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

