Entrepreneur and philanthropist Elliott Broidy, Nobel laureate Dr. Harvey J. Alter, and Rabbi David Baron were honored on Capitol Hill on May 19 during the annual Jewish American Heritage Month celebration, a gathering of members of Congress, foreign ambassadors and trade ministers, and Jewish communal leaders recognizing the significant role Jewish Americans have played in the safety, security, health, cultural and civic life, and well-being of the United States.
The event was held in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building, where congressional leaders and other participants recognized the contributions Jewish Americans have made to society, especially acknowledging this year’s distinguished honorees for their achievements in philanthropy, national security, medicine, Holocaust remembrance, and Jewish communal life.
Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), as well as Reps. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) and Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), participated in the event.
Elliott Broidy was honored with the Visionary Award for his leadership in philanthropy, national security, Holocaust remembrance, Jewish communal life, and efforts to combat antisemitism and extremism.
Broidy is Chairman and CEO of the private equity firm Broidy Capital Holdings, which invests in a range of national security and public safety technology companies.
Broidy donated funds to help the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) purchase the former home of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, located adjacent to the concentration camp, allowing CEP to transform it into the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88. The center is dedicated to confronting antisemitism and extremism using advanced technologies, including efforts to disrupt the financial networks that fund terrorism. ARCHER also hosts cultural programming and exhibits, including its current exhibition, The Birdman of Auschwitz: Science and the Failure of Conscience.
Elliott Broidy also recently acquired an original architectural drawing of the Auschwitz-Birkenau crematoria. The $1.5 million acquisition symbolically honored the approximately 1.5 million Jewish children murdered during the Holocaust, with proceeds supporting educational initiatives focused on empathy, moral courage, and character formation. The artifact will be exhibited at institutions dedicated to Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism before eventually finding a permanent institutional home.
“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition during Jewish American Heritage Month alongside individuals whose work reflects the very best of Jewish American achievement and public service,” said Elliott Broidy. “Jewish American Heritage Month is an opportunity not only to celebrate the extraordinary contributions Jewish Americans have made to our country, but also to recommit ourselves to confronting antisemitism, preserving the memory of the Holocaust, and defending the democratic values that make our society strong.”
“At a time when antisemitism and extremism are rising around the world, we cannot afford complacency,” Broidy added. “We have a responsibility to educate future generations, support institutions dedicated to truth and remembrance, and ensure that hatred is confronted wherever it appears.”
The annual celebration was organized by Project Legacy under the leadership of Ezra Friedlander and chaired by Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman Emeritus of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and Eric J. Gertler, Executive Chairman and CEO of U.S. News & World Report.
Virologist and medical researcher Dr. Harvey J. Alter was honored with the Dr. David Nassy Award for his groundbreaking work leading to the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus, and Rabbi David Baron of Temple of the Arts with the Creativity in the Jewish Community Award for his contributions to Jewish cultural and religious life, Holocaust education, and philanthropy.
Dr. Alter received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for research that transformed blood screening protocols and helped save millions of lives worldwide. Rabbi Baron was recognized for decades of leadership in Jewish cultural and religious life, Holocaust remembrance, and public service through media, philanthropy, and international remembrance initiatives.
Jewish American Heritage Month traces its roots to the early 1980s, when Jewish Heritage Week was established following discussions among Malcolm Hoenlein, President Ronald Reagan, and author and humanitarian Elie Wiesel. It later evolved into the month-long national observance recognized each May.