Staff Reports | Community Updates
The Arizona Jewish Historical Society is announcing the groundbreaking of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center, which is a 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility meant to transform Holocaust education across Arizona.
Designed to serve middle and high school students, the Holocaust Education Center will teach the enduring lessons of the Holocaust by providing immersive exhibits, local survivor testimonies, and curriculum-aligned programming to empower young people to stand up against antisemitism and hate, according to a press release.
Once it opens in Spring 2027, the Holocaust Education Center will welcome more than 50,000 visitors annually, including students, educators, and community members from across Arizona, the release states.
“In an era of escalating antisemitism and open hatred, we’re seeing how dangerous rhetoric fuels real-world violence,” said Steve Hilton, project chair of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center. “This center is our response—bold educational action to protect the future and preserve the truth.”
The groundbreaking ceremony featured remarks by Governor Katie Hobbs, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and Holocaust survivor Oskar Knoblauch, as well as local officials, community leaders, and major donors. Attendees also received a first look at the Center’s immersive gallery designs.
“This groundbreaking marks a profound step in our collective responsibility,” said Talli Dippold, Executive Director of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center. “We are creating a place where remembrance leads to responsibility—and where education becomes a powerful force against hate.”
Found in the heart of downtown Phoenix, the new Holocaust Education Center will serve as an Arizona institution for Holocaust education.
Designed as an interactive and immersive space, the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center will feature dynamic temporary exhibits, survivor testimonies brought to life through cutting-edge technology, a dedicated gallery on Jewish life before and after the Holocaust, and educational programming that empowers students and educators to confront antisemitism and injustice.
