Without a doubt, the Holocaust was a tragedy of greatest proportions. Most people would probably think that there is no way of getting up and rebuilding something after such destruction, but Holocaust survivors are a living proof of endurance with hope for a better future. World War II ended over 70 years ago which means that Holocaust survivors are growing older and frailer. Elly Kleinman, fighter for this cause and son of two Holocaust survivors, gave voice to millions of people as he made sure that the rest of the world would preserve and continue this legacy. At such time of immense difficulties and suffering, the spiritual perspective gave many people a reason to live. Keeping their faith in these darkest hours healed and inspired them, and it enhanced their capacity to endure with hope for a better future.
Committed to share his parents’ legacy and the countless stories of other Jews who had their faith tested but were still able to emerge with an even deeper commitment and understanding of spiritual things, Elly Kleinman founded “The Amud Aish Memorial Museum”. As the first museum of its kind, AAMM is a living memorial to all the victims of the Holocaust. The goal was to tell the history of the Holocaust while focusing on the religious values and perspectives. The number of Holocaust survivors is only getting smaller, and that puts the responsibility to people like Elly Kleinman, the next generation or the children of survivors, to get their voices heard, and maintain this memory and the obligation that comes with it.
As a great philanthropist himself, Kleinman founded the only Museum in the world that shows off the traditional faith-based Jewish victims and their experiences before, during and following the Holocaust. The museum is located in Boro Park, Brooklyn, which is the home of the largest concentration of Holocaust survivors and their children and grandchildren, outside of Israel. Elly Kleinman, a New York businessman first founded the center in 2008 under the name “The Kleinman Family Holocaust Education Center”, and recently, the center began its construction on a new site and with a new name.
