In a significant philanthropic move, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) received a sizeable donation from Craig and Barbara Weiner to establish a new Holocaust museum located within the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building on the Boca Raton campus, as reported by WPTV. The establishment, to be named the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Museum of South Florida at FAU, will encompass a 2,000-square-foot space designed to serve as a poignant educational resource, shedding light on the harrowing experiences of Holocaust victims through historical artifacts and narratives.
Although the precise figure of the Weiners' donation was not disclosed, the contribution promises to support the interior design of the museum, including the installation of display cases and the incorporation of donated authentic artifacts from the Holocaust, one of these artifacts includes a man’s concentration camp uniform from Sachsenhausen, reminding visitors of the victims' plight through the severe weather, this according to CBS12. In particular, the displays will feature items such as tools from a Nazi-run eugenics study, aiming to convey the depth of atrocities committed during the Holocaust.
The initiative reflects the Weiners' unwavering commitment to Holocaust education and their efforts to combat hate, prejudice, and bigotry. "Barbara and I are 100 percent steadfastly committed to teaching as many young people as possible about the dangers of hate, prejudice, and bigotry,” Craig Weiner detailed in announcements shared by both WPTV and CBS12. Their dedication previously manifested in the creation of The Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Museum at Nova Southeastern University which houses over 200 artifacts and has earned them various accolades, including being named 'Social Justice Change Makers' by the Anti-Defamation League of Florida in May 2021, and receiving the Southeastern United States Leadership Award by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2022.
FAU plans to further enrich the museum's offerings by hiring a director responsible for overseeing the establishment, conducting tours, and developing poignant programs aimed at middle and high school students, these programs are designed to relay the critical lessons of the Holocaust's history and the imperatives of social justice, the museum will also become a distinctive educational and cultural destination, embellished further by the Weiners’ legacy and their passionate defense against societal malice as detailed by Michael Horswell, Ph.D., dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, who underscored the museum's significance to the college in statements obtained by the respective news outlets.
Community members and others looking to support the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Jewish Studies Building or contribute to the museum's development can reach out to Laurie Carney, as per her information provided by WPTV. This new museum is poised to offer a solemn haven for reflection and education within South Florida, which is home to an estimated 470,000 year-round Jewish residents and 56,000 seasonal residents, a testament to the region's commitment to never forgetting the lessons of history.
