Group collects blood to honor Holocaust survivors, seeks museum location

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A local Jewish organization is giving back to the community by collecting blood to honor those who lost their lives during one of the worst nights in the Holocaust.

Herut Florida, which is seeking a location for a Holocaust museum in West Palm Beach, organized this event Sunday to commemorate 85 years since Kristallnacht, or the night of broken glass.

Many consider it the day the Holocaust began.

“On that night in 1938, hundreds and hundreds of Jews died,” Ira Jacobson, a leader with Herut, said. “Basically, the blood flowed. They were killed. In their memory, instead of blood flowing, I thought, let’s give back blood to the community. It’s in their memory, in their honor of what they went through.”

Jacobson said antisemitism has gotten out of control, not only locally, but worldwide.

He said he’s proud to commemorate what happened back in the 1930s with change and action.

Members of Herut are also planning on meeting with West Palm Beach city leaders Monday afternoon.

Jacobson said they plan on asking for a location to build a Holocaust museum or learning center to serve our area. He said education is one of the ways to beat hate.

“What would be better than a Holocaust museum? People can come, learn the atrocities, learn about antisemitism,” he said. “There are holocaust museums in Miami, up in Tampa, but our Jewish community here, out of ten people in Palm Beach County, two are Jewish.”

The group plans to gather outside council chambers at 4 p.m. before the 5 p.m. meeting.