"Rescue Lifelines": The First Center Telling the Story of Jewish Rescuers in the Holocaust | Interview

The center, spanning 70 square meters as part of the Wilfrid Israel Museum of Oriental Art and Studies, will present the heroic stories of Jewish rescuers who acted under threat of death to save lives.

Heroic Stories: The Jewish Rescuers in the Holocaust

The "Rescue Lifelines" center presents fascinating stories of ten Jewish rescuers from different countries who acted in various ways under the cruel conditions of the Holocaust. These are just some of the stories:

Wilfrid Israel (Germany) A German-Jewish businessman who led the "Kindertransport" operation, which saved thousands of Jewish children by transferring them from Germany to England. The museum, named after him, incorporates his story as a central part of the exhibition.

Marcel Marceau (France) The famous mime artist, who was then a young Jew, led groups of children on foot through forests to the Swiss border.

Fanny Ben-Ami (France) A girl of only 13 who showed exceptional courage when leading a group of Jewish children to Switzerland. Today, at over 90 years old, she lives in Holon, and her story demonstrates how even the youngest contributed to the rescue effort.

Wolf Galperin (Lithuania) A 17-year-old boy who formed a group of children in the Kovno, Landsberg, and Auschwitz camps. He provided them with food, treated the wounded, and organized exercise drills and songs to maintain their morale. Of the 131 children in his group, 40 survived, and each testified that they survived thanks to him. A square in Sderot is named after him in honor of his actions.

Helen Ben-Atar (Morocco) A lawyer from a wealthy family who convinced the French officers in Morocco to allow her to take in Jewish refugees from Germany and Poland who arrived in Casablanca without documents. She hid them in basements of Jewish families and forged certificates, while escaping arrest twice. Her actions saved hundreds of lives.

Naftali Backenroth-Bronicki (Poland) Managed to convince the Nazis that he was Aryan and operated an agricultural farm under the pretense of working for them. On this farm, he hid hundreds of Jews, saving them from deportation and death. His son is industrialist Yehuda Bronicki, who continues to tell his story.

David Gur (Hungary) A 98-year-old engineer from Ramat Gan who forged thousands of documents as part of the Hashomer Hatzair movement's activities. These documents saved many lives, and he continues to serve as a living testimony to this heroism. Gur is the chairman of the Association for Research of Zionist Youth Movements in Hungary.

These stories illustrate various patterns of rescue – from forging documents and smuggling food to hiding people and leading them to safe places. The exhibition includes images, films, and computer programs that bring these stories to life in a visual and moving way.

Why Were These Stories Silenced?

Aryeh Barnea, chairman of the Committee to Recognize the Heroism of Jewish Rescuers in the Holocaust, explains why the stories of Jewish rescuers did not receive proper recognition: "The rescue of Jews by Jews was sometimes perceived as a self-evident action, since the assumption is that a Jew would help another Jew. But under Holocaust conditions, a person was concerned with their own survival and the survival of their family, certainly not with strangers who were with them in the same camp."

"Nevertheless, out of millions of Jews, thousands were found who dealt with the survival of their people who were unknown to them. This is a great moral exemplar, on both a national and human level." Barnea emphasizes that the committee, which has been operating for 25 years in collaboration with B'nai B'rith World Center, has awarded the Jewish Rescuer Medal to 640 women and men. He adds: "The main purpose of the museum is not just recognition of the rescuers, although this is an important action, but presenting them as role models."

Naftali Backenroth-Bronicki's story particularly touches Barnea: "The story speaks to my heart in a special way because of the geographical proximity to my parents' story from Poland. He convinced the Nazis that he was Aryan and operated a farm where he hid hundreds of Jews."

Education and Inspiration for the Young Generation

The museum emphasizes education, with activities designed for youth, soldiers, and the general public. "I hope visitors will leave the museum with a source of inspiration," says Barnea. "For survivors to multiply in future disasters, rescuers must multiply. And for rescuers to multiply, we need to influence the education of the younger generation and present them with examples of saving lives under the most difficult conditions." The center will offer tours, lectures, and seminars aimed at spreading these stories and making them part of public discourse.

The Connection to the Wilfrid Israel Museum

The center is integrated into the Wilfrid Israel Museum, named after a Jewish rescuer who saved tens of thousands. "Because of the museum's connection to the rescue theme, we proposed collaboration with the committee and the B'nai B'rith organization," explains Barnea. "We received, free of charge, a building within the museum that will become the center for the legacy of Jewish rescuers."

The Museum's Vision: To Illuminate Jewish Heroism

Nurit Asher Fenig, CEO of the Wilfrid Israel Museum of Oriental Art and Studies, summarizes the significance of the center:

"The 'Rescue Lifelines' center that will open at our museum spans 70 square meters and will shed light on the heroism of Jews who saved others during the Holocaust. Among other things, the stories of the rescuers, their acts of heroism, and an explanation of the different patterns of rescue will be presented. We see great importance in establishing this center to describe the acts of heroism and honor the heroic rescuers. It is also a worthy way to tell the story of the heroism of Wilfrid Israel, after whom the museum is named. He saved over 20,000 Jews in the Holocaust."

"The phenomenon of Jewish heroism in the Holocaust is not well-known enough, and I am proud that our museum will be the first place to document and give names and faces to these heroic people. The center will incorporate guided tours, seminars, and lectures, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that their story becomes known among youth, soldiers, groups, and the general public."

Invitation to a Moving Experience

The "Rescue Lifelines" center offers an educational and moving experience, with visual displays and films that bring the heroic stories to life. The museum is open to the general public and invites you to discover the stories that redefine the concept of heroism. Visit the Wilfrid Israel Museum in Kibbutz HaZorea and experience the power of hope even in the darkest times.