Boston, MA, October 8, 2010 … In recognition of her role in speaking out against anti-Semitism and fighting distortions and the delegitimization of Israel, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) honored Spanish journalist Pilar Rahola with its prestigious ADL Daniel Pearl Award.
Established in 2003, the award is named in honor of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was abducted and murdered in Pakistan while pursuing a story about international terrorism. Rahola received the award during the League's Annual Meeting in Boston.
"Pilar Rahola is a Spanish journalist in the Danny Pearl mode," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, who presented the award. "She has been outspoken on the issue of anti-Semitism, making it one of her priorities, and is committed to an honest and accountable journalistic code of ethics. She is a fervent fighter against media distortion and the current deligitimization of the State of Israel."
"To be granted the award that bears the name of Daniel Pearl is more than an extraordinary honor, it is a duty," said Rahola. "Here, before the ADL, with the immense honor of receiving the Daniel Pearl Award, today, three days before Daniel's birthday, I reaffirm my ethical, journalistic and human commitment."
Rahola entered politics in 1993 when she became a member of the Spanish Parliament for Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (1993-2000). She also served as Deputy Mayor of Barcelona from 1994-2000, the city in which she was born and educated.
She writes for the leading Catalan daily newspaper, La Vanguardia, and works for several print, TV and radio media. She has published many books both in Catalan and Spanish, including a reference text "On Behalf of Israel," which has been translated into many languages.
Rahola was born and raised in Barcelona in a traditional Catholic and staunchly Republican family. As an activist against injustice she became outraged by the manner in which blatant anti-Semitism had made its way unchecked into leftist ideology and polite society. "I feel Jewish because I am a European, and that is the only moral condition that can redeem a European from his or her own shameful past," she has said.
To memorialize Daniel Pearl and through the caring and generosity of ADL supporters George and Ruth Moss of Los Angeles, the Anti-Defamation League established the ADL Daniel Pearl Award. It is given to a person who has made a positive impact on the image of Jews and Judaism, be it in journalism, interfaith, human relations, politics, diplomacy, culture or other arenas.
Previous recipients of the Pearl award include Thomas L. Friedman, columnist for The New York Times, Jeffrey Goldberg, national correspondent for The Atlantic, and Robert Satloff, executive director of The Washington Institute.
