Host Committee Included Nina Libeskind, Sandy Rogen, Jay Sackman, and Eva Zasloff; Honorary Committee Included Judd Apatow, James Franco, Evan Goldberg, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Craig Robinson, Danya Rogen, and Lauren Miller Rogen
The Workers Circle presented father and son Mark and Seth Rogen with the organization’s Generation to Generation Activism Award at its Annual Benefit in Manhattan.
“Tonight is the kickoff to our 120th anniversary celebration. As the Jewish expression goes, you shall live to be 120 or biz hundert un tsvantsik. Well, we have!” proclaimed Executive Director Ann Toback in her remarks. “Tonight we are honoring two mensches, father and son Mark and Seth Rogen, who truly exemplify living our values and Generation to Generation activism, fun dor tsu dor. Theirs is a wonderful family rooted in yiddishkayt.”
Toback was introduced at the event by Board President Richard Rumelt, who noted, “Ann has led the Workers Circle to continue its proud legacy of fighting for the dignity and economic rights of workers, for immigrant rights, and for decent wages.” He continued, “What keeps us dynamic after 120 years? What keeps an organization going for such a considerable amount of time? The answer is people. It’s the people who are attracted to our mission.”
Seth Rogen is an actor, writer, producer, director, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Alongside longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, Rogen produces film and television projects through their production company, Point Grey Pictures (PGP). His next project is Brandon Trost’s feature film for Sony, “An American Pickle,” in which Rogen plays both lead characters. Point Grey recently produced Amazon’s “The Boys” as wells as Universal’s R- rated hit comedy, “Good Boys.” Dedicated to giving back, in 2012, Rogen and his wife Lauren founded Hilarity for Charity® (HFC), which raises awareness for Alzheimer’s disease.
“This really is an honor. My father has always believed in helping others. He’s worked at nonprofits his whole life,” said Seth Rogen. “My father has taught me a valuable lesson, which is if you believe in something, you should stand up for it and yell about it and scream about it. That’s what my dad did and will continue to do throughout this life.”
Mark Rogen, who met his wife Sandy on Kibbutz Beit Alfa in Israel, worked for a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Los Angeles Workers Circle.
“I am extremely honored and proud to be a co-recipient with my son Seth for this year’s Generation to Generation Activism Award,” said Mark Rogen. “We all have an obligation to act. To at least try, in the words of the Bible, to be a blessing. To be a blessing is not about measure, it’s about intent. We act to be a blessing both through our own efforts, but also by working with such wonderful organizations as the Workers Circle.”
Over 275 guests gathered as the organization formally unveiled its new name, the Workers Circle. This new name embraces the tenor of the times in gender-neutral fashion and with a nod to the organization’s century of activism at the fore of the labor movement, supporting worker rights to this day.
Held at JW Marriott Essex House at 160 Central Park South in Manhattan, the event included a performance by the Litvakus Klezmer Band, and a live auction was emceed by the award-winning storyteller Leslie Goshko. The benefit’s Host Committee included Nina Libeskind, Sandy Rogen, Jay Sackman, and Eva Zasloff, and its Honorary Committee included James Franco, Evan Goldberg, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Craig Robinson, Danya Rogen, and Lauren Miller Rogen. The Rogens generously contributed at the benefit’s top giving levels as Leaders and Champions, joined by Workmen’s Circle Board Secretary Robert Kaplan and his wife Marcia, Daniel and Nina Libeskind, The Walt Disney Studios, and Anonymous.
