Irena Sendler, a Roman Catholic who created a network of rescuers in Poland who smuggled about 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw ghetto in World War II, some of them in coffins, died Monday in Warsaw. She was 98.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/world/europe/13sendler.html?ref=world
Until this ladies death I had not heard of her. That is rather sad, peoplelike her should NEVER be forgotten
Thanks for posting this.
IIRC, there is a forest in Israel made up of trees planted in honor of “righteous gentiles” who helped rescue Jews during the holocaust.
Poland has the highest number of “righteous gentiles” - 6,066 of the 22,211 total so far.
Righteous Among the Nations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteous_gentiles
Bestowing of the title
When Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority, was established in 1953 by the Knesset, one of its tasks was to commemorate the “Righteous Among the Nations”. The Righteous were defined as non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Since 1963, a commission headed by a justice of the Supreme Court of Israel has been charged with the duty of awarding the honorary title “Righteous Among the Nations.” The commission is guided in its work by certain criteria and meticulously studies all documentation, including evidence by survivors and other eyewitnesses, evaluates the historical circumstances and the element of risk to the rescuer, and then decides if the case accords with the criteria.
A person who is recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” for having taken risks to help Jews during the Holocaust is awarded a medal bearing his name, a certificate of honor, and the privilege of having his name added to those on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. (The last is in lieu of a tree-planting, which was discontinued for lack of space.) The awards are distributed to the rescuers or their next-of-kin during ceremonies in Israel or in their countries of residence through the offices of Israel’s diplomatic representatives. These ceremonies are attended by local government representatives and are given wide media coverage.
The Yad Vashem Law also authorizes Yad Vashem “To confer honorary citizenship upon the Righteous Among the Nations, and if they have passed away, the commemorative citizenship of the State of Israel, in recognition of their actions.” Anyone who has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations is entitled to apply to Yad Vashem for the certificate. If the Righteous Among the Nations is no longer alive, their next of kin is entitled to request that commemorative citizenship be conferred on the Righteous Among the Nations who has died.
By 1 January 2008, 22,211 men and women from 44 countries have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, representing over 10,000 authenticated rescue stories. Yad Vashem’s policy is to pursue the program for as long as petitions for this title are received and are supported by solid evidence that meets the criteria.
I only read about her for the first time 1-2 years ago.
I never knew. I suspect though there were many like her. we probably would have never known about Oskar Schindler had it not been for stepen speilberg
The communists did not help. She became one of the ‘righteous gentiles’ honored by the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem in 1965. But Poland’s communists would not let her go to Israel.
Brave woman.
I/m just interesting- is she a jewish girl?
i think only jews wear those hats even in this day and age
so i think she is a jewish gal