State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda Exhibition to run through May 6
The Holocaust Documentation & Education Center (HDEC), the multifaceted nonprofit organization creating South Florida’s first Holocaust Museum, announced that JM Family Enterprises, Inc. has joined the Scherr Family Foundation to become major local sponsors of the Museum’s first traveling exhibition, State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda. The acclaimed, thought-provoking exhibition is produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and is now open to the public in South Florida through May 6 at the South Florida Museum site, 303 N. Federal Highway, in Dania Beach just south of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda utilizes a rich multimedia environment divided into four sections, to examine how Hitler and the Nazi Party used wide-ranging, technologically-advanced propaganda to win voter support in Germany’s young democracy after World War I; how they tailored their propaganda to gain the broad popular support of the 60 percent of Germans who did not vote for the Nazis—getting them to support the persecution of Jews and political opponents when Hitler made himself Germany’s dictator; and how the Nazis used powerful propaganda to convince the German population to support Hitler’s agenda of war and mass murder or, at a minimum, to be indifferent to it. The last segment deals with the aftermath of World War II and the efforts of the Allies to purge Germany of militarism and the glorification of Nazism and to re-educate the citizens after so many years of dangerous Nazi propaganda and its incitement to hatred.
Both these major donors have been generous and instrumental in the growth of the new Museum, as well as in support of HDEC’s educational programs. JM Family has donated funds for multiple Student Awareness Days, where teenagers learn the dangers of bigotry and bullying.
Additionally, JM Family is the title sponsor of the museum’s permanent transcription and audio-editing area, where HDEC documents the eye-witness accounts of Holocaust Survivors, Liberators and Rescuers. These accounts will be featured in the Museum’s state of the art Interactive Oral History Library Center. JM Family donated $500,000 to name the Museum’s Reflection, Remembrance and Responsibility Exhibit.
“At JM Family, we are deeply committed to supporting educational efforts that benefit the local communities in which our associates live and work,” said Colin Brown, chairman and CEO of JM Family. “We appreciate the powerful work being done at the Holocaust Documentation & Education Center and are honored to have a small role in preserving this important piece of history.”
The Scherr Family Foundation has also been exemplary as a significant and influential force in the development of the Museum. The Foundation underwrote the latest Museum concept design renderings done by world renowned Museum designer Patrick Gallagher whose vision captured the significance of creating a dynamic educational interactive Museum. In addition, the Scherr Family Foundation named the Resistance: Courageous Acts in Desperate Times Exhibit in loving memory of Helga Liebman, a Holocaust Survivor, with a $500,000 donation.
“The Scherr Family Foundation supports numerous educational initiatives, and the mission of the Holocaust Documentation & Education Center is among the most important,” said Marc Scherr, who with his brother Scott, founded Ultimate Software and runs the Foundation. “With its emphasis on educating children about the dangers of anti-Semitism, bullying, racism and other hate crimes, the HDEC is making vital changes in society. We are happy to support their efforts and hope to be a part of this Museum for many years to come.”
“The remarkable generosity and support of JM Family and the Scherr Family Foundation is a testament to their commitment to protecting and perpetuating the unique legacy and universal lessons of the Holocaust,” said Rositta E. Kenigsberg, President of the HDEC. “All of us at the HDEC, especially our beloved Survivors, are extremely grateful that right here in our community, we have been blessed with these remarkable sponsorships that enabled us to bring this outstanding educational traveling exhibition to our South Florida community.
Founded as a non-denominational non-profit organization, the HDEC has received additional major contributions from diverse organizations that have supported its mission and its vision for the Museum, including the Jewish Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Broward County and the Archdiocese of Miami.
Naming and sponsorship opportunities for the Museum are still available. If interested, or for more information, please contact Rositta E. Kenigsberg at 954-929-5690 or rositta@hdec.org.
About the Holocaust Documentation & Education Center
The Holocaust Documentation & Education Center (HDEC) was founded in 1980 as a nonsectarian, nonprofit, multifaceted organization to preserve, protect and perpetuate the authentic memory of the Holocaust through Documentation, Commemoration and Education, so that the Legacy of the Holocaust will serve as an “Imperative to Remember.” Currently, in addition to the many documentation and educational outreach programs, efforts and events, the HDEC is focused on the Phase-II build out of South Florida’s first Holocaust Museum in Dania Beach, which will have exhibits in English and Spanish. The Museum, which is being designed by Patrick Gallagher, is being built out in the Center’s recently acquired new home and will take an interactive approach, featuring the latest 3D holographic technology. To learn more, please contact Rositta E. Kenigsberg at 954-929-5690 or Rositta@hdec.org.
About JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
The Holocaust Documentation & Education Center (HDEC) was founded in 1980 as a nonsectarian, nonprofit, multifaceted organization to preserve, protect and perpetuate the authentic memory of the Holocaust through Documentation, Commemoration and Education, so that the Legacy of the Holocaust will serve as an “Imperative to Remember.” Currently, in addition to the many documentation and educational outreach programs, efforts and events, the HDEC is focused on the Phase-II build out of South Florida’s first Holocaust Museum in Dania Beach, which will have exhibits in English and Spanish. The Museum, which is being designed by Patrick Gallagher, is being built out in the Center’s recently acquired new home and will take an interactive approach, featuring the latest 3D holographic technology. To learn more, please contact Rositta E. Kenigsberg at 954-929-5690 or Rositta@hdec.org.
About JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
JM Family Enterprises, Inc., founded by Jim Moran in 1968, is marking its milestone anniversary during 2018 with a 50 Years of Family celebration. Over the course of its 50-year history, JM Family has grown from a mere 11 associates into a $15.1 billion diversified automotive corporation with more than 4,200 associates and is currently ranked No. 20 on Forbes’ list of America’s Largest Private Companies. It is also ranked No. 51 by FORTUNE® as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For®, its 20th consecutive year on the list.
Its primary subsidiaries include: Southeast Toyota Distributors, the world’s largest independent distributor of Toyota vehicles; JM&A Group, one of the leading independent providers of finance and insurance (F&I) products in the automotive industry; World Omni Financial Corp., a diversified financial services company; and JM Lexus. Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla., JM Family has major U.S. operations in Jacksonville and Margate, Fla.; Commerce and Alpharetta, Ga.; Mobile, Ala.; and St. Louis, Mo. Interact with JM Family at Facebook.com/
About the Scherr Family Foundation
The Scherr Family Foundation provides grants to a number of local and national non-profit organizations that are committed to make the world a better place. The Foundation focuses on educational opportunities, disaster relief, and medical research for cancer and neurological diseases.
