Rochelle Jacobson Receives ADL’s 2009 Torch of Liberty Award

Date: November 6, 2009

Longtime ADL board member Rochelle Merfish Jacobson received ADL's 2009 Torch of Liberty Award and touching tributes at ADL's 2009 Torch of Liberty dinner, November 4.

The award, presented to Jacobson by Board Chair Scott Atlas and Jacobson's children, Scott Jacobson and Julie Jacobson, goes annually to a community leader who has shown a commitment to promoting respect, counteracting hatred and bigotry, and supporting fair treatment for all.   Family, friends and acquaintances of Jacobson made clear she exemplifies those ideas in the way she runs her business, Merfish Pipe and Supply, in her relationships with her husband and children, in the way she serves as a mentor to students, employees and other business owners, and through her generous philanthropy, both in the neighborhoods in which she lives and works, and across the world.

Jacobson highlighted ADL programs and services in her acceptance speech, which focused on how ADL works "to reduce the pain of discrimination," and eradicate bias from the world.   "If the world were unhindered by social biases," Jacobson said, "imagine what smooth sailing the pursuit of happiness could be."

H-E-B Houston Division President and generous supporter Scott McLelland also presented the Julie and Ben Rogers Ecumenism Award on behalf of ADL.  It was established by former ADL board chair Regina Rogers,  and designed to honor an individual or organization for furthering harmony and cooperation in our communities.  This year, the award went to the Children's Defense Fund-Texas.  Children's Defense Fund-Texas Board Chair Lan Bentsen accepted the award on behalf of the agency, and spoke about how it works to provide an equal footing for all children by providing health care and other opportunities that turn the "cradle to prison pipeline" into a "cradle to college pipeline."

In a fitting tribute to the work of ADL and the honorees, close to 700 people attended the Torch of Liberty Dinner, and contributed generously to meet the financial goal of $500,000 for the evening. "It was a warm, touching, and meaningful evening," said ADL Regional Director Martin B. Cominsky.  "We had wonderful honorees, a fantastic crowd of people who have supported ADL for many years, and some new attendees we hope will join with the veterans in supporting ADL for many years to come."