NEW YORK โ More than 600 leaders, philanthropists, and activists gathered at Manhattanโs Pier 60 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation (AJCF), reaffirming its mission to combat hatred and antisemitism through education, remembrance, and action.
The event spotlighted the Foundationโs flagship American Service Academies Program (ASAP), a Holocaust education initiative for U.S. military cadets. The 2025 cohort included 25 cadets from West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, and other service academies.
CNN commentator and civil rights advocate Van Jones received the AJCF Fighting Hatred Award for his efforts to bridge the Black and Jewish communities and strengthen democratic values. Jones led the AJCF-Exodus Leadership Mission to Poland earlier this year, commemorating 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz.
Reed Smith LLP was honored with the AJCF Advocacy Award for its support of AJCF initiatives, including a high-profile delegation to Poland and vocal backing for Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack. Global Managing Partner Casey Ryan accepted the award.
Philanthropists Rick Frazier and Mary Fox-Frazier were recognized with the AJCF Humanitarian Award for their 2024 Miracle Mission, which provided free hearing aids to 100 Holocaust survivors in Brooklyn through their Gift of Sound program.
The AJCF Medal of Valor was awarded to six prominent Black changemakers, including singer Victory Boyd and entrepreneur John Hope Bryant, for their roles in the Exodus Mission and their ongoing work to promote tolerance and community partnerships.
โFor 25 years, the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation has served as a moral compass, reminding the world that silence in the face of hatred is never an option,โ said AJCF Chairman Simon Bergson.
Director General Jack Simony added, โEach of this year’s honorees embodies the courage, compassion, and moral clarity that our world so urgently needs.โ
This article is based on verified information from AJCFโs official press release.