Obama, Spielberg And Springsteen ‘Hang Out’ At Holocaust Benefit Dinner

You might think that the most unlikely three men in the world to hang out together would be Barak Obama, President of the United States, Film Director Steven Spielberg, and music legend Bruce Springsteen.

But, on Wednesday night, the president shared a table with Spielberg and Springsteen, as well as Barbara Streisand and the iconic Samuel L. Jackson, at a USC Shoah Foundation event, where Obama was guest of honor.

Obama spoke about the valuable work the foundation does to collect video testimonials from Holocaust survivors: “As long as we fail to learn, our work will be urgent work, This institute exists because we know that the future can always be rewritten.”

The president accepted the foundation’s Ambassador for Humanity award at the event held in the Century Plaza Hotel. Bruce Springsteen was on hand with his musical talents and performed two songs at the event.

Spielberg said to Springsteen: “I think anyone who has a boss wishes it was you,” and said Springsteen was: “this nation’s hardest working lyrical poet for our common humanity.”

Liam Neeson, who played Oskar Schindler in the 1994 movie Schindler’s list, opened the evening with some jokes. After Neeson, San Diego high school teacher Michelle Sadrena Clark recited a heartfelt poem and said: “Your institute has literally changed my teaching and my life.”

Another woman at the event, Celina Biniaz, was one of the Jews Schindler saved during the war. At the age of 13 she had worked in his factory cleaning the machinery. She is now a proud grandmother who said to the audience: “Oskar Schindler gave me my life, but Steven Spielberg gave me my voice.”

President Obama also said that Holocaust survivors and their families are: “the ultimate rebuke to evil and the ultimate expression of love and hope,” adding, “You are an inspiration to every single one of us.”