Boca Raton Couple Joins International Initiative to Transform Historic Auschwitz Site
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Boca Raton Couple Joins International Initiative to Transform Historic Auschwitz Site
A former Nazi commandant’s house adjacent to Auschwitz will be transformed into an educational center focused on combating extremism and antisemitism, with support from Boca Raton residents participating in the international initiative.
The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) announced last week that the building known as “House 88,” which once served as the residence of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and which literally overlooked the Auschwitz extermination camp, will become the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism, and Radicalization (ARCHER). The initiative launches as antisemitism surges globally, with recent Anti-Defamation League data showing a dramatic rise in antisemitic attitudes worldwide over the past decade.
Boca Raton, Florida residents Robin and Elliott Broidy are among several high-profile philanthropists supporting the project through their role with The Fund to End Antisemitism, Extremism, and Hate.
Their involvement is motivated by a deep personal commitment to combating antisemitism by developing effective narratives that focus on the dangers of extremism to all of society, eliminating virulently antisemitic social media text and video accounts, lobbying to change and enforce laws against discrimination and hate speech, and disrupting the network that funds the dissemination of extremist ideologies, including antisemitism.
The center, developed in partnership with the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and under UNESCO patronage, will focus on understanding how extremist ideologies take root in society and how to disrupt and undo the damage. Through its educational programs, the initiative will examine how misinformation spreads, how propaganda shapes perception, and how communities can actively work to prevent the normalization of extremist views.
Teaching the Next Generation to Recognize Antisemitism
“ARCHER at House 88 is about more than remembrance—it’s about action,” said Elliott Broidy. “We are at a critical moment where the next generation is being bombarded with propaganda that distorts history and dehumanizes entire communities. Young people have an innate desire to belong, and many are drawn into movements without understanding their true nature. We must ensure they have the tools to recognize antisemitism and extremism, no matter how it is disguised.”
Broidy emphasized the dangers of antisemitic narratives taking hold in mainstream discourse, comparing modern-day misinformation to past propaganda that led to devastating consequences.
“We have seen throughout history how individuals, thinking they are on the right side of history, become complicit in atrocities,” he said. “Those who today support terrorist organizations like Hamas, thinking they are fighting for justice, will one day be horrified by their actions—just as many Germans, Poles, and others were after the Holocaust. ARCHER will work to educate people before they fall prey to such dangerous ideologies.”
A Center Rooted in Elie Wiesel’s Call to Action
ARCHER’s comprehensive research program will establish a global network of scholars and practitioners. The center will host a prestigious research fellowship program annually that includes both PhD students and prominent academics. The fellows will conduct on-site research and contribute to the center’s educational and advocacy initiatives. Additionally, non-resident fellows will collaborate remotely, ensuring a diverse range of international perspectives in the study of extremism.
The research facility will feature state-of-the-art AI software and technology that will enable the discovery of extremist networks, emerging trends, and how extremists are using social media to spread their hateful and damaging rhetoric. Regular academic conferences, workshops, and training sessions will bring together experts from around the world to develop effective strategies for combating extremism and hatred.
“Elie Wiesel once urged us to ‘Never Forget,’ believing that remembering the Holocaust would prevent history from repeating itself,” said Robin Broidy. “But in 1986, he acknowledged that remembrance alone was not enough. ‘Sometimes we must interfere,’ Mr. Wiesel said. That moment of realization—that combating hate requires active engagement—is what drives ARCHER at House 88.”
She continued: “We can no longer afford to be neutral in the face of rising antisemitism. As Wiesel himself warned, ‘Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.’ This center is not just a memorial; it is a place of action. We are equipping the next generation with the knowledge and strategies to fight back against propaganda, challenge misinformation, and ensure that antisemitic ideologies do not take root in or become acceptable to society again.”
Global Support for the Initiative
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has noted that with fewer Holocaust survivors remaining to share their firsthand accounts, investing in education for younger generations becomes increasingly vital. ARCHER will work to address this need through comprehensive educational programs and training materials developed for expert communities and the wider public.
The architectural transformation of House 88 will be led by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, who previously designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the World Trade Center site master plan. Libeskind’s design will carefully preserve House 88’s historical significance while an additional building will be built on the site for the fellows to work in and for meetings and conferences.
A unique aspect of the center will be its partnership with Italian musician Francesco Lotoro, who has spent decades collecting music composed in concentration camps. These compositions will play in perpetuity in the Francesco Lotoro Sound Hall, serving as a testament to resilience in the face of extremism. The sound hall will be acoustically designed to showcase these historically significant works while honoring their creators.
The project opened to the public on January 27, coinciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation. A mezuzah was placed on the doorpost and the house was symbolically transformed from a house of hate to a house against hate.
Delegations from many countries including the US, Canada, Germany and Poland visited and toured House 88. ARCHER at House 88 will work with governments, multilateral organizations, and educational institutions to develop effective strategies for combating extremism and antisemitism. Those interested in supporting the ARCHER at House 88 initiative can visit counterextremism.com/donate
