Nearly 1,000 distinguished guests gathered at the Hilton Americas-Houston for the Holocaust Museum Houston's (HMH) annual Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner. Dana Bash, CNN anchor and chief political correspondent, a third-generation Holocaust survivor, moderated the event which included a conversation with former Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat and Marion Ein Lewin, a child Holocaust survivor from the Netherlands.

The event raised nearly $1.3 million for HMH's general operating funds, which will focus on educational programming. Stephanie and Frank Tsuru chaired the fundraising dinner while Heidi and David Gerger and Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman served as host committee chairs. Sue Smith served as honorary chair, with honorary vice chairs including Donna Fujimoto Cole, Nancy and Jack Dinerstein, Elaine Finger, Patti and Mike Morgan, Carol and David Neuberger, Jeri and Marc Shapiro, Ileana and Michael Treviño and Kay and the Honorable Fred Zeidman.

For 28 years, the LBJ Moral Courage Award has been awarded to individuals who have taken a stand against hatred and prejudice while using their influence to improve the world. This year's recipient, the Honorable Stuart E. Eizenstat, has served in six U.S. administrations. He began on the White House Staff of President Lyndon Johnson and still serves under President Biden as Special Advisor to Holocaust Issues to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken. His career, spanning decades, has always included work on Holocaust issues.

The rapt crowd listened attentively to a discussion between Eizendsate and Ein Lewin led by Bash which spanned topics from Eizenstat's personal relationship with President Lyndon B. Johnson to restitution for Holocaust survivors. Ein Lewin also told her family's story of survival and shared her hopes for a future without prejudice and hate.

"Ambassador Eizenstat has dedicated a lifetime of service to fighting antisemitism and honoring Holocaust survivors," said HMH interim co-executive director Tamara Savage. "We're honored to have presented such a poignant conversation between him, Marion Ein Lewin, and Dana Bash."

VIPs spotted in the crowd included Paula Goldstein, Drs. Mia and Remus Wright, Mady and Ken Kades, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Rhona and Bruce Caress, Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron, Regina Rogers, Brian Caress and Jessica Strehlow, Limor and Stuart Smith, Shelly and Brian Hendry, Benjamin Warren, Mindy and Steve Finger, and Barry Mandel and Dr.Scott Sawyer.

  

Photo by Wilson Parish

HMH board chair Barbara J. Herz, CNN anchor Dana Bash, honoree Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, and Marion Ein Lewin.