UF Jewish studies gets $1M

A Miami couple has made a $1 million gift to the University of Florida to help ensure that future generations of UF students do not forget the lessons of the Holocaust.

Business entrepreneur Norman Braman and his wife, Irma, want to attract a national authority on Holocaust research to UF's Center for Jewish Studies.

To help make that possible they announced their donation Thursday. Their gift, along with funds from other interested donors, will enable UF to hire a distinguished senior professor of Holocaust studies.

"The murder of 6 million Jews for no crime other than being Jewish must be studied so that the world will never have to endure such inhumanity again," Norman Braman said.

The Bramans said they chose to make the gift to UF "because of our high opinion of the Center for Jewish Studies."

"We are also appreciative of the level of education our grandson, Alex Shack, received at UF," Norman Braman said. "He came to UF four years ago as a boy and is graduating as a man."

In recognition of their gift, the faculty position will be named the Norman and Irma Braman Chair in Holocaust Studies. A national search for someone to fill the spot will begin in the fall.

"Recruiting a distinguished scholar in this field of study will amplify our course offerings in general and encourage more graduate students to pursue research in this particular area," said Jack Kugelmass, director of UF's center, which was established in 1973 by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Diane Chun can be reached at 352-374-5041 or chund@gvillesun.com