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September 10, 1993 - Image 23

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1993-09-10

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Rescuers Honored
At JCC Exhibition

LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER

W

hen California
Rabbi Harold
Schulweis, creator
of the Jewish
Foundation for Christian
Rescuers of the Anti-
Defamation League,
approached writer and con-
gregant Malka Drucker to
write a children's book
about the saviors of Jews
during the Holocaust, she
agreed.
To research the project,
Ms. Drucker knew she
would need to meet and
hear the stories of Right-
eous Gentiles.
From that realization
grew a second undertaking
— "Rescuers: Portraits Of
Moral Courage In The

"These people
taught us
something
so profound."

Holocaust." A photo exhib-
it, video and book,
"Rescuers" is a project by
Ms. Drucker and photogra-
pher Gay Block.
"Rescuers" began show-
ing in 1990, spending one
year at the Museum of
Modern Art in New York,
and is booked through
1995. It stops in Detroit at
the Jewish Community
Center's Janice Charach
Epstein Museum Gallery
Sept. 22 until Oct. 31.
"I'd been to Yad Vashem
Holocaust Memorial in
Israel and seen the Avenue
of the Righteous. I thought
they were all dead," Ms.
Block said.
Working with the files at

Yad Vashem, Ms.
Block and Ms.
Drucker located 105
rescuers from 10 dif-
ferent countries, pro-
filing nearly 50 of
them.
They spoke with
women like Irene
Opdyke, a Polish
rescuer now living in
California. She
never discussed sav-
ing Jews during the
Holocaust until 1975
when the revisionist
movement devel-
oped.
"She said as a
Catholic woman, she
had to speak out,"
Ms. Block said.
Others, many in
Pragile, had never
spoken of their
actions, for they had
never been asked.
"These people
taught us something
so profound. They
changed our lives,"
Ms. Block said. "To
look at them, you
might say, 'They're
old people.' But they
have learned the
meaning of life — to
help others, to pay
attention.
"The
rescuers
weren't all people
who loved Jews. The
rescuers came for-
ward for many rea-
sons. But they all
said they were not
heroes, but merely
did what they had to do."
Although the project
grew from a rabbi's sugges-
tion, to act as part of the
healing process while iden-
tifying 10,000 rescuers, the

Andree Guelin Herscovice: A rescuer
living in Brussels.

writer and photographer
find much relevance today
in the stories.
"We learned there were
four roles in World War II
— Nazi, victim, rescuer

and bystander. Those four
roles exist in every choice
we make." Ms. Block said.
"We need more rescuers
today."
In 1993, Ms. Drucker ful-

"I think it's important
that young people in our
community learn the impor-
tance of giving and that
feeding the hungry is such
an important responsibili-
ty," said Jeffrey Adler, who
chairs the walk. "I hope that

through a program like this,
we are able to increase
awareness in our future
generations of the impor-
tance of charity."
Yad Ezra, which provides
food to more than 1,500 per-
sons a month, is active in
fund raising year-round,
especially during the High
Holidays, Dr. Adler said.
"At this time of the year, we
as Jews are directed to be
particularly aware of our
responsibility and the
importance of giving."
Last year's walk drew
about 500 participants and
raised more than 515,000.

Taking A Walk
To Feed The Hungry

JENNIFER FINER JEWISH NEWS INTERN

C

hildren of all ages will
take their families
and hit the streets
next month to raise
money for Yad Ezra, the
only kosher food bank in the
state.
Within the coming weeks,

children will be seeking
sponsors for the Second
Annual Walk for Yad Ezra.
The Oct. 10 walk will
span a little over a mile and
take place entirely in the
Maple-Drake Jewish Com-
munity Campus.



filled her promise to the
rabbi. Jacob's Rescue, a
children's book based on
the story of real-life res-
cuers Alex and Mela
Roslan, was published. ❑

CORRECTIONS

In the Nathan-
Rudnack wedding
anouncement, the
name of junior grooms-
man Jacob Nathan
was omitted.

Suzanne Arnoff's
name was misspelled
in the item on the
parkland honoring
Joseph Still.

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