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 The
Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, Inc., which was established in 1979 as a
non-sectarian, non-profit organization, 25 years later has acquired a 14,000 square foot facility to house the
first South Florida Holocaust Museum which will be dedicated on
Tuesday, February 28th, 2006.
The collected and recently received artifacts, documents, photographs, and the testimony of the firsthand eyewitnesses' accounts of
Survivors, Liberators, and Rescuers will do more than just tell a story. They will
teach the lessons of the Holocaust, the dangers and evil of hatred and prejudice, the triumph and resilience of the human
spirit, and how one person can make a difference - must make a
difference.
This will be the first museum in the country that will tell the story of the Holocaust in both
English and Spanish. In addition, the highlighted experiences will be the journey of the
SS St. Louis, which saw the lights of Miami Beach before being forced to sail back to Europe.
We are building this "Legacy of Remembrance" because:
- As the generation of Survivors age and their stories continue to be denied, distorted, and dejudaized, there is an urgency to ensure the true history of the Holocaust be protected,
preserved and perpetuated. If not now, when?
- In light of the dramatic growth of global hatred and
anti-Semitism, it is critical that we alert this and future generations to be vigilant,
speak out, and take a stand against the injustices and inhumanity.
- In light of the ongoing and existing genocide in our times and the inadequate world's response, we must sensitize and teach all our
children to recognize the signs along the road to genocide before "it is too little, too late."
- This needed and timely effort will enhance and enrich our mission to be compliant with the Florida Statute 1003.42, which mandates
required public school instruction of the history of the Holocaust and what it means to a responsible and respectful person for the
purposes of understanding and appreciating the richness of differences in diversity.
- We are keenly devoted to ensuring that each person, regardless of race, creed, color, age, sex, or religion, will leave this Museum forever changed and challenged to remember the universal lessons and implications of the Holocaust.
- Above all, we have pledged our sacred trust to the Survivors of the Holocaust that their words, memories, and silences will be
remembered and embodied within the walls of this Museum.
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