INAUGURAL GALA

Honoring Senator Ben Cardin and Mrs. Myrna Cardin
Honoring Josh and Marjorie Harris
Honoring Pinchas Zukerman

Hosted by Andrea Mitchell

Thank you to all who joined us to support the Museum’s mission: exploring the Jewish experience in the national capital region and inspiring visitors to Connect personally and collectively, Reflect on the relevance of the past to today, and Act on behalf of their communities and values.

Musical Performance by Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth

Special thanks to Ambassador Laurent Bili, the Embassy
of France, Nouveau Productions, the American Pops
Orchestra, and Zachary Oxman.

For information about our 2025 Gala, please contact Malki Karkowsky, Chief Advancement Officer, at 202-290-2593 or [email protected].

Please consider a 100% tax-deductible donation to the Inaugural Gala.

Honorary Gala Committee

About Josh and Marjorie Harris:

From professional sports to philanthropic endeavors, Marjorie and Josh Harris are driven in large part by their shared roots in Judaism and belief in the tenet of tikkun olam; using acts of kindness to help repair the world. The couple co-founded Harris Philanthropies in 2014 to strengthen communities through philanthropic giving and equitable investment, and have since spearheaded countless initiatives in support of supporting Israel, local youth sports programs, regional health and wellness and fostering greater economic opportunity.

About Pinchas Zukerman:

With a distinguished career spanning five decades, Pinchas Zukerman stands out as one of the most versatile and celebrated musicians of our time. Renowned for his virtuosity, expressive lyricism, and exceptional tone, Zukerman is a sought-after violin and viola soloist, conductor, and chamber musician. His discography includes over 100 albums, earning him two Grammy® Awards and 21 nominations. This season he performs with the Zukerman Trio in Aspen, Sonoma, Sedona and Gettysburg, as well as with the Israel, Vienna, Los Angeles and Rhode Island Philharmonics, Gulbenkian Orchestra (Lisbon) and in chamber music concerts for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

In addition to his performance career, Zukerman is a dedicated educator, serving as chair of the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music for over 25 years. He continues his role as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Artistic & Principal Education Partner, working with students at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts. His mentorship has inspired many young musicians worldwide, and he has received numerous honors, including honorary doctorates from Brown University, Queen’s University, and the University of Calgary, as well as the National Medal of Arts and the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence.

About Amanda Forsyth:

Canadian Juno Award-winning cellist Amanda Forsyth is widely acclaimed as one of today’s most dynamic performers. Renowned for her intense richness of tone, exceptional musicality, and passionate style, Forsyth captivates audiences around the world. Her international reputation as a leading soloist and chamber musician is reflected in her performances with prestigious ensembles such as The Royal Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, and Israel Philharmonic. She has also made notable appearances with the Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Marinsky Orchestra, and has toured extensively in Australia, Europe, and the U.S. Her Los Angeles Philharmonic debut was conducted by Zubin Mehta, and she made her Carnegie Hall debut with the Israel Philharmonic.

As a founding member of the Zukerman Chamber Players and cellist of the Zukerman Trio, Forsyth has performed across six continents and participated in major festivals including Aspen, Edinburgh, Verbier, and Ravinia. This season, she continues to impress with engagements at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Eastern Music Festival, Syros Music Festival (Greece) and Musica da Camara Braga (Portugal). Forsyth has also been involved in world premieres and collaborations, including the “Electra Rising” concerto by her father Malcolm Forsyth and Avner Dorman’s Double Concerto with Pinchas Zukerman. Her recordings are featured on major labels such as Sony Classics and Analekta, and she plays a rare 1699 cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore.

About Senator Ben Cardin and Mrs. Myrna Cardin:

An outspoken champion for human rights and the environment, Ben Cardin has been a national leader on foreign policy while representing the people of Maryland in the U.S. Senate, and before that the House of Representatives. He has worked across party lines to further U.S. national security and to ensure that anti-corruption and respect for civil and human rights are integrated into American actions at home and abroad. Currently serving as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he also serves on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and is the Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism and Intolerance for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Cardin was at the forefront of efforts to develop and implement a national U.S. strategy against antisemitism and hate-based violence. He has consistently worked to raise awareness of the escalation of global antisemitic violence and other forms of intolerance, while striving to promote peace, tolerance and equality.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Myrna Cardin has been as dedicated to family and public service as her husband. Through the years, she has been involved with many community organizations, including the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women (board member), Baltimore Jewish Council (past board president), Jewish Community Center (past board president), The University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, and The Associated:  Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore (Chair, Jewish Life Lead Team). Myrna also is a past Chair of the Board of Visitors for Towson University, her alma mater.

The Cardins are parents to Deborah Cardin and son-in-law Jonathan Willis and the proud grandparents to Madeline and Julia.

Conservator Sponsors

In memory of Anita and Burton, and Grandma Mary. LAR

Collector Sponsors

Shirley and Albert H. Small, z’l
Tina and Albert H. Small, Jr.
Pat and Robert Silverman

Designer Sponsors

Nancy Robinson Breuer and Lanny Breuer
Stuart and Cheryl Bindeman
Diane Lipton Dennis
Meg and Samuel Flax
Esther Safran Foer and Bert Foer
Ann B. and Thomas L. Friedman Family Foundation
Jubilee Property Corporation
Sherry Bindeman Kahn and David Kahn
Finmarc Management Inc.
Howard Morse and Laura Loeb
Lauren and Samuel Racoosin
Deborah Ratner Salzberg and Michael Salzberg
Eugene Sofer and Judith Bartnoff
Christopher Wolf and James Beller

Educator Sponsors

Andrew R. Ammerman
Carol, Rob, and Betsy Bindeman
Honorable Ann Brown
Laurence and Sherri Cafritz
Jodi Cafritz and Dr. Mark Bronsky
Dorothy Canter
Marcella and Neil Cohen, Thea Cohen and David Yellin
Cooley LLP
Dave and Jamie Dorros
Edward Lenkin and Roselin Atzwanger
Dr. Lisa DeMarco and Dr. Leonard Goldman
Elisa and Kenneth Glazer
GMP LLP
Madelyn and Steve Harris
PNC
Barbara and Bert Rein
Craig and Pat Ruppert Family Foundation
SNCF America
Stuart and Bonnie Youngentob
Nancy and Harold Zirkin

Docent Sponsors

Nancy Alper
Lois F. Alperstein
Nancy and Alan Bubes
Nancy Abramowitz and Mark Ellenberg
Ann and Gerald Bass
Edward and Debra Cohen
Robert and Rose Cohen
Patricia Alper Cohn and David I. Cohn
Marc and Nancy Duber
Barry and Marie Fleishman
Catherine and Michael Gildenhorn
Brenda Gruss and Daniel Hirsch
Alexandra and Michael Horowitz
David A. and Beth Javdan
Mark and Tory Joseph
Cary Sherman and Ellen Kay
Allen Kronstadt and Marilyn Brody
Wilma Probst Levy
Jules Polonetsky and Naama Lewin
Mandy Lippman and Mark Ohan
Becky and Ira Mendelson
Alison and John Shulman
Robert and Phyllis Wolff
John Zeller

Inaugural Gala Supporters as of September 13, 2024

About Andrea Mitchell:

Andrea Mitchell is NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent and host of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” an hour of political news and interviews with top newsmakers that airs each weekday at 12 P.M. ET on MSNBC. Mitchell’s more than 20 years of reporting on the Clintons earned her the unofficial role as “dean of the Clinton press corps”. Mitchell regularly appears on “Meet the Press” as a panelist and substitute host.