Martyrdom and Resistance, January/February 2016

ID Transcript mare4203_01 "AMERICAN & INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES FOR YAD VASHEM Vol. 42-No. 3 ISSN 0892-15/ jary/February 2016-Shevat/Adar 5776 CEREMONY HONORING RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS An extraordinary Yad Vashem remembrance event took place on Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC. Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer, joined by Yad Vashem Council Chairman Rabbi Israel Meir Lau and American Society for Yad Vashem Chairman Leonard Wilf, hosted the posthumous bestowal of Righteous Among the Nations recognition upon four persons who risked their lives during the Shoah to rescue endangered Jews. This was the first time that such a ceremony was held recognizing Americans as Righteous Among the Nations on U.S. soil. The ceremony was attended by President Barack Obama. Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, chairman of the Yad Vashem Council and himself a Holocaust survivor who was rescued by Righteous Among the Nations, in his speech recalled the terrifying six years he spent as a young child during the Holocaust, totally disconnected from the outside world. ""But in this dark tunnel, there were some stars — the Righteous Among the Nations,"" to whom many Jews owed their lives. ""As far as we are unable to forget the horror, we are also commanded to remember the people who risked their lives to save us."" Chairman of the American Society for Yad Vashem Leonard Wilf, in his remarks said, ""In the very first years after the Holocaust, when the Jewish people were still grappling with the aftermath of the horrors they endured, there was an understanding that along with memorializing and documenting the mass murders and destruction, the Jewish people would IS A HISTORIC EVENT honor and remember the unknown and silent heroes of the Shoah. These were the rarest of men and women who did not go along, or stand silently by, as their neighbors, friends, and countrymen were rounded up and targeted for death. At risk our children. tt A ilany elements of this ceremo- IVIny make this so distinctive — it is the first time in history that an American president has joined with Yad Vashem to honor United States citizens as Righteous Among the carry a timeless lesson for us all."" Pastor Chris Edmonds, who accepted the Righteous Among the Nations award on behalf of his late father Roddie Edmonds said that ""on this noble occasion, my mother, Mary Ann and our family are blessed (Left to right) Leonard Wilf, chairman of the American Society for Yad Vashem, and Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, chairman of Yad Vashem's Council, welcome President Barack Obama to the Righteous Among the Nations ceremony. to their own and their families' lives, Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, Lois Gunden, and Walery and Maryla Zbijewski were guided by a strong sense of morality to save Jewish children and adults, who survived and whose descendants and families are here tonight. In doing so, they are identified by Yad Vashem and the State of Israel as Righteous Among the Nations, true exemplars of courage and heroism for us and IN THIS ISSUE Righteous Among the Nations ceremony is a historic event 1, 8-9 World marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2-3 The Polish underground and the Jews 4 The grandson of infamous Nazi is making amends 5 He escaped death at the hands of the Nazis ... and British bombers 6 ASYV Professional Development Conference 7 Yad Vashem honors first Egyptian as ""Righteous Gentile"" 10 Uncovering Holocaust perpetrators where few have looked 11 The myth of the good Nazi 12 Holocaust art collector seeks to repatriate works to Poland 16 Nations; it is the first time that American citizens are being recognized on American soil; it is the first time a U.S. soldier has been so recognized; and tonight we distinguish the fourth and fifth Americans out of more than 26,000 Righteous Among the Nations honorees. ""As the son of two Holocaust survivors who grew up in this country, this event, with its bond to American citizens who demonstrated enormous acts of bravery, gives me a strong sense of pride. My family and I have dedicated ourselves to furthering Holocaust research and education both in Israel and in the United States. As chairman of the American Society for Yad Vashem, I am humbled by the great task to which we commit ourselves, to ensure that the world never forgets. ""Tonight, not only do we give honor to these incredible men and women; we also proclaim that despite the years that have passed, these stories to receive the remarkable honor Righteous Among the Nations on behalf of my father Roddie Edmonds. ""Thank you, Yad Vashem and the nation of Israel for bestowing such a high honor on Dad. As the first U.S. serviceman to receive the award, and the first recognized for protecting American Jews, our family is forever grateful. We are proud of him and humbled that he joins a small minority of ordinary people who mustered extraordinary courage to uphold the goodness and dignity of humanity. My Dad, like Ms. Gunden and the Zbijewski's are heroes! ""In a defining moment, when evil demanded their conscience and their very souls...they refused to follow the crowd...but instead bowed to no one...and did what was right... My father's legacy, like all of the ""Righteous"", is the children, grandchil- (Continued on pages 8-9) "