Peabody Holocaust Center celebrates a quarter century

PEABODY – The Holocaust Center in Peabody celebrated 25 years of dedication and hard work Sunday afternoon with a champagne toast, gourmet brunch and a large cake lit with 26 candles at Spinelli’s Restaurant in Lynnfield.Co-founder Harriet Wacks said the event drew quite the large crowd, as it was held in conjunction with their Fourth Annual Social Justice and Human Rights Award ceremony.Two members of the center’s Board of Directors, Dr. Marvin Wilson, professor of Judaic Studies at Gordon College, and Marcia Glassman-Jaffe, were recipients of this year’s award for “exemplifying the goals and ideals of the center in both their words and actions,” said Wacks. Several other members of the community were also recognized for their support and significant contributions to the center’s history.Wacks founded The Holocaust Center with Sonia Weitz, a Holocaust survivor, in 1982. The women’s sole purpose was to educate the community about the historic event and promote awareness of other human rights violations across the globe in hopes of preventing such tragedies from ever repeating.The non-profit center, located on the third floor of the Peabody Institute Library at 82 Main St. houses a large archival collection of over 2,000 books, as well as videos, DVDs, artwork, artifacts, and photos documenting the 12 years that defined the World War II era.Educating the public is a top priority for the center and members have worked with area schools to educate students and teachers about their mission to end racism, prejudice, and intolerance. The center offers group tours, course materials and teaching guides, and access to their library’s collection online via the North of Boston Library Exchange. Guest speakers and presentations from survivors, scholars, and center members are also available for scheduled appearances.Weitz, the center’s education director and an honorary chair at this year’s event, has spoken at colleges across the nation for the past 25 years. She’s a published author and poet, and has appeared on the NBC’s Today Show. In 2002, President Bush appointed her to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council.Proceeds from the event’s $75 ticket price will be put towards future education programs throughout the community.For more information on the Center and supporting their cause, call 978-531-8288.