PURELY COMMENTARY

PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

`Righteous Gentiles' And The Aspects For The Future

An Israeli high school student, who
was among the hordes who flocked to
the Binyanei Ha'uma in Jerusalem to
listen to the procedures of the trial
charging John Demjanjuk with guilt in
the murder of 850,000 Jews at the
Treblinka death camp in Poland, ex-
pressed this view:
"This is probably the last time we
will bring to trial a major Nazi. Our
generation bears the responsibility to
go and listen to this, because from here
on it is only going to be textbook."
This is one of similar views on the
trial quoted in the New York Times re-
port of the trial, by Thomas Friedman.
An important question emerges
from this comment by an Israeli youth:
will the record be retained and will
textbooks treat the memories with re-
spect due them so that the Holocaust
horrors shouldnot be forgotten?
Many aspects of the horrors that
were perpetrated under Hitlerism keep
concerning our generation. Will the
generations that follow be aware of the
atrocities, as an assurance that they
will not be repeated?
There were many in the Christian
ranks who resisted the Nazi threats,
who aided in rescuing Jews. They are
referred to as the Righteous Gentiles,
the translation of the traditional
Jewish tribute to the Chasidei umot
ha-olam, the saintly among the nations
of the world.
A great debate continues over the
guilt of those who collaborated with the
Nazis. There is a continuity of indict-
ments not only of Germans but also of
Ukrainians, Poles, even many Dutch.
Yet, it is continually asserted that the
most evident in the ranks of Righteous
Gentiles were the courageous in Poland
and in Holland. Regardless of the guilt

of the indifferent who became tools of
Nazism, whether Poles or Dutch and
surely also some Ukrainians, the
Righteous must not be forgotten.
In an editorial note in one of its re-
cent issues, the Christian Century
called attention to the contention of
Rabbi Harold Schulweis of the Valley
Beth Shalom Temple of Encino, Calif.
that there is much ignorance among
Jews about Christians who risked their
own lives in trying to save Jews from
the Nazi terror. Rabbi Schulweis called
attention to a page in the Encyclopedia
Judaica which contains a full page on
the Anne Frank story and only a
single-line reference to the Gentiles
who kept the Frank family alive.
Therefore Rabbi Schulweis estab-
lished the Foundation to Sustain the
Righteous Christians. Making this an-
nouncement, the Christian Century
comments that this "Foundation" is
"the only Jewish organization that
works exclusively to aid and honor
such Christians."
This is an exaggerated evaluation
of such a new movement. There are
numerous such efforts to honor the
Righteous. They are in the existing
Holocaust centers. They are in such
movements as the very active survivors
organization in Greater Detroit which,
under the guidance and inspiration of
Dr. John Mames, annually observes
Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust Memorial
Day, giving due credit at that time to
the Righteous Christians.
Nevertheless, Rabbi Schulweis'
criticism of the existing ignorance must
be taken seriously. He has pointed out
that as many as 100,000 non-Jewish
Europeans may have been involved in
attempts to rescue and protect Jews. In
his view, 4,000 Jews were hidden in

UNICEF's Blunder And Apology

For many recent years, Jewish
media and responsible leaders were
among the most outspoken advocates of
support for UNICEF. When there was
confusion with another UN agency,
UNESCO, from whose rank developed
violent anti-Semitic policies, we were
quick to point out that UNICEF was a
great social service movement that
aided needy children in undeveloped
countries. But currently UNESCO
blundered and was compelled to issue
an apology.
A pamphlet issued by the Geneva
office called for emergency help for
children listed in countries that in-
cluded Palestine, Kampuchea,
Bangladesh, Peru and Ethiopia. On be-
half of ADL, Abraham H. Foxman pro-
tested inclusion of Palestine, a non-
existent country. On behalf of UN-
ESCO, Michale Shower, UNISEF's
executive secretary, responded that
"the inaccuracy was inconsistent with
UNICEF's and United Nations'
policies," and gave an assurance that
the pamphlet was no longer in use and
that "both the committees and our
Geneva office will endeavor to ensure
that the mistake is not repeated."
If there were to be repetition, it
would be a grave injustice to UNES-
CO's strongest supporters, the Jewish
people and Israel.
It will be recalled that the recently
deceased Danny Kaye was among the

Danny Kaye
most active participants in UNESCO's
cause. He traveled for the movement,
acted on its behalf, contributed to it,
pleaded its cause, visited the children
aided by UNESCO and comforted them.
Such was and will surely remain the
role of Kaye's fellow Jews everywhere.
The apology for a regrettable inadver-
tence was a necessary and prompt one.

Berlin during the war by "ordinary Chasidei-Righteous who defied terror
people, not saints, who decided not to and gave credence to their devotion to
cooperate with the dominant evil their religious heritage. They were the
force." Rabbi Schulweis merits deep just because they hated prejudice and
appreciation for undertaking by means recognized the evils of many in their
of his new foundation to identify the own churches. Such is the sanctity of
i
Yom Hashoah to be observed here on
rescuers and help them if such help is
April 26.
needed, financially or by other means.
There is need to quote further from
the Schulweis contention that the Yad
Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial in Poisonous 'Protocols'
Jerusalem, has filed the names of 6,000 Impregnate The Orient
rescuers in its files, "but no one seems
There is no end to the spreading of
to know where these rescuers are or venom and to the absorption of hatred,
how many there actually were."
no matter how serious the efforts to
Therefore the admirable tasks of counteract and to erase them. The con-
Dr. John Mames and his associates in tinuing spreading of the nefarious
Pro-
observing Yom Hashoah and utilizing tocols of the Elders of Zion
proves the
the annual occasion to recognize the existence of blindness to truth
and the
courage of the Righteous retains great insistence of the haters to spread them.
significance in the annual observance
These falsified anti-Semitic tracts
of the Holocaust memorial.
first appeared at the beginning of the
It is important, in the interest of century in Western Europe, having
justice to ourselves as well as to the originated in sickened minds in Russia.
Righteous, that the historic recognition Their repudiation included an officially
of their status be fully understood and documented declaration by the United
appreciated. The following is a defini- States Senate's Sub-Committee on the
tion of the Hasidei Umot Haolam pro- Judiciary, in 1964, branding the Pro-
vided in the Encyclopedia Judaica:
tocols as "a fabricated anti-Semitic hate
literature. In spite of its being exposed
Righteous of the Nations is
as maliciously invented, the fake
the term applied to those non-
documents found their way to Latin
Jews who saved Jews from
American countries. Henry Ford
their Nazi persecutors by
senior's introduction of the Protocols to
endangering their own lives.
American readers in the Dearborn In-
The State of Israel officially
dependent can be blamed for this area
recognized the term Righteous
of hate-spreading. A decade later
of the Nations in Article 9 of the
Father Charles Coughlin gave them
Martyrs' and Heroes' Remem-
credence in his Social Justice periodi-
brance (Yad Vashem) Law of
cal.
1953, in which it is written that
Then the anti-Semitic hate appeals
the Yad Vashem Authority was
found publishers in Arab countries and
established, inter alia, to per-
were used as a means of adding to the
petuate the names of "the
attacks on Israel and the Jewish
high-minded Righteous who
people.
risked their lives to save Jews."
It would have been believed that
In order to implement this
the exposure of the falsehoods would
article, a committee was ap-
end such vicious propaganda. But only
pointed, headed by Justice
a few weeks ago they were republished
Moshe Landau, to check every
in Kuwait. That demanded republica-
instance of a rescuer whose
tion on Page Two of The Jewish News,
name is submitted for official
March 6, of the condemnation of the
recognition. There are four
ranks of esteem: (1) a medal and
malicious falsehoods by the United
certificate of honor with the
States Senate more than two decades
right to plant a tree on the Ave-
ago.
nue of the Rigteous on Har ha-
But there is no end to the spread-
Zikkaron (The Memorial Hill in
ing of hate. Prejudice akin to the Pro-
Jerusalem where Yad Vashem
tocols now finds its way to the Orient.
is situated); (2) a certificate of
News of the shocking spread of the
honor with the right to plant a
anti-Semitic attacks that continue to
tree on the Avenue of the
find publishers and adherents now
Righteous; (3) a certificate of
comes from Japan.
honor; (4) a letter of esteem.
The first revealing story about this
Trees are being planted on
hate-spreading in the Orient appeared
the Avenue of the Righteous.
in the New York Times, March 11,
Honor is also being paid to
1987, in a cabled account headlined
groups for their collective ac-
"Japanese Writers Are Critical, of
tivity as Hasidei umot HaOlam.
Jews," datelined Tokyo, by Clyde
Jewish communities worldwide ob- Haberman.
What a shock that the revealed
serve Yom Hashoah to commemorate
the heroism of a handful who resisted pack of misconceptions should only
the Nazi forces in the unforgettable have been termed as merely "critical
." Hatred is more vile than even the
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. This year, on
April 26, the commemoration will bitterest criticism. Then came a much
again have an assembling of forces that reviewed report of what was happening
represent the call to a Never Forget in Japan, in the March 23 issue of
commitment. The Holocaust Memorial Newsweek, entitled "Japan's Money
Center, the Jewish Community Coun- Woes: Blaming It on the Jews." At
cil, the Jewish Community Center and least it touched the root of the mount-
associated congregations and communal ing hate.
The manner in which the revival of
movements will have a share in the
annual assembly. This is when the myths about Jews is told to the
Japanese and the way the canards are
Righteous will be remembered.
It is the occasion for recognition of Continued on Page 34

