Holocaust Memorial Center

THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTERS SECURITY SECTOR AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST AND PREVENTING ATROCITIES TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF LOCAL AND STATE SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THEY ACTIVELY REACH OUT TO NEW PARTNERS TO EXPAND THIS CUSTOMIZED TRAINING, SEEKING TO PARTNER WITH AGENCIES OF ANY SIZE THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN. A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WORK IS DONE TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT SMALL DEPARTMENTS IN RURAL AREAS, THE UPPER PENINSULA, AND OTHER UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE HOLOCAUST PROVIDES A ROBUST CASE STUDY FOR UNDERSTANDING SOCIETAL RADICALIZATION TOWARD GENOCIDE. THE HOLOCAUST WAS COMMITTED WITH THE WIDESPREAD COMPLICITY AND PARTICIPATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS, WHO ENFORCED THE NAZI REGIMES ANTISEMITIC LAWS, IMPLEMENTING MASS PERSECUTION, INCARCERATIONS, AND VIOLENCE AGAINST THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. THUS, HOLOCAUST EDUCATION PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR SECURITY SECTOR PROFESSIONALS TO EXPLORE RELEVANT THEMES LIKE ETHICS, LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT CAN INFORM THEIR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND SERVICE. THE CENTERS PROGRAM, WHICH BEGAN IN 2022, WAS DEVELOPED WITH GUIDANCE FROM LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS WHO ENCOURAGED THE CENTER TO FRAME THE TRAINING AROUND THEMES SUCH AS DEMONSTRATING HEROIC LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEVELOPING CULTURAL AWARENESS OF THE ENDURING IMPACT OF ANTISEMITISM IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS WORK RESULTED IN A CUSTOMIZED POLICE TRAINING COURSE WHICH FOCUSED ON THE RADICALIZATION OF THE GERMAN SECURITY SECTOR AND THE DANGERS OF ANTISEMITISM. THE COURSE WAS OFFICIALLY REGISTERED WITH THE MICHIGAN COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS (MCOLES) SO THAT PARTICIPANTS MAY RECEIVE NECESSARY CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. TO DATE, OVER 300 OFFICERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM EXPANSION WILL INCREASE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOP NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH SECURITY SECTOR AGENCIES, RESULTING IN AT LEAST 2,500 NEW PARTICIPANTS FROM THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THESE NEW TRAINEES WILL INCLUDE STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL POLICE; DISPATCHERS; CORRECTIONS OFFICERS; AND PROBATION OFFICERS. THE CONTENT OF EACH TRAINING IS TAILORED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH ORGANIZATION IN CONSULTATION WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP AND BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A VOLUNTARY SECURITY SECTOR ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH WILL ALSO BE CREATED IN THE PROGRAM EXPANSION. THE CENTERS CUSTOMIZED HOLOCAUST EDUCATION PROGRAMMING FOR SECURITY SECTOR PROFESSIONALS ENSURES THAT PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PREVENT ATROCITIES, ACT WITH COURAGEOUS MORAL LEADERSHIP, AND COUNTER ANTISEMITISM IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE EQUIPPED TO RECOGNIZE THE RISKS OF HATE AND BIAS THAT LEAD TO IDENTITY-BASED VIOLENCE AND GENOCIDE.

THE ZEKELMAN HOLOCAUST CENTER WILL UNDERTAKE A PROJECT TO DIGITIZE AND MAKE ACCESSIBLE THEIR ARCHIVE COLLECTION. OVER THREE YEARS, PROJECT STAFF INTEND TO ASSESS THE MATERIAL, DIGITIZE PHOTOGRAPHS AND PERSONAL ARTIFACTS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, CONDUCT 3D SCANNING OF OBJECTS, AND INTEGRATE THESE UNTOLD STORIES INTO ALL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION AT THE MUSEUM. THE INTENDED GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE: TO BRING THE INFORMATION HELD WITHIN THESE ARCHIVES TO THE FOREFRONT OF HOLOCAUST EDUCATION; TO PILOT AND IMPLEMENT IMPROVED DIGITIZATION OF THE CENTER’S COLLECTIONS; AND TO DEEPEN EDUCATIONAL IMPACT THROUGH IMPROVED DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY.

THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER'S HOLOCAUST EDUCATION PROGRAM (605)

THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER'S HOLOCAUST EDUCATION PROGRAM (550)

EDI SPECIAL PROJECTS

THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER ZEKELMAN FAMILY CAMPUS (HMC) WILL UPDATE ITS CORE PERMANENT EXHIBITION TO INTEGRATE LOCAL PERSONAL STORIES FROM THE HOLOCAUST INTO EVERY ASPECT. THE HMC WILL WORK WITH A MUSEUM EVALUATION CONSULTANT TO ENGAGE MUSEUM GUESTS AND POTENTIAL AUDIENCES DIRECTLY IN THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE FINAL PLANS FOR THE HMC?S STRATEGIC GOAL OF REFRESHING EXHIBITIONS AND KEEPING THEM CURRENT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR YOUNGER GENERATIONS ON HOW THEY CAN ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND EMPOWER THEMSELVES BY REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST.

MUSEUM EDUCATION PROJECT [GROUP TOURS AT THE HMC ENDED IN FEBRUARY 2020. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE LAUNCHED A VIRTUAL MUSEUM EXPERIENCE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE 35,000 8TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS WHO VISIT THE HMC ANNUALLY, AND WE HAVE TAKEN ALL OF OUR EVENTS PROGRAMMING ONLINE. THIS MEETS THE NEEDS OF SOME TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. AS RESTRICTIONS IN MICHIGAN CHANGE, WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HIGH DEMAND FOR GROUP TOURS FROM SCHOOLS WHO ARE IN-PERSON?PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS, HOME SCHOOL PODS, AND VIRTUAL SCHOOLS. WHILE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESUME SMALLER GUIDED TOURS, LESS THAN 10% OF OUR 83-MEMBER DOCENT CORPS ARE INTERESTED IN RESUMING THEIR VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES (PRIMARILY DUE TO A MEDIAN AGE OF 73). TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, WE WOULD LIKE TO HIRE SIX PROFESSIONAL MUSEUM EDUCATORS TO WORK WITH SCHOOL GROUPS, LEADING TOURS AND PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES TO TEACHERS.] [PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT THE RESUMPTION OF IN-PERSON TOURS AND WORKSHOPS AT THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER IN FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN.   ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: HIRING AND TRAINING OF SIX NEW PROFESSIONAL MUSEUM EDUCATORS.   EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE MUSEUM EDUCATORS WILL WORK WITH SCHOOL GROUPS, LEADING TOURS AND PROVIDING SUPPORT SERVICES TO TEACHERS.  INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: MUSEUM?S VISITORS ARE THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTER, MICHIGAN?S ONLY HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, EDUCATES 100,000 MICHIGANDERS EACH YEAR ABOUT THE DANGERS OF UNCHECKED HATRED.  SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:?THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

THE PERSONAL AND THE PRESENT: A NEW VISION FOR MICHIGAN?S HOLOCAUST MUSEUM