The Arizona Jewish Historical Society is building the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center in downtown Phoenix, and the opening date keeps moving. In January 2025 the target was April 2027. The society now says a soft opening in August 2027 and an official opening on December 5, 2027.
This is not only a donor project. Public money is in it. The state put in $7 million through the Arizona Department of Education, with a condition that students get in free. Maricopa County added $2 million and the City of Phoenix added $2 million. Steve Hilton gave $4 million, and the campaign goal was $45 million: $35 million for construction, exhibits and security, and $10 million for an endowment. As of early 2025, $38 million had been raised.
Good news on the campus
The society also announced a $500,000 matching grant from Nestor and Susan Guzman to restore Phoenix's first synagogue, built in 1921, as the Guzman Family Center. Its Heritage Award Gala on November 8 honors Mel Kessler and Gail Fisher.
What we are checking
Every public dollar comes with paperwork: the ADE grant agreement and its reporting terms, the city's bond disbursements, and the county's funding records. Kol Phoenix will request all three, and will compare them with the society's IRS filings against the new schedule.
How we reported this: drawn from Jewish News of Greater Phoenix coverage of the October 2026 gala announcement and Cronkite News reporting from January 2025. Funding figures are as last publicly reported and may have changed. We are looking for the grant agreements and current fundraising totals. Corrections and additions are welcome at [email protected].