Photo: Rendering of the future expansion of the Arizona Jewish Hostorical Society to include the Center for Hope, Humanity and Holocaust Education.
The Arizona Jewish Historical Society (AZJHS) was recently awarded a grant from the Rosenbluth Family Charitable Foundation, a supporting organization of the Arizona Community Foundation. This grant supports the AZJHS’ capital campaign to build the Center for Hope, Humanity and Holocaust Education.
The Rosenbluth Family Charitable Foundation’s mission is “to create a legacy among their family members of honoring their Jewish heritage while generously and collectively contributing to society and creating opportunities for growth and fulfillment.”
“It is an honor to support the establishment of the Center for Hope, Humanity and Holocaust education” says Tanya Murray, board chair. “My father and our Founder, Gerald Rosenbluth, Of Blessed Memory, was passionate about Holocaust education and genocide prevention. To preserve the history of the Holocaust while providing valuable educational opportunities and ensure future generations acknowledge these atrocities and stop them from happening in the future, is of utmost importance to us. Always remember – Never Again!”
Rendering of the lobby area.
“We are so pleased to have been awarded this grant,” says Dr. Lawrence Bell, Executive Director of AZJHS. “It supports the commitment of the Rosenbluth Family Charitable Foundation to collaborate with non-profit organizations on projects that contribute to Arizona’s vibrant arts and culture community and provide innovative educational opportunities to students and adults.”
The purpose and mission of the campaign to build the Center for Hope, Humanity and Holocaust Education is to create an inclusive and collaborative space to inspire new ideas, encourage open dialogue and promote hope, human dignity and respect. Using world, national and local history and the lessons of the Holocaust as the core focus of exhibitions and programming, the center will be a place where people of all backgrounds, faiths and cultures are welcomed, engaged and educated.
A key focus of the new center will be to provide free educational programs for students throughout Arizona. These programs will include field trips to the museum, guided tours with experienced docents, lectures and classes on site as well as curricula and other resources for teachers.
The new center will feature a digital resource library comprised of archival material, first-hand video testimony, memoirs and art as an interpretive tool to teach about the Holocaust, WWII and the experiences of survivors, Righteous Gentiles and Liberators. This free, on-line tool will be available to students, teachers and other audiences throughout Arizona and on a national level.
