Shoah Foundation Washington Office Opens: How Holocaust Education Reshapes Policy

A New Epicenter for Holocaust Memory in America's Capital

The USC Shoah Foundation opened a new office in Washington D.C. on October 13, 2026, named the Goldrich Family Center for Holocaust Memory and Contemporary Affairs in memory of Holocaust survivor Jona Goldrich, with the purpose of strengthening engagement with policymakers and government leaders. From this office, survivor and witness testimony will be brought directly into conversations about public policy.

The timing reflects urgency. Foundation CEO Robert Williams stated that "the American Jewish community has avoided the trials and travails of life in Europe" for much of its history, but "that is no longer the case." The foundation's COO Jenna Leventhal emphasized how it has pivoted to respond to rising antisemitism following Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel, and stressed that this sense of urgency is what brings the organization to Washington.

What the D.C. Center Actually Houses

The Goldrich Family Center will house the foundation's CEO office, Countering Antisemitism Lab, government relations and leadership training programs, and original art and testimony exhibitions. This represents far more than office space—it is infrastructure for policy influence.

The physical location at USC's Capital Campus places the organization within walking distance of Capitol Hill, the White House, and federal agencies responsible for education, civil rights enforcement, and diplomatic strategy. The Countering Antisemitism Lab moves from a research operation into direct dialogue with decision-makers.

Scale of the Archive Reaching Policymakers

The USC Shoah Foundation currently holds over 60,394 testimonies recorded in 45 languages in 69 countries. The foundation is working to expand its collection at an unprecedented rate and intends to make its entire collection of 60,000 survivor testimonies accessible to the public online—a plan it has been working on for several years.

This archive volume gives the foundation credible weight in legislative conversations. When policymakers debate Holocaust education curriculum requirements or antisemitism funding, they now have direct access to primary source testimony within the same institution addressing them.

Legislative Context: Timing Aligns with Congressional Action

In June 2026, Senator Jacky Rosen's bipartisan Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act advanced out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, aimed at strengthening Holocaust education at public schools and increasing awareness of Holocaust educational resources available to local communities. The D.C. office opening four months later positions the foundation as a direct resource for implementation.

Many readers ask whether Holocaust education has become law or remains voluntary—the answer varies by state. The HEAL Act requires the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to conduct a study determining whether states and local educational agencies require Holocaust education as part of the curriculum taught in public elementary and secondary schools, and identify which have optional Holocaust education. This federal study signals that standardization across the country is not yet universal.

Regional Education Variation and Policy Gap

Holocaust education requirements differ markedly across U.S. states and school districts. Some states mandate it in high school curricula; others leave it optional. This patchwork creates a policy vacuum that the D.C. presence directly addresses.

How This Differs from the Los Angeles Headquarters

The foundation's original global headquarters, opened in Los Angeles in 2006, functions as a research and educational archive center. The D.C. office reorients that mission toward immediate policy influence. Rather than passive testimony preservation, the Washington location creates a direct pipeline: survivor testimony → policy analysis → legislative briefing → federal and state action.

This geographic distinction matters for immigration and aliyah communities in the U.S. Americans considering or supporting aliyah often navigate questions about Jewish security, antisemitism trends, and why families are leaving America for Israel. The D.C. office's policy influence shapes the legal and educational environment they leave behind—and influences funding for Jewish community security initiatives that affect aliyah decisions.

Opening Event Signaled Institutional Urgency

The office opening was marked by a gala dinner on October 13, 2026, featuring CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, and included remarks from CEO Robert Williams and Board Chair Melinda Goldrich. High-profile attendance and media presence—rare for nonprofit ribbon-cuttings—reflected the moment. The foundation was not quietly expanding; it was announcing a strategic pivot to elected officials and the press.

Many organizations ask what makes testimony evidence in policy conversations—the answer is institutional credibility plus scale. The Shoah Foundation holds 60,000+ primary sources and decades of education research. Placing that alongside a director of government affairs and formal policy platforms creates authority that testimony alone cannot.

Immediate Impact on Antisemitism Initiatives

In April 2026, before the D.C. office's formal opening, the Shoah Foundation convened its first Countering Antisemitism Summit at USC's Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., uniting policymakers, scholars, diplomats, and civil society leaders for a bipartisan conversation, marking a significant moment for the organization as a convener of leaders working to confront antisemitism in real time.

This summit preceded the formal office opening, but the permanent D.C. headquarters ensures such convenings become routine rather than one-time events. Congressional staff, White House officials, and federal agency directors can now schedule regular briefings with testimony-backed antisemitism research.

FAQ: What This Means for American Jewish Communities and Aliyah

Q: Does the D.C. office mean Holocaust education will become mandatory everywhere? Not immediately. The HEAL Act requires a study, and legislation takes time. However, the foundation's policy presence accelerates the conversation. States considering mandatory Holocaust curriculum can now request briefings directly from a credible, testimony-grounded source.

Q: How does this affect campus antisemitism? The Countering Antisemitism Lab will generate data and recommendations specifically for higher education institutions and federal policy on campus safety. Universities that have faced accusations of inadequate antisemitism response can reference Shoah Foundation briefs when formulating policy.

Q: Will testimonies become more accessible to schools and families? Yes. The foundation's plan to make all 60,000 testimonies publicly available online is underway. Schools without grants or partnerships will eventually access the archive directly. This educational democratization is expected within the next 18-36 months.

Q: How does this relate to aliyah? American families considering aliyah often cite concern about rising antisemitism and declining Jewish community security in the U.S. Federal investment in Holocaust education and antisemitism policy—influenced by the D.C. office's advocacy—can either mitigate those concerns or reinforce the case for leaving. The foundation's policy work becomes part of the decision calculus.

Internal Connections and Strategic Context

As we covered in our earlier analysis of U.S. Universities Strengthening Campus Antisemitism Protections in 2026, institutional responses to hate on campus have accelerated. The Shoah Foundation's D.C. presence amplifies these efforts by connecting university policy to federal initiatives and survivor testimony. Additionally, our reporting on U.S. Universities Tightening Antisemitism Policies as Jewish Student Life Evolves in 2026 highlighted how institutions are upgrading their commitments—the D.C. office provides them with research backing and policy frameworks.

Looking Forward: The Next 12 Months

The foundation has explicitly stated its intention to scale testimony collection, expand its D.C. staff, and deepen relationships with federal agencies. The Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act moves through Congress—the D.C. office will be central to its implementation framework.

For Jewish communities, policymakers, and families navigating antisemitism and security concerns in America, the Shoah Foundation's Washington office transforms institutional memory into real-time policy leverage. Survivor testimony, preserved from the 1990s onward, now shapes how federal officials, legislators, and educators respond to contemporary antisemitism.

This is not simply memorial work. It is the professionalization of Holocaust memory as a tool for shaping the legal, educational, and security environment that American Jewish communities inhabit today.