American Society for Yad Vashem and Jewish Life Foundation Salute to Hollywood Benefit Gala

Photos:

1. Tony Goldwyn (left) presented Meyer Gottlieb (center) with the Legacy Award, with ASYV Chairman Leonard A. Wilf.

2. (L-R) JLTV founder Phil Blazer presented Branko Lustig with the Legacy Award.

3. Jeffrey Katzenberg (center) presented Lynne Segall (left) and Janice Min (right) with the Vanguard Award for The Hollywood Reporter.

4. Adam Milstein (left) presented David Wiener (center) with the Lifetime Achievement Award, with ASYV Chairman Leonard A. Wilf.

Over $600,000 Raised
Tony Goldwyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Present Awards

American Society for Yad Vashem, the organization dedicated to advancing Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem and The Jewish Life Foundation which funds the creation of Jewish-themed cultural and educational programs on Jewish Life Television (JLTV) hosted their third annual benefit gala, A Salute to Hollywood, last night (Monday, June 6th) at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills. The evening, which raised over $600,000, honored Holocaust survivors including Hollywood producers Meyer Gottlieb and Branko Lustig with the Legacy Award; Entertainment Group President/COO Janice Min and EVP/Group Publisher Lynne Segall, on behalf of The Hollywood Reporter, with the Vanguard Award and real estate developer and philanthropist David Wiener with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Actor Tony Goldwyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg presented. Elissa and Edward Czuker Co-chaired. Fela Shapell who, with her late husband David, are pillars of Yad Vashem was a major supporter of the evening.

The more than 350 guests were greeted by MC Mike Burstyn who went on to introduce Michael Libow, singing the National Anthems and Jack Nagel for Hamotzi. Leonard Wilf, Chairman, American Society for Yad Vashem, spoke passionately about the work of both The American Society for Yad Vashem and The Jewish Life Foundation and the significance of advancing Yad Vashem. He was joined on the stage by the evening’s Co-Chairs, Elissa and Edward Czuker who recognized the 16 Holocaust survivors seated in the audience, describing them as “The strong men and women who survived under such dire circumstances and persevered.”

Actor, director and producer Tony Goldwyn presented the Legacy Award to Meyer Gottlieb. Co-founder and former President and COO of Samuel Goldwyn Films, Gottlieb survived a childhood in Poland where he and his family were forced to flee the Nazis, losing his father and younger brother before landing in a Ukrainian labor camp. Immigrating to Los Angeles, he went on to eventually build a successful career in the entertainment industry, producing a host of feature films including Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Lolita and Tortilla Soup. Gottlieb was the distributor of Amazing Grace; The Squid and the Whale; Super Size Me; Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, Mystic Pizza and the Oscar-winning documentary Hotel Terminus, exposing Gestapo Chief Klaus Barbie. He also produced or distributed Walk on Water, the highest grossing Israeli film; O Jerusalem, based on the creation of the state of Israel and Rosenstrasse, the true story of German women in 1943 Berlin who protested to save their Jewish husbands. Gottlieb noted, “It was Samuel Goldwyn who taught me the meaning of loyalty.”

“The inspiration for this year’s gala came straight from the pages of The Hollywood Reporter,” said Ron Meier, American Society for Yad Vashem Executive Director, “Their groundbreaking story, ‘The Last Survivors’ appeared in December, 2015 and chronicled the stories of the 11 Holocaust survivors alive today who had each forged a prominent place in the entertainment industry. Two of those featured, Meyer Gottlieb and Branko Lustig, are among our honorees this year. It is through their stories and those of all Holocaust survivors that the history and significance of the Holocaust is imparted to our future generations.”

Jeffrey Katzenberg presented the Vanguard Award to The Hollywood Reporter’s Janice Minn and Lynne Segall. In referencing the Holocaust survivors in the audience and around the world, Katzenberg noted, “I don’t call these individuals ‘survivors,’ I call them ‘triumphers’ as they have done more than survive, they have triumphed.”

Janice Min, Entertainment Group Co-President and Lynne Segall, EVP/Group Publisher accepted the Vanguard Award presented to The Hollywood Reporter, the award-winning entertainment industry publication whose feature story The Last Survivors served as the catalyst for the evening’s event. The Hollywood Reporter brings an insider’s point of view and is the definitive voice in entertainment. The digital reinvention of the iconic brand has positioned itself as a true original in the entertainment landscape, where it has pioneered the marriage of insider breaking news with smart content that film, TV and music lover’s crave: quality journalism, videos and photography from all award shows, film and music festivals, premieres and parties. Loaded with everything from proprietary lists, reviews, blogs and podcasts — all filtered through the brand’s discerning take on Hollywood — The Hollywood Reporter is the authoritative source that pop culture fans and industry insiders truly trust.

Phil Blazer, Founder and President of JLTV, presented the Legacy Award to producer Branko Lustig whose journey took him from Nazi death camps to triumph at the Oscars where he twice won the “Best Picture” award for Schindler’s List and Gladiator. Born in Osijek, Kingdom of Yugoslavia to a Croatian Jewish family, he was imprisoned as a child during World War II in Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. Most members of his family perished in the camps. His mother survived the Holocaust and they were reunited after the war. Beginning his career in the film business in Croatia, he worked on Fiddler on the Roof before moving to the United States in 1983 to work on the miniseries War and Remembrance. He has also served as a producer or executive producer on feature films including The Peacemaker, Hannibal and Black Hawk Down. In 2008, Lustig established Six Point Films, an independent production company geared to producing “meaningful, thought-provoking films.” In 2015, he presented his Oscar for Schindler’s List to Yad Vashem “for eternal safekeeping.”

Adam Milstein presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to successful businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist David Wiener who lost every member of his family with the exception of one brother in the Holocaust. Imprisoned at Auschwitz, American soldiers rescued him just three weeks before the war ended. Immigrating to the United States in 1946 with $2 in his pocket, his innate strength and determination resulted in the eventual creation of thriving furniture and textile businesses before establishing DW Development in Beverly Hills, a real estate development company responsible for major projects in the city of Fontana including shopping and retail centers and apartment buildings. Wiener is an avid supporter of the State of Israel and a host of charitable organizations including Yad Vashem, The Jewish Life Foundation, the FIDF, The Museum of Tolerance and Magen David Adom, among many others.

The evening concluded with guests singing “Happy Birthday” to Wiener who was celebrating his 90th. Another reason for celebration…he was married the day before!

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR YAD VASHEM was established 35 years ago by a group of Holocaust survivors to advance the crucial efforts of Yad Vashem through Holocaust education, traveling exhibitions, programming for the next generation and philanthropy. Since its establishment, ASYV has grown from a handful of dedicated members to over 65,000 passionate supporters throughout the United States. www.yadvashemusa.org

JEWISH LIFE FOUNDATON funds the creation of Jewish-themed cultural and educational programs that are broadcast on Jewish Life Television (JLTV). Its mission is to promote education and understanding among cultures worldwide by utilizing all facets of the media to provide community outreach programs, educational programs, and cultural events that embrace, celebrate and share Jewish values and traditions. This gala will help fund the new documentary Holocaust Survivors: They Helped Build America. www.jltv.tv

ABOUT YAD VASHEM

Since its founding sixty three years ago, Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority, on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, has become synonymous with Holocaust remembrance throughout the world. Courageously confronting the annals of Nazi evil, it serves as the conscience of humanity and the voice of the Jewish people in the vital endeavor to transmit the history and the significance of the Holocaust to future generations. With the help and support of our generous donors, Yad Vashem stands as the international community’s preeminent institution at the forefront of Holocaust education, commemoration, documentation, and research. As the responsibility for preserving the memory of the Holocaust passes from the remaining survivors to younger generations, Yad Vashem’s landmark Museum, designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the International School for Holocaust Studies, the Archives, and Research Institute provide the world with essential knowledge and insight regarding the cataclysmic events of the period. The Holocaust History Museum is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Israel, drawing dignitaries from around the world and close to a million visitors annually. With unsurpassed skill and experience, Yad Vashem succeeds in instilling the memory of the Holocaust with depth and meaning, thus helping to ensure that the memory of the victims and the voices of the survivors will resonate and inspire for generations to come.www.yadvashem.org