one governmental
department to another, he said.
"It was difficult, like pulling teeth,
but finally, with the exception of a few,
almost all states responded," he said.
The federal government holds an
annual Holocaust Remembrance Day
(April 19 this year), and Congress sup-
ports the U. S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington D.C., giving
approximately $30 million a year.
"They are involved," he said. "What
do the states do? Is there any state that
doesn't do anything, and why don't
they?"
According to Andy Hollinger,
spokesman of the U. S. Holocaust
Museum, this is the first survey of its
kind; that museum is interested in see-
ing the results.
Rabbi Rosenzveig said the survey has
spurred several states to consider sub-
stantive increases in support of
Holocaust education.
"I believe that once the survey is pub-
lished, some time after Passover, it will
should have a
Holocaust center.
Unfortunately,
it's not clone."
— Rabbi Charles Rosenzveig
have a tremendous impact," he said.
The survey will be used to lobby for
more support from organizations
around the country, he said. "Every
state should have a Holocaust center.
Unfortunately, it's not done."
Survey Results
Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska,
South Dakota and Texas did not
respond to the survey, 18 states flatly
said they did not award grants for
Holocaust education, and 19 states did
not award grants but held remem-
brance observances or mandated some
level of Holocaust education.
While New Jersey said it did not
specifically award Holocaust education
grants, the state budget includes
$144,000 for Holocaust/genocide edu-
cation.
Of the eight states that gave grants,
Michigan received $200,000 in fiscal
2000 from the Office of State
Management and Budget and the
Department of Consumer and
Industry Services, but the amount is
not regular, nor consistent.
New York led, giving $10 million
annually for three years to the
Museum of Jewish Heritage capital
fund, and $2 million for operating
costs; $65,000 annually for the
Holocaust Resource Center and
Archive; and $550,000 for the Claims
Processing Office, to help Holocaust
victims recover assets from the Swiss
government.
South Carolina gave the lowest
amount, $19,800 to the South
Carolina Council on the Holocaust to
tape oral histories and produce a free
Holocaust resource guide.
In Canada, five of the 12 provinces
and territories award grants. Ontario
does not, but it has programs to pro-
mote a Human Rights Code, and the
legislature is considering enacting a
Holocaust Memorial Day.
Quebec gives money to the Center
for the Commemoration of the
Holocaust in Montreal on a program-
by-program basis.
The survey cost the HMC $25,000.
The organization is still deciding how
much, if anything, it will charge for
copies.
❑
From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
1991
Congregation Shaarey Zedek USY
was named chapter of the year at
the annual convention.
Evanna Rogers of Birmingham
Groves High School won first place
in the essay contest sponsored by
the Children of Holocaust
Survivors Association of Michigan.
1981
Jews in Detroit prepared for the
upcoming Blessing of the Sun mitz-
vah, which occurs once every 28
years when it is in the exact posi-
tion in the sky it started from at
creation.
Detroiter Sarah Feuereisen was
elected president of the B'nai B'rith
Women's Council of Metropolitan
Detroit.
1971
The National Bank of Southfield
made an initial purchase of
$50,000 in State of Israel Bonds.
David M. Landaw of Oak Park, a
senior in social work at the University
of Detroit, has been accepted for
membership in Alpha Sigma Nu, a
national Jesuit honor society.
1961
Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-
Gurion said that traditional Jewish
burial will be given to skeletons of
Jewish martyrs discovered in caves
where they died 1,800 years ago
fighting under Bar Kochba.
Arthur Lourie, Israel's ambassa-
dor to Britain, went to New York
to head the Israel delegation to the
United Nations.
The first nine students from
South Africa enrolled at Technion-
Israel Institute of Technology.
1951
The death of 21-year-old Pfc.
Mandell Yuster of Dexter in Detroit
was the first Jewish fatality from
Detroit in the Korean conflict.
The paintings of Anna L. Werbe of
Detroit were placed on exhibit at the
Arthur Newton Galleries in New York.
—Compiled by Sy Mandl°,
editorial assistant
4/6
2001
27