(Courtesy of Simon Wiesenthal Center) This past Sunday, the Simon Wiesenthal Center held its fifth annual event honoring “Heroes for Tolerance” with overwhelming support and success.
While this event is usually held in conjunction with the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, due to COVID-19 concerns this year’s event was relocated to a site that SWC was able to make safe for all participants.
“SWC would like to thank all involved for helping ensure that this event produced the resources necessary to continue forwarding the institution’s critical programs and fulfilling the mission at a time that is both more challenging and critical than any time in recent memory,” said Michael Cohen, SWC’s eastern director. “The SWC family is truly humbled at the generosity of the Northeast region and are immensely grateful.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s distinguished honorees were Matthew Dikovics and Michael Pock of Nassau Consulting Group; David Heskiel, police chaplain, community advocate; and Hon. Joseph Lagana, New Jersey State Senator and partner at Cleary, Giacobbe, Alfieri and Jacobs.
Each of these individuals continues to be a tremendous leader during these most challenging of times in the fight against hate, anti-Semitism and discrimination, looking to make our world and our local communities a better place for our children, our families and our collective future.
“At a time when the mission, programs and advocacy of the Simon Wiesenthal Center are needed more than ever, we are humbled by the outpouring of support and generosity during these most challenging of times,” Cohen continued. “This important event exceeded all expectations and we will continue in our unwavering commitment to serving on the front lines in the battles against anti-Semitism and hate.”
Sheriff Anthony Cureton, Bergen County Sheriff spoke at the event as well. “I would like to commend the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Director Michael Cohen for their Fifth Annual Heroes for their Tolerance Award Ceremony. It was a great program, highlighted by the honorees who advocate for programs that assist in eradicating anti-Semitism. I would also like to thank Director Michael Cohen for never-ending commitment to fighting for equality for all people.”
Rabbi Aaron Kotler, president of the Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), was thanked for supporting SWC and being a featured speaker. Rabbi Kotler told the story of Simon Wiesenthal himself, in how losing 89 members of his family during the Holocaust he did not give up, he did not walk away, but instead rose up to lead the world in the fight against injustice everywhere, giving us all a model to follow for all time.
Israel Nitzan, acting Israeli consul general of Israel, also attended the event and spoke. He thanked SWC for its continued efforts in combating anti-Semitism while highlighting the continued work of the center through the pandemic, both in having almost 30 local municipalities pass anti-BDS resolutions and in making sure the Wiesenthal Government Advocacy Internship Program continued this summer, training our next generation so they can one day lead their communities, while so many other programs had to unfortunately take a year hiatus.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center thanks the hosts of the event, Polly and Gabriel Bousbib, for graciously opening up their backyard. SWC also thanked the members of the event’s host committee for their tireless efforts: Dr. Paul Ackerman, Ann Arnold, Warren Cohn, Gil Cygler, Ira Goldstein, Victor Herlinsky, Hon. John Hogan, Shira Jacobs, Nina Nanasi, Jodi and Allen Rapaport, Lori and Dr. Marty Schlakman, Todd Sherer, Debra Tantleff and Bishop Mitchell Taylor.
