Before the dedication ceremony for the Alabama Holocaust Education Center’s new facility in Birmingham on Monday, Holocaust survivor Riva Schuster Hirsch, pushing a walker, made her way over to meet Gov. Kay Ivey, U.S. Sen. Katie Britt and other dignitaries.

Hirsch, 89, one of the few living Holocaust survivors in Alabama, greeted Ivey, Britt and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin before the ceremony. Then, Britt brought her to tears with an emotional speech.

“White supremacy and racism of any kind have no place in our society,” Britt said.

“I hope that each and every one of you will learn more by walking through that space, hearing the stories, and the history of the innocent lives lost and the strength of those who lived to tell us their story,” she added, gesturing toward Hirsch.

Hirsch, sitting in a front pew at Temple Emanu-El, began to sob.

Before going back to her seat for the rest of the program, Britt went to Hirsch and shared a long embrace with her, as Hirsch continued to wipe away tears. Hirsch kissed her on the cheek.

Hirsch, who was born in what is now Ukraine in 1933, was hidden by nuns in a convent from 1943-45 after her family fled from the invading German army in 1941.

Hirsch is among 172 Alabama Holocaust survivors whose stories are told in the center, which occupies a wing inside Temple Emanu-El, 2100 Highland Ave.

“It’s a window to the past,” Ivey said. “It’s a powerful resource to guide humanity forward to love and understanding of all.”

Marilyn Pipkin, Atlanta Musician’s Orchestra Concertmaster, played a violin from the Violins of Hope, a collection of restored instruments that survived the Holocaust.

The renovation of the 8,320 square foot facility provides a home designed for AHEC’s programs and museum exhibits. Online visitor reservations will be available during the summer.

“The decimation of 6 million Jews and other victims during the Holocaust took place because individuals, groups, and nations made decisions to act or not to act,” said David Silverstein, board chair of the Alabama Holocaust Education Center. “It was not inevitable. Focusing on those decisions provides insights into history, human nature, and the type of leaders our world desperately needs.”

Established in 2002, the Alabama Holocaust Education Center is a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the history and lessons of the Holocaust.