Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav Honored at Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian Award Dinner

Annual Gala Attended by Leaders from the Entertainment, Philanthropy and Jewish Community Raise a record $4.3 Million to Support SWC’s Global Programs for Combatting Antisemitism and Promoting Greater Tolerance Nationwide

LOS ANGELES (October 31, 2025) — The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) held its annual humanitarian award dinner on Thursday, October 30, 2025, to recognize individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to combatting antisemitism and hate and displaying extraordinary valor. David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, received the 2025 Humanitarian Award, the global human rights organization’s highest honor. Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg presented the award.

The gala raised $4.3 million, which will support SWC’s global education, advocacy and storytelling initiatives that combat antisemitism, including the development of the largest permanent exhibition ever created at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and its fast-growing fleet of nine U.S. mobile museums, referred to as Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MmoT).

In his acceptance speech, David Zaslav remarked: “I stand here tonight proudly as a Jewish man whose family came from Eastern Europe, escaped persecution and realized the promise of America. They're a daily reminder to never forget, to tell the stories and fight for ideals that keep us safe and free even when it's hard. 

 “Storytelling can be more powerful than armies. Someday, years from now, our legacy will not be the profits that we made, it’ll be the stories that we told. Tentpoles and sequels are great, and they’re great for business, but we need to tell original stories. We need to tell our stories. This is our time. Our time is not going to last forever, not for any of us.

 “So in celebration of all who are here tonight and in memory of hope of all who are not, let's all commit to inspiring hope through our actions and having the courage to stand up to hate. And finally, let's all commit to remembering who we are and where we came from. I know for me, I have a lot to live up to. We all do. Thank you."

Jim Berk, CEO of Simon Wiesenthal Center, formally announced the expansion of Moriah Media, into a full-fledged development, financing, and production entity to develop feature films, television series, documentaries, and short-form content.

“I often say our organization has three superpowers: advocacy, education, and storytelling. While the first two are expected of an institution that bears the name of the renowned Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, it’s the third – storytelling – that truly sets us apart.”

Moriah Media’s first project One Day in October, a seven episode anthology, is based on a harrowing trust story of inividuals, who in a moment of terrible peril during the attakcs on Israel on 10/7, summoned the courage to do more than just save themselves. Produced in association with Fox Entertainment Studios, the series premiered on HBO Max in early October.

Medals of Valor Awards were presented to Omer Shem Tov, who was abducted from the Nova Music Festival and held hostage for 505 days and Aya Meydan, who left her home to meet her cycling partner for an early morning ride that turned into a nightmare, surviving by the act of strangers who saved her life and the lives of dozens of others.

In accepting the award, Aya Meydan said “October 7 was a day of darkness but it was also a day with some light. I don’t have to tell you about the darkness, but I do want to tell you about the light…Israelis from all backgrounds, among them Arab and Bedouin citizens, came together as one nation on that day.” 

This event was led by SWC Trustee and Dinner Chair Jeffrey Katzenberg and Trustee Chairperson Dawn Aaron, along with Shelli and Irving Azoff, Lisa and Jeff Bewkes, Len Blavatnik, Jon Bon Jovi, Aryeh Bourkoff, Eddy Cue, Ariel Emanuel, Evercore, Jon Feltheimer, David Geffen, Sir Lucian Grainge, Robert Kraft, Elaine & Ken Langone, Rob Manfred, Donald Newhouse, Craig Piligian, Shari Redstone, Cheryl & Haim Saban, Mark Shapiro, Karen & Sanford Teplitzky, and Hans Vestberg. 

 Dinner co-chairs included Allen & Company, Amblin Entertainment, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Gary Barber, Gary Bettman, Jason Blum, Paul Buccieri, George Cheeks, David Ellison, Mike Fries, Rich Gelfond, Roger Goodell, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, JPMorganChase, Michael E. Kassan, Bobby Kotick, David Kramer, Ynon Kreiz, Cyndy & Les Lederer, Aaron Levie, Bryan Lourd, Michael Rapino, Michael Rubin, Josh Sapan, Ted Sarandos, The Schleifer Family, Sheri Schlesinger, Adam Silver, Vicki Simms, David Solomon, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Barry S. Sternlicht, Jay Sures, Fernando Szew, and Steve Tisch.

 Photos captured by Getty for the event can be viewed here.

About the Simon Wiesenthal Center

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a global Jewish human rights organization that combats antisemitism, defends the State of Israel, and uses the lessons of the Holocaust to teach tolerance and combat hate. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO). Headquartered in Los Angeles, the SWC operates in key centers of Jewish life including New York, Chicago, Florida, Toronto, Jerusalem, Vienna and Buenos Aires. To learn more, visit www.wiesenthal.org.

About Moriah Media

Moriah Media is the Academy Award-winning storytelling division of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), dedicated to creating entertainment that informs, inspires, and amplifies the Center’s mission. The company develops, produces, and distributes feature films, television series, documentaries, and short-form content that bring critical issues to life through powerful storytelling. Leveraging its deep relationships with leading creative talent, major studios and television networks, as well as the SWC’s global network of field operations, supporters and volunteers, Moriah Media delivers stories with unmatched authenticity and reach, engaging audiences worldwide. Media inquiries should be directed to Erik Simon or Deborah Camiel at pressinquiries@wiesenthal.com.