{"id":35921,"date":"2024-02-21T12:30:09","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T17:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=35921"},"modified":"2024-02-21T12:31:10","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T17:31:10","slug":"cronkite-news-supporters-rally-for-holocaust-education-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/02\/21\/cronkite-news-supporters-rally-for-holocaust-education-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Supporters rally for Holocaust education center"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/891977793?h=aacba2e158&#038;title=0&#038;byline=0&#038;portrait=0\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/api\/player.js\"><\/script>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Arizona Jewish Historical Society: <a href=https:\/\/vimeo.com\/891977793>Building a Legacy of Hope Campaign &#8211; Holocaust Education Center<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h3-responsive font-weight-bold\">House panel advances bill for a Holocaust center, but holds back funds for now<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Wednesday, February 21, 2024<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Martin Dreyfuss<\/div>\r\n<DIV class=source>Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n<DIV class=source-website><A \r\nhref=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nPHOENIX &#8212;  A House panel gave tentative approval last Wednesday to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azjhs.org\/the-project\">Holocaust education center<\/a>, but not before stripping out funding for the project that supporters said will provide an &#8220;immersive experience for the next generation on hate and genocide.&#8221;<P><\/P>\r\nLawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee, mindful of the current budget shortfall, stripped out $10 million in state funding that was called for in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/legtext\/56leg\/2R\/bills\/HB2757P.pdf\">the bill.<\/a> But committee members, who overwhelmingly approved the amended bill, said they are confident they will be able to fill in a number as the session progresses. <P><\/P>\r\nThe temporary loss of funding did not appear to dampen the spirits of supporters of the planned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prweb.com\/releases\/arizona-jewish-historical-society-announces-capital-campaign-to-create-hilton-family-holocaust-education-center-301999701.html\">Hilton Family Holocaust Center<\/a>, which they said will allow students &#8220;to touch and feel history&#8221; of the Holocaust and other genocides.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;I believe the fight for the future is grounded in knowledge and education,&#8221; said Steve Hilton, the son of a Holocaust survivor, whose family is helping fund the center. &#8220;It will be designed to create an immersive experience for the next generation on hate and genocide.&#8221;<P><\/P>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/02\/21\/cronkite-news-supporters-rally-for-holocaust-education-center\/hiltonfamilyholocausteducationcenter\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-35926\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1406\" data-attachment-id=\"35926\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/02\/21\/cronkite-news-supporters-rally-for-holocaust-education-center\/hiltonfamilyholocausteducationcenter\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/HiltonFamilyHolocaustEducationCenter.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2500,1406\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-title=\"Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;An artist&amp;#8217;s rendering of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center in Phoenix, Arizona. image courtesy &lt;a href=https:\/\/www.azjhs.org\/the-project&gt;Arizona Jewish Historical Society&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/HiltonFamilyHolocaustEducationCenter-1024x576.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/HiltonFamilyHolocaustEducationCenter.jpg\" alt=\"Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-35926\" \/><\/a> <figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">An artist&#8217;s rendering of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center in Phoenix, Arizona. image courtesy <a href=https:\/\/www.azjhs.org\/the-project>Arizona Jewish Historical Society<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/videoplayer\/?clientID=6361162879&amp;eventID=2024021068\">Testimony<\/a> included references to reports like a 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.claimscon.org\/millennial-study\/\">nationwide survey<\/a> that found a &#8220;disturbing&#8221; 63% of 11,000 U.S. millennials and members of Generation Z did not know 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust, and 10 percent did not believe the Holocaust occurred.<P><\/P>\r\nPhoenix Hebrew Academy sixth-grader Ruby Stanlis got an ovation from the attentive committee and a packed hearing room after her testimony.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;We are already forgetting the history of the Holocaust. Mistruths about religion spread so quickly through social media,&#8221; Ruby said. &#8220;A Holocaust center will give students the chance to touch and feel history.&#8221;<P><\/P>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/legtext\/56leg\/2R\/summary\/H.HB2757_020924_APPROP.pdf\">The bill<\/a> comes three years after the state began <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azleg.gov\/legtext\/55leg\/1R\/laws\/0418.pdf\">requiring lessons<\/a> about the Holocaust and genocide be taught at least twice between seventh and 12th grade in Arizona schools.<P><\/P>\r\n <a href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/02\/21\/cronkite-news-supporters-rally-for-holocaust-education-center\/holocaust-center\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-35928\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" data-attachment-id=\"35928\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2024\/02\/21\/cronkite-news-supporters-rally-for-holocaust-education-center\/holocaust-center\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/ArizonaCapitol.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2000,1500\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-title=\"Arizona Capitol\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Arizona Capitol&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Supporters of a proposed Holocaust education center pose for a group photo outside the Arizona State Capitol after a House committee gave preliminary approval to a bill advancing the center &amp;#8211; but temporarily stripping out state funding. Photo by &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/people\/martin-dreyfuss\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;Martin Dreyfuss&lt;\/a&gt; \/ Cronkite News&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/ArizonaCapitol-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/ArizonaCapitol.jpg\" alt=\"Arizona Capitol\"   class=\"size-full wp-image-35928\" \/><\/a> <figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Supporters of a proposed Holocaust education center pose for a group photo outside the Arizona State Capitol after a House committee gave preliminary approval to a bill advancing the center &#8211; but temporarily stripping out state funding. Photo by <a href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/people\/martin-dreyfuss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Martin Dreyfuss<\/a> \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nDobson High School teacher Kim Klett said she currently has to raise funds if she wants to take her students to Los Angeles&#8217;s two Holocaust museums, limiting the trip to just 50 kids. Having a Holocaust education center in the state would let her take her Mesa students on a field trip to the center, she said.<P><\/P>\r\nSupporters said that of the 10 largest cities in the U.S. only two &#8211; Phoenix and San Diego &#8211; do not currently have some sort of Holocaust memorial. If built, the planned $30 million Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center would be the second Holocaust center in Arizona, after the Tucson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tjmhc.org\/\">Jewish Museum<\/a> and Holocaust Center.<P><\/P>\r\nJerry Lewkowitz, founding member of the Arizona <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azjhs.org\/\">Jewish Historical<\/a> Society, testified to the importance of educating each future generation.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;L&#8217;dor v&#8217;dor is a Hebrew saying. It means, from generation to generation. We pass on our beliefs, our values and our history to the next generation,&#8221; Lewkowitz said.<P><\/P><div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><P><\/p>\r\nThat was echoed by Rabbi Jeffrey Schesnol of <a href=\"https:\/\/oradamaz.org\/\">Or Adam<\/a> Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in Scottsdale.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;This is the most important thing I will do for the rest of my life,&#8221; said Schesnol, who is also director of the Arizona Jewish Historical Society. &#8220;&#8216;Rabbi&#8217; means teacher but all of us here today are responsible for teaching.&#8221;<P><\/P>\r\nThe hearing comes amid a surge in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adl.org\/resources\/press-release\/adl-records-dramatic-increase-us-antisemitic-incidents-following-oct-7\">antisemitism:<\/a> The Anti-Defamation League reported that in the weeks after the Octover 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, there was a 388% increase in hate crimes against Jews over the same from a year earlier. But the bill&#8217;s lead sponsor said it&#8217;s not just a Jewish thing, it&#8217;s about speaking out against hate everywhere.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;I don&#8217;t just think it is important for the Jewish community, it is important for everyone.&#8221; said Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson. Her bill has more than 80 co-sponsors in the Legislature.<P><\/P>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I introduced HB 2757, a shining example of bipartisan unity in the Arizona State Legislature. I hit a new record of co-sponsors the most bipartisan bill in the chambers with 86 out of 90. Together, we\u2019re championing the establishment of a Holocaust Ed Center, a crucial step in\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bGo42MACtX\">pic.twitter.com\/bGo42MACtX<\/a><\/p>&mdash; (((Rep.Alma Hernandez))) (@almaforarizona) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/almaforarizona\/status\/1753446162865213563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 2, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nHilton said efforts to create a Holocaust center are &#8220;the most important thing for the Jewish community for the state of Arizona in its entire history,&#8221; while Schesnol said it is important for current generations to bear witness.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;You are not permitted to finish the work, but neither are you to desist from it,&#8221; he told a captivated committee.<P><\/P>\r\nThat was echoed by Ruby, with a more direct call to action.<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;Today we all have an opportunity to be upstanders, not bystanders,&#8221; she said.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<STRONG>For more stories from Cronkite News, visit <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/?utm_source=referral&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=client\">cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A>.<\/STRONG>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<HR><EM>Note: This story originally <a href=\"https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/2024\/02\/14\/house-panel-advances-bill-for-a-holocaust-center-but-holds-back-funds-for-now\/\">appeared on Cronkite News<\/a>.  It  is published via a <A href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative  Commons license<\/A>. Cronkite News is produced by the <A href=\"https:\/\/cronkite.asu.edu\/\">Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication<\/A> at <A href=\"https:\/\/www.asu.edu\">Arizona State University<\/A>.<\/EM><HR>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Lawmakers in Arizona are advancing plans for the first Holocaust education center in the state, although funding is in debate.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35926,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[18,1,14],"tags":[214,42,46,176,278,102],"class_list":["post-35921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-national","category-politics","tag-appropriations","tag-arizona","tag-cronkite-news","tag-genocide","tag-religion","tag-youth","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-9ln","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/21\/HiltonFamilyHolocaustEducationCenter.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35921"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35935,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35921\/revisions\/35935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}