Funding for Simon Wiesenthal Center’s
Mobile Museum of Tolerance
On January 6, the NYS Assembly proudly announced $1.5 million capital funding for the construction of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s New York based Mobile Museum of Tolerance {MMOT}.
This state-of-the-art mobile education center will utilize innovative technology and interactive lessons becoming a critical expansion of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s educational resources in New York State. The MMOT will allow easy access for tens of thousands of students, educators, law enforcement agencies, faith groups and professionals to critical educational training on issues such as antisemitism, racism, bullying, stereotyping, hate and intolerance and to promote diversity and human dignity.
The NYS MMOT will represent the third such initiative for SWC who currently operate highly successful Mobile Tolerance Museums in Illinois and Canada. Since its launch, Tour for Humanity Mobile Tolerance Center has educated over 150,000 students at 750 schools and communities across Canada. MMOT in Illinois, launched in February 2021, has educated almost 4,000 students in person and 2,000 students virtually.
“The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s New York based Mobile Museum of Tolerance will educate New Yorkers on the importance of tolerance and acceptance and illustrate the detrimental effects hatred has had on the global community,” said Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. “I want to thank Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Helene Weinstein and Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright for their leadership in bringing this innovative museum to New York so that people of all ages can learn from the past and celebrate our diverse communities,” said NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.
“The Simon Wiesenthal Center has been successful in spreading a message of acceptance and open-mindedness for decades,” said Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, Chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. “The simple truth is that hate is not something we’re born with, and with the ever-rising tide of hate-related crimes, the Mobile Museum of Tolerance engages visitors and presents an interactive curriculum on culture, race, ethnicity, and religion; all things which make us unique and beautiful in our own right. One day I hope we won’t need this wonderful program, but right now it couldn’t be more crucial and I thank Assembly Speaker Heastie, Rabbi Mayer May and Michael Cohen for allowing us to partner with the Simon Wiesenthal Center on this program.”
“The Mobile Museum of Tolerance is a traveling source of information to teach tolerance and the perniciousness of hate,” said Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, the sponsor of legislation requiring counseling for persons convicted of hate crimes. “I commend Speaker Carl Heastie for his leadership in prioritizing Holocaust education and tolerance, and Ways and Means Chair Helene Weinstein for her support. Michael Cohen, the Eastern Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, is working diligently to keep the history and the lessons of the Holocaust alive with interactive exhibits that will now be available for the benefit of neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area and beyond. I look forward to the van visiting the Upper East Side, Yorkville and Roosevelt Island.” Said NYS Assembly member Rebecca Seawright.
“This state-of-the-art Mobile Museum of Tolerance brings all the dramatic experiential learning opportunities of the iconic SWC Museum of Tolerance directly into schools and communities throughout the State of New York,” said Rabbi Meyer H. May, Executive Director, Simon Wiesenthal Center.
“Having this critical resource in New York State is truly a game changer. The Mobile Museum of Tolerance will bring to life the kind of immersive training necessary to further develop an appreciation for our diverse communities and a world where it is understood that hate of any kind, has no place. We thank Speaker Heastie, Chairwoman Weinstein, and Assemblymember Seawright for their vision and leadership without which this monumental achievement would not be possible,” said Michael Cohen, Eastern Director, Simon Wiesenthal Center.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a Jewish global human rights organization researching the Holocaust and hate in a historic and contemporary context. The Center confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, promotes human rights and dignity, stands with Israel, defends the safety of Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations. With a constituency of over 400,000 households in the United States, it is accredited as an NGO at international organizations including the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE, Organization of American States (OAS), the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO) and the Council of Europe. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Simon Wiesenthal Center maintains offices in New York, Toronto, Miami, Chicago, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Jerusalem.