30 | DECEMBER 16 • 2021

T

he Holocaust Memorial
Center Zekelman Family
Campus announced a
donation in the amount of $15
million from the Zekelman fami-
ly and Zekelman Industries.
The gift is the single largest
charitable donation received in
the Holocaust Memorial Center’s
37-year history.
The donation represents the
lead gift toward the Holocaust
Memorial Center’s $100 million
Comprehensive Campaign. The
financial commitment is part of
the ongoing support from the
Zekelman family and Zekelman
Industries, bringing their total
funding of the Holocaust
Memorial Center to $25 million.

The Comprehensive Campaign
was launched to establish a per-
manent endowment fund to keep
the Holocaust Memorial
Center vital and sus-
tainable far into the
future. The dona-
tion will enable
the institution to
maintain its facil-
ities at the highest
standard, boost oper-
ational funding and expand
special events, traveling exhibits
and educational offerings.
“We’ve always been impressed
by the positive and lasting impact
the Holocaust Memorial Center
has had on millions of lives. It’s
truly inspiring. With antisemi-

tism and hate crimes on the rise,
we feel a sense of urgency to help
organizations, like the Holocaust
Memorial Center, that are pas-
sionately working to combat it,
”
said Barry Zekelman, chairman
and CEO of Zekelman Industries,
via press release.
“We’re hopeful that this gener-
osity is going to inspire others to
support the Holocaust Memorial
Center and the important
work we do in fighting
against antisemitism
and hatred by teaching
about the Holocaust,
”
said Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld,
CEO, Holocaust Memorial
Center.
“This gift really sets us on
a path for the future because
it means we can plan in a way
knowing there will be funding
available far into the future for
all the activities the center would
like to present,
” he added.
Rabbi Mayerfeld says the gift is

especially meaningful in the face
of the rise in antisemitism.
“We’ve seen a rise in antisemit-
ic violent acts, hate and bigotry,
locally, nationally and globally as
well, so the work the Zekelman
gift allows us to do is more
important now than ever.
”
HMC is in the planning stages
of an update to its core exhibit,
focused on the history of the
Holocaust.
“Twenty years ago, when the
museum was built, there were
many survivors here in the
community who could tell their
stories,
” Rabbi Mayerfeld said.
“Today, there are fewer and fewer,
and so the exhibit needs to be
able to lift up those voices and tell
those stories when people aren’t
necessarily going to be able to
hear them firsthand anymore.
”
Part of that renovation will be
using the almost 1,000 video and
audio recordings of local survi-
vors to educate and inform.

OUR COMMUNITY

Holocaust Memorial Center announces
largest gift in its 37-year history.
Mega-Donation

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER