Coverage of 2024 Holocaust Commemoration Ceremony Honoring Jewish Rescuers During the Shoah
See how the media has covered our 2024 commemoration ceremony honoring Jews who rescued fellow Jews during the...
Perhaps one of the least told stories of the Holocaust is the story of Jews who rescued fellow Jews. Jewish rescuers put their own lives in jeopardy to help other Jews escape the Nazi killing machine.
The B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem and the Committee to Recognize the Heroism of Jewish Rescuers During the Holocaust (JRJ) created the Jewish Rescuer Citation in 2011 to pay honor and respect to Jewish rescue of other Jews. B’nai B’rith had been involved in promoting the recognition of Jewish rescuers in other ways long before the citation’s creation. The citation is also meant to show a side of Jewish reality during the Holocaust not often discussed in conversations about the Holocaust: that of Jewish resistance.
B’nai B’rith and JRJ have recognized rescuers who operated in France, Hungary, Greece, Germany, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, Russia, Poland, the Netherlands and Lithuania. Thousands of Jews were saved by other Jews across Europe during the Holocaust. Many of these rescuers, rather than flee to ensure their own safety, chose to help other Jews escape. Forgery, smuggling and concealment were all called into play by scores of rescuers in their efforts to save fellow Jews.
Together, we honor Sally (Samuel) Bein, outstanding educator and founding principal of the first boarding school for Jewish children with special needs in Germany.
The institution was established in October 1908 near the town of Beelitz – Brandenburg by the German Israelite community and the German District of the Order of B’nai B’rith. It was led by Bein and his wife Rebeka until June 1942 when Sally, Rebeka and their young daughter Lisa Karola were deported to Sobibor. The Bein family and all 47 pupils and staff were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.
In commemoration of the 78th anniversary of their deportation, B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem and the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) unveiled a plaque in the B’nai B’rith Martyrs Forest on June 17, 2020 which reads:
“In recognition of the exceptional commitment of Samuel (Sally) Bein
Outstanding educator and founding principal of the first boarding school for Jewish children with special needs in Germany, established in Beelitz-Brandenburg in 1908 by the German-Israelite community and the German District of the Order of B’nai B’rith.
And in memory of his wife Rebeka, their young daughter Lisa Karola and 47 pupils, and staff who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators.
Unveiled to mark 78 years since their deportation to Sobibor on Shabbat 28 Sivan 5702 Saturday 13 June 1942.”
See how the media has covered our 2024 commemoration ceremony honoring Jews who rescued fellow Jews during the...
Written by Alan Schneider, Director, B’nai B’rith World Center–Jerusalem Even in Israel, which has been tempered by a...
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