Zekelman Holocaust Center Opens Following Renovations
(HC, Jan. 25, 2024)
Farmington Hills, MI – The Zekelman Holocaust Center (The HC), located at 28123 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, MI, proudly announces the official re-opening of its core exhibit on Sunday, January 28, marking a significant milestone in The HC’s extensive multi-million-dollar renovation project. The timing of the re-opening aligns with International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed globally on Saturday, January 27.
The HC, which has provided Holocaust education at its current Farmington Hills location since 2004, began its renovation in May 2023, and has undergone a comprehensive $31 million transformation, displaying a commitment to preserving the legacy of Holocaust victims and survivors. The new exhibit, a collaboration with renowned design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), brings a fresh perspective by centering the voices of those who experienced the Holocaust and highlighting survivors who made Michigan their home after World War II.
The new exhibit forgoes a traditional didactic approach in favor of Holocaust victim and survivor voices, making extensive use of archival footage, images, and artifacts, as well as interactive video of survivor testimony to place the voices of those impacted by the Holocaust as its focus.
“Memorializing the six million is the foundation of all of our activities. The greatest differentiating factor between the original and the new exhibit is the centering of the voices of those who experienced the Holocaust. Throughout the exhibit, visitors will hear the personal stories of those who survived the Holocaust and rebuilt their lives in Michigan after the war. By localizing the history from the perspective of those who lived it, rather than those who perpetrated it, we are showing that the Holocaust did not happen so long ago or so far away,” said Eli Mayerfeld, CEO of The HC.
The decision to undertake this extensive renovation stems from The HC’s recognition of the urgency to ensure the stories and experiences of Holocaust survivors remain accessible to future generations. As the population of survivors diminishes, The HC is acutely aware of the need to adapt its exhibits to meet the evolving needs of present and future visitors.
The renovation comes at a critical time for the American public. The Anti-Defamation League reports a 337 percent increase in antisemitic attacks compared to last year, much of it coming after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists whose charter calls for the extermination of the Jews.
“Rhetoric and propaganda defame the individual and the group, and when sanctioned by the state, lay the groundwork for genocide,” Mayerfeld said. “Learning about the Holocaust helps visitors understand the potential consequences of antisemitism, and how to counter it today.”
Mark Mulder, Director of Curatorial Affairs, who played an integral role in envisioning the design for the new core exhibit, said, “The way we center Holocaust victims and survivors and make each of the topics personal to individuals is a unique approach for a Holocaust museum. Further, our commitment to making sure the unique experiences of women are given equal attention is something that we are proud of,” said Mulder.
Visitors familiar with the former iteration of the core exhibit will encounter new spaces shaped by the philosophy and mission of the redesign.
“The area that used to be the Abyss is now called People and Possessions. It features artifacts that represent the several types of loss people experienced at the hands of the Nazis. For example, there are wedding rings found by U.S. soldiers in Dachau. We use the objects, along with archival footage from before and after the Holocaust, to help our visitors understand that people lost their material items, but they also lost their partners, families, and communities,” said Mulder.
Annually, The HC reaches 150,000 visitors through in-person and virtual programs, exhibit tours, and teacher training workshops.
For more information about The Zekelman Holocaust Center, visit https://www.holocaustcenter.org/.
