The Horrors Of the October 7th Attacks Are Brought To Life In Moving $2 Million Houston Night Of Courage
Holocaust Museum Houston Takes Another Strong Stand
BY Shelby Hodge // 05.28.25
Moderator Amir Tibon, Honorees Rachel Goldberg-Polin & Jon Polin at the Holocaust Museum Houston Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner (Photo by Jacob Power)
In an evening focusing on the horrors of October 7, 2023, when 250 Israelis and foreign nationals were kidnapped by Hamas, the gathering of more than 1,400 stood strong for Holocaust Museum Houston raising an unprecedented $2 million.
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner honored full-time hostage advocates Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, whose son was captured on October 7 and eventually murdered, an event that drove the dual American-Israeli citizens to action. They were interviewed in a moving session by award winning author Amir Tibon, a survivor of the attacks. Tibon, his wife and their two daughters were rescued from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, the closest Israeli community to Gaza, on October 7 and are currently living in temporary residence in northern Israel. The trio had much to share with the mesmerized gathering.
“We are truly humbled to honor Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin with the Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award,” Holocaust Museum Houston board chair Elyse Spector Kalmans says. “They have found a way to turn their grief into unwavering activism, showing the world the personal side of October 7 and inspiring us all.”
The successful evening was chaired by Tali and Eric Blumrosen and Susan and Michael Bono with assist from honorary chairs Dr. Riva Collins and Ira Mitzner, and host committee chairs Susie and Jeff Raizner. Their efforts combined with the generosity of presenting sponsor Dorothy Lee Levinson led to the remarkable $2 million raised, making it the most successful fundraising event for the Holocaust Museum Houston in two decades.
Holocaust survivors in the mix included Ruth Steinfeld, Pauline Rubin, Bill Orlin and Edith Jucker.
PC Seen: Emcee Khambrel Marshall and Debbie Marshall, Rhona and Bruce Caress, Dorit and Marty Aaron, Mike Morgan, Mady Kades, Nancy and Jack Dinerstein, Susan and Barrett Reasoner, Y. Ping Sun and David W. Leebron, Ginger Blanton, Tracy and Gary Stein, Nancy J. Li and Soner Tarim, Chris Kase, Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman, Brian Caress and Jessica Strehlow, Joy and Benjamin Warren, Joan Schnitzer, Barry Mandel and Dr. Scott Sawyer, and Robert Sakowitz.
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