El Paso Holocaust Museum celebrates 36th anniversary
EL PASO, Texas (CBS4) — The El Paso Holocaust Museum celebrated its 36th anniversary in 2020.
The El Paso Holocaust Museum and study center was established in 1984 by Holocaust survivor Henry Kellen.
Jaime Flores, Executive Director of the El Paso Holocaust Museum, has been with the museum for 12 years.
Flores said Kellen and other survivors taught her so much about the legacy of the museum.
Kellen, his wife and nephew were the only survivors from his family. They survived in the country of Lithuania by a Christina Lithuanian farmer.
Kellen and his family came to El Paso because his wife had a cousin here.
Flores said in the late 1970’s and 1980’s there was a surge of Holocaust denial, so Kellen wanted to bring Holocaust education to El Paso.
Kellen opened the museum in 1984 in the Jewish community center in west El Paso. Eventually he moved the museum in 1996, but in 2001 that location burned due to an electric fire.
The museum then moved to its current location in downtown El Paso in 2008.
"Here at the museum we talk about a very dark and difficult history but our museum ends in this uplifting note in our survivor gallery we highlight the stories of strength and resilience and hope," said Flores. "In that room we also talk about the importance of being empowered to be an up stander. It's all about empowering the individual to make a difference. We each have a responsibility to stand up to injustice and stand up for others. To use our voice to be an ally for someone else."
Pay It Forward presented a check to the Holocaust Museum.
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