From left, FAU President Adam Hasner; FAU benefactor Marilyn Wallach; Mark Wallach; and Michael Horswell, Ph.D., dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters at FAU, celebrate the start of construction of the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building.

Florida Atlantic University celebrated the start of construction of its Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building. The 22,000-square-foot, two-story structure will be the home of Florida Atlantic’s Holocaust education, Jewish studies and related programs. It also will become a South Florida destination for visitors seeking first-hand knowledge about the Holocaust, including cultural performances, lectures and exhibits that further understanding and respect for humanity. Construction is expected to take approximately 14 months with a targeted opening of fall 2026.

“This is a monumental day, and I know Kurt would be so proud to see this building become a reality,” said Marilyn Wallach. Kurt Wallach died in 2021, a year after the couple made a transformational $20 million gift to FAU to create the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Institute for Holocaust and Jewish Studies, with a portion used as the lead gift to construct the Wallach building.

“Kurt always said, “We speak for those who cannot speak, and we remember all the victims, including our family members who perished needlessly,” Marilyn Wallach said. “It is our hope that through education we can ensure that lives will be saved, and history will not be repeated.”

More than 100 guests gathered for the kickoff celebration, including numerous other donors who have followed the Wallachs’ lead by making additional gifts in support of the building and its programs.

“The work we undertake today will stand as a national model of how a university can lead with principle and act with purpose,” said FAU President Adam Hasner. “As some universities across the nation struggle to confront antisemitism, the Wallach building rises from a profound responsibility that calls to us with urgency. We are taking steps to become the safest and most welcoming university for Jewish life in America, and we are honored that Kurt and Marilyn Wallach’s story has become part of our legacy here at Florida Atlantic.”

The Wallach building will be the home of Florida Atlantic’s Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education; Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs; the Leon Charney Diplomacy program; and the Center for Peace, Justice and Human Rights, all housed within the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters.

It also will be a South Florida destination for people seeking first-hand knowledge about the Holocaust as they tour the building’s permanent exhibits − the Craig and Barbara Weiner Holocaust Museum of South Florida at Florida Atlantic University and the George and Irina Schaeffer Dimensions in Testimony interactive display. Visitors also can spend time in quiet reflection within the Marta and Jim Batmasian Memorial Pavilion, which is dedicated to the memory of 1.5 million Armenians who died in the Armenian genocide.

The building also will feature a recital/lecture hall and a traveling exhibition hall off the prominent Marilyn and Jay Weinberg Grand Lobby. On the second floor, there will be a conference room, student study space and administrative offices for the programs.

“This wonderful building unleashes opportunities for both students and the community who will learn from the past to create a better world for the future,” said Michael Horswell, Ph.D., dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. “We are indebted to Kurt and Marilyn for their transformational lead gift to the building and to all the generous benefactors who have linked arms with us to make Florida Atlantic an epicenter of Holocaust and human rights education.”

For more information, contact Laurie Carney at 561-297-3606 or lcarney@fau.edu.

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