(DENVER) — JEWISHcolorado is excited to present its Signature Event featuring activist and Emmy-winning actress Debra Messing on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, in the Bluebird Ballroom at the Colorado Convention Center from 6-9 PM.
At the event, JEWISHcolorado will honor Arlene and Barry Hirschfeld with the Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 50 years of service to the Jewish community.
Since 1902 when Arlene’s family came to Denver and 1903 when Barry’s family arrived, the two families have been actively involved in the Denver business, civic, and Jewish communities. Arlene’s father, Barry’s grandfather and father each served as Board Chairs of the Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado, the precursor organization to JEWISHcolorado.
Barry served on the Allied Jewish Federation Board and Endowment Committee. He currently serves on the Boards of National Jewish Health, Boy Scouts of America, and Visit Denver where he is a Lifetime Trustee and a former Board Chair. He has also served as Board Chair of the Denver Art Museum, a trustee of the Boettcher Foundation, and one of the founders of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).
Barry has received many awards including the Mizel Museum Community Cultural Enrichment Award, National Philanthropy Day in Colorado Lifetime Achievement Award, and Martin Luther King Social Responsibility Award. In 2004, Barry was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.
Arlene Hirschfeld has been involved with the Jewish Federation for decades, serving as Women’s Campaign Chair and in 1999 as the third woman to be Chair of the Board. The same year, she was recognized with the prestigious Golda Award and has been a Lion of Judah for more than 40 years. Arlene was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 2006, served as the first woman Board Chair of the Rose Community Foundation, and was the President of the Junior League of Denver.
In 2004, at a celebration at Ellis Island, Arlene and Barry each received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
“The Hirschfeld Family legacy of building up this community through hard work, generous philanthropic gifts, and hours upon hours of their time and expertise, have provided the building blocks for creating a vibrant Jewish community,” said JEWISHcolorado President & CEO Renée Rockford.
The celebratory evening will feature Debra Messing, an Emmy Award-winning actress, Producer, and Human Rights Activist, best known for her Emmy & SAG Award-winning role as Grace Adler on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning comedy series Will & Grace. Messing has been honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Women in Film’s Lucy Award, The Gracie Allen Award, the American Comedy Award, among 50 more nominations.
In the wake of the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th, Messing has used her platform to be one of the strongest, clearest, and most informed voices advocating for Israel, the end of hate and misinformation, and the release of the remaining hostages. In December 2023, she traveled to Israel to bear witness to the massacre and meet with hostage families and survivors. She spoke to 300,000 people in Washington at the March for Israel rally last year. Since then, Messing has been speaking to audiences across the country. She is Executive Producer of the documentary, OCTOBER H8TE, about the explosion of antisemitism since October 7th.
General Admission tickets are $180, $80 of which is a tax-deductible donation, and tickets for those under 30 years old or for those who are Jewish Agency professionals are $118, $18 of which is a tax-deductible donation. Details and registration at https://events.idonate.com/2025aneveningwithdebramessing.
For more on table and event sponsorship opportunities or honoree tributes, please contact Jill Katchen at 303.316.6464 or jkatchen@jewishcolorado.org.