The Anti-Defamation League honored four extraordinary women of achievement at the 20th Annual Deborah Awards Dinner on March 19, in front of a capacity crowd at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills. The event raised more than $275,000 for ADL programs to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry.
ADL’s Deborah Awards are presented annually to outstanding women whose leadership in their professions and civic contributions exemplify the qualities and ideals of ADL.
Honored for their professional and philanthropic dedication to the Los Angeles community were Lisa Bloom, Founder and Owner of The Bloom Firm, NBC legal analyst and bestselling author; Fung Der, Managing Director & Regional Executive, U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management; Pooneh Mohajer, Co-Founder and COO of tokidoki; and Liane Weintraub, Co-Founder and CEO of Tasty Brand.
A theme emerged as each award was presented – all the honorees were celebrated as strong, successful and dynamic women who share the drive to succeed in diverse fields of banking, law, food and fashion and also share a passion to “make a difference.” In their acceptance speeches, all four women focused on the importance of ADL’s mission to fight anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds.
Civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred presented the award to her daughter, Lisa Bloom, whom she described as “my best work.” In accepting her award, Bloom – also a civil rights attorney – credited her mom with instilling in her a commitment to social justice.
In another “mother-daughter” moment, Cheryl Rigali presented the award to her mother, Fung Der, who is celebrating her 40th year with Bank of America. Rigali described her mother’s journey from immigrant roots to highly successful business woman and how her experiences informed her interest in improving other people’s lives.
Fellow entrepreneur Mona Andrews introduced Pooneh Mohajer as an “entrepreneur’s entrepreneur.” Mohajer discussed her parents’ immigrant background and appreciation that their brave decision to come to the United States allowed her to pursue a life of freedom and independence.
NBC4 Southern California Investigative Reporter Joel Grover, who was MC for the evening, couldn’t miss the opportunity for a “selfie” when introducing the final presenter, Jane Seymour. The actress, artist, author and activist gave the award to Liane Weintraub, whose family has a long history of ADL involvement. Weintraub, whose father escaped Nazi Germany, talked about her commitment to helping create a hate-free world.
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