30th Anniversary Northeast Tribute Dinner

Richard’s business ventures began in 1985, after deciding to step away from his burgeoning career as a surgeon in New York City. With several early real estate successes in hand, Richard founded BD Hotels, in partnership with Ira Drukier, and focused on developing a series of hotels in Midtown Manhattan. In 1996, Richard and his partners turned a landmark industrial building in SoHo into the renowned Mercer Hotel. From there, they went on to develop several other iconic boutique hotels in Manhattan—including The Maritime, The Bowery, The Greenwich, The Marlton, and The Ludlow hotels—as well as a chain of properties called The POD Hotels. Their most recent addition is the restored Chelsea Hotel. In 1980, Richard married Deborah Hammerman. Together, they have three children: Caroline (Zachary) Gleser, Jennifer (Benjamin) Gerut, and Max Born. They also have six grandchildren: Julia, Abigail, Beatrice, Noa, William, and Robert. Richard and Deborah serve as benefactors to numerous charitable organizations, including Colel Chabad, New York University, the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the International Center of Photography, Yad Vashem, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and the Ramaz School. Richard sits on the board of the Hotel Association of New York City and NYU Hillel and is the chairman of Colel Chabad. Richard’s involvement in Holocaust remembrance began early in life. From the age of five, he participated in the annual commemoration of the Warsaw Ghetto Resistance Organization, of which his father served as vice chairman. Likewise, his involvement in Yad Vashem and the Museum of Jewish Heritage stems from his parents’ dedication to both organizations. Photo: Richard Born. Michael Olsen

Early in her philanthropic career, Rita lent her time, resources, and talents to supporting critical fundraising efforts at the Ramaz School, which her children attended, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She served as vice president of the school’s Parents Council and, for many years, as its Dinner and Auction Committee chair. During this time, she was also deeply involved in the Yeshiva University Women’s Organization, serving as co-chair of the annual auction. Today, Rita continues to perform countless acts of chesed in the community. She and her husband, Fred, have been active members and supporters of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun (CKJ) since joining the shul in 1978. Over the years, she has served as a board member and social secretary of the CKJ sisterhood, spearheading major fundraising events, and her husband, Fred, has served as president of the synagogue. Rita and Fred are also major supporters of Friends of Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF), an organization founded by her parents and other Holocaust survivors. Most recently, they co-chaired two highly successful Chairman’s Leadership Missions to Israel for FIDF. Rita and Fred are proud parents to Michael (Erica) Distenfeld and Claire (Michael) Olshan and enchanted grandparents to Lucy, Sophie, Joe, Maxwell, and Colette. Photo: Rita Born Distenfeld. Fred Marcus Photography

Earlier this year, Dana reported from Auschwitz, the concentration camp and killing center in German-occupied Poland where the Nazis systematically murdered approximately one million Jews, including her maternal great-grandparents. Last year, Dana took an in-depth look at the increasingly mainstream presence of antisemitism in the digital age, as part of CNN’s special report Rising Hate: Antisemitism in America. She called the report, “one of the most important things I’ve ever done” and insists, “the way to combat antisemitism is to educate.” Based in Washington, DC, Bash also covers both campaigns and Congress and regularly serves as a moderator for CNN’s town hall specials. In 2021, Bash launched her CNN series Being…, which goes beyond her Sunday morning news-making interviews. The series features in-depth conversations with individuals affecting American policy, politics, and culture—giving viewers an understanding of the human being behind the public face. In 2017, Bash launched her digital CNN series Badass Women of Washington, highlighting women from a wide range of backgrounds and generations to show how they have shattered glass ceilings on their way up the ranks.

She serves on the International Auschwitz Council and is a recipient of the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and five honorary doctorates. She joined the planning staff of the Museum in 1986 when it was a project in development and served in a variety of roles before becoming director in 1999. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Ms. Bloomfield holds a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in education from John Carroll University, and has studied business administration at the graduate level. Ms. Bloomfield is the 2021 recipient of the Roger E. Joseph Prize, which is awarded annually for exceptional work done in the field of human rights and Jewish survival. Photo: Sara J. Bloomfield. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum