2025 LBJ MORAL COURAGE AWARD DINNER
Spotlight on Courage
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Registration and reception at 6:00 pm | Dinner and program at 7:00 pm
Cocktail attire
Hilton Americas-Houston
1600 Lamar St
Honoring
Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin
Hostage Advocates
We invite you to mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and join us for this annual dinner at Hilton Americas-Houston where we will present Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin with the 2025 LBJ Moral Courage award. The evening’s program will include a conversation style interview with the honorees and award-winning diplomatic correspondent Amir Tibon.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s son, Hersh, was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Since then, the couple, who are dual American-Israeli citizens, have become full-time hostage advocates. They have been speaking worldwide about Hersh’s abduction and fighting for all of the hostages to be freed. Almost a year after being stolen, on day 330, the IDF announced that Hersh had been murdered by Hamas, in a tunnel in Gaza, along with five other young people with whom he was being held. Despite the devastating loss of their son, Jon and Rachel remain steadfast in their quest for the freedom of every hostage held by Hamas.
Amir Tibon
Amir Tibon is an award-winning diplomatic correspondent for Haaretz, Israel’s paper of record, and the author of The Last Palestinian: The Rise and Reign of Mahmoud Abbas (co-authored with Grant Rumley), the first-ever biography of the leader of the Palestinian Authority. From 2017-2020, Tibon was based in Washington, DC as a foreign correspondent for Haaretz, and he also has served as a senior editor for the newspaper’s English edition. He, his wife, and their two young daughters are former residents of Kibbutz Nahal Oz but are currently living as internal refugees in northern Israel.
Honorary Chairs
- Dr. Riva Collins & Ira Mitzner
Dinner Chairs
- Tali & Eric Blumrosen
- Susan & Michael Bono
Host Committee Chairs
- Susie & Jeff Raizner
Host Committee
- Dorit & Marty Aaron
- Honi & Michael Abbott
- Rita & Jeffrey Aron
- Judy & David Bell
- Kathy & Drew Berkman
- Amy Blumrosen & Shari Heyen
- Tracey & Dean Blumrosen
- Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman
- Rhona & Bruce Caress
- Debra & Steven Cohen
- Joan & Daniel Cohen
- Lisa & Eric Cohen
- Michele & Richard Deutsch
- Nancy & Jack Dinerstein
- Linda & Dr. Michael Eisemann
- Denise & Steve Estrin
- Bebe & John Falik
- Kelli Cohen Fein & Martin Fein
- Marjorie & Clive Fields
- Varda & Jess Fields
- Sandra & Steven Finkelman
- Bari & David Fishel
- Nancy & Richie Freed
- Martha & Donald Freedman
- Ann & J. Kent Friedman
- Jewel Sud Gaister & Brian Gaister
- Barbara & Michael Gamson
- Nicole Nathan Gibson & George Gibson
- Cheryl & Stephen Golub
- Lynn Gordon & Hy Penn
- Elizabeth & David Grzebinski
- Lauren & Geoffrey Harrison
- Jacqui Hecht & Wayne Dorris
- Punkin & Walter Hecht
- Shelly & Brian Hendry
- B.J. & Buddy Herz
- April & Al Hiller
- Gayle & Scott Hoffer
- Rochelle & Alan Jacobson
- Katherine & Matthew Kardesch
- Chris Kase
- Gail & Dr. Milton Klein
- Rhona & Ronnie Konig
- Richard Leibman
- Erica & Benjy Levit
- Rebecca & David Luks
- Nancy J. Li & Dr. Soner Tarim
- Glenn and Nicole Lowenstein
- Barry Mandel & Scott Sawyer
- Marcy Margolis
- Rosalyn Margolis
- Sunni & Gary Markowitz
- Khambrel R. Marshall
- Poppi Georges Massey
- April & Wells McGee
- Samantha & Gil Melman
- Pauline & Alfie Meyerson
- Edith Mincberg
- Patti & Mike Morgan
- Lydia & Benjamin Musher
- Jan Pasternak & Renee Tappe
- Laura & Corey Powell
- Vicki Rabin & Andy Bursten
- Andrea & Albert Raizner
- Susan & Barrett Reasoner
- Vicky & Michael Richker
- Polly & Ralph Robinson
- Regina Rogers
- Marci Rosenberg & Ben Samuels
- Drs. Judith & Harvey Rosenstock
- Marissa & Zach Savrick
- Joan Schnitzer
- Drs. Mary R. Schwartz & David A. Cech
- Jeri & Marc Shapiro
- Tami & Gregg Sheena
- Gretchen & Ken Sheirr
- Mitzi Shure & Jerry Wische
- Limor & Stuart Smith
- Sue Smith
- Helen & Andy Spector
- Alana R. Spiwak & Sam L. Stolbun
- Robin & Brad Stein
- Lisa & Rabbi Brian Strauss
- Jessica Strehlow & Brian Caress
- Jill & Charlie Talisman
- Donna & Philip Tenenbaum
- Alberta & Andrew Totz
- Ellen & Dan Trachtenberg
- The Udelson & LaPoten Family
- Robin & Donald Wayne
- Irene Weingarten & Richard Wolf
- Jeannie & Gary Wermuth
- LaNoe & Robert Westheimer
- Aileen & Mark Weycer
- Barbara Winthrop & Jay Steinfeld
- Inna Wizig
- Cyvia G. Wolff
As of February 24, 2025
For questions or more information, contact 713-527-1622 or email lbjdinner@hmh.org.
Unable to attend, but wish to support the 2025 LBJ Moral Courage Dinner? Make a donation.
