Zekelman family donates $ 15 million to the Holocaust Memorial Center

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The Michigan Holocaust Memorial Center is grateful to the billionaire Zekelman family of the Windsor-Essex region for making a significant donation to the organization’s efforts.

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On Tuesday, the center announced that it had received a $ 15 million donation from Zekelman Industries, a “transformational gift” that represents the largest charitable contribution the center has received in its history.

“We are truly honored and grateful for the continued generosity of the Zekelman family and Zekelman Industries,” said Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld, executive director of the center.

“This important donation will allow us to expand the important work we do to teach the lessons of the Holocaust and confront anti-Semitism and hatred.”

The Michigan Holocaust Memorial Center was founded by a group of Holocaust survivors. After years of planning, the center’s location opened in 1984 with the express goal of educating and serving as a museum about the European Jewish experience during the Shoah.

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In total, the Zekelmans have donated $ 25 million to the organization over the years. The downtown campus is named after the Zekelman family.

Barry Zekelman, president and CEO of Zekelman Industries, said his family “has always been impressed by the positive and lasting impact that the Holocaust Memorial Center has had on millions of lives. It’s really inspiring. “

“With the rise of anti-Semitism and hate crimes, we feel an urgency to help organizations like the Holocaust Memorial Center, who are working passionately to combat it.”

The organization plans to use the gift from the Zekelman family for operational financing, facility maintenance and expansion of programs such as educational offerings, traveling exhibits and special events.

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The center estimates that it has had more than one million visitors since its founding. Along with its 55,000-square-foot museum, the facility has core exhibits such as a memorial wall, an eternal flame, a wagon used by Nazi Germany during World War II, a tree dedicated to Anne Frank, and more.

The Holocaust Memorial Center is the only facility of its kind in Michigan.

Barry Zekelman said that Zekelman Industries strives not only to be a leader in the industry, but also in philanthropic activities that involve employees and business partners.

Zekelman Industries has its roots in Atlas Tube, a structural steel tube company founded by Harry Zekelman in Harrow in 1984.

Now based in Chicago, Zekelman Industries is the largest independent manufacturer of steel tube and pipe in North America, and is also an innovator in modular construction.