Together, We Broke Ground — And Built Hope
Last Thursday, on a beautiful June morning, over 250 community members gathered at 122 E. Culver Street to mark a moment that was years in the making: the official groundbreaking of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center.
Survivors. Students. Civic leaders. Donors. Elected officials. Rabbis. Educators. Volunteers. You were there. And because of your support, this vision is becoming a reality.
This Center will serve as Arizona’s first permanent Holocaust education institution, honoring memory through action and transforming lives through immersive, values-based learning. It will feature permanent and rotating exhibits, interactive survivor testimonies, a digital learning lab, and programming for more than 50,000 annual visitors—including thousands of students from across the state.
From the voices of our speakers—Governor Katie Hobbs, Mayor Kate Gallego, and Steve Hilton—to the survivors who participated in our shovel ceremony, the message was clear: education is our most powerful tool against hate.
“This groundbreaking marks a profound step in our collective responsibility,” said Talli Dippold, our Executive Director. “Where remembrance leads to responsibility—and where education becomes a force for human dignity and compassion.”
We are especially grateful to Steve Hilton and his family, whose vision and generosity laid the foundation for this project, and to the Arizona State Legislature and Phoenix voters, whose funding commitments are helping bring it to life. Construction can now officially begin, with anticipated completion in Spring 2027.
Watch our Groundbreaking Event recap here:
Special thanks also to:
- Deutsch Architecture Group and Gallagher Design for shaping a world-class facility and visitor experience
- A.R. Mays Construction for building with care, integrity, and purpose
- And to each of you—for believing in the power of this work
This is more than a building. It’s a promise. A commitment to the next generation that we will not stay silent. That we will teach, and reach, and remember—together.
With deep appreciation,
The Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center Team
Arizona Jewish Historical Society