AMERICAN & INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES FOR YAD VASHEM Vol. 43-No. 2 ISSN 0892-1571 November/December 2016-Kislev/Tevet 5777 The American & International Societies for Yad Vashem Annual Tribute Dinner HONORING RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS n Sunday, November 13th, the heroism and human decency remain Relations Division; and Michael Wiesel, z”l, calling the Nobel Laurate OAmerican Society for Yad a light for us all in remembering the Fisher, director of the American Desk, “a representative of Yad Vashem and Vashem (ASYV) hosted its Annual darkest chapter in the history of the attended as part of the Israeli delega- the Jewish people, and a steward of Tribute Dinner in New York City. Jewish people.” tion, catching up with the many the world’s moral compass.” The trib- Representatives from Yad Vashem, Along with recognizing the American supporters who frequently ute to Joseph Wilf, z”l, and the other international dignitaries and the Righteous Among the Nations, the visit Yad Vashem. survivors of the Holocaust who had American Society’s com- helped found and continual- munity of supporters gath- ly supported the American ered at the Pierre Hotel for Society for Yad Vashem a memorable program was a poignant moment of honoring Righteous reflection. Among the Nations. Led by ounder of ASYV and Co-Chairs Mark Moskowitz FYad Vashem and Phil and Rose Benefactor Sima Katz of Friedman, the spirited Roslyn, New York, was hon- evening was the largest ored with the ASYV fundraiser in ASYV’s thirty- Leadership Award. Her five-year history, raising granddaughter, Rebecca more than $1.3 million in Levy, shared Sima’s har- support of Yad Vashem. rowing journey of survival The evening’s program during the Holocaust with profiled four families the help of a Lithuanian touched by Righteous Christian family. She Among the Nations. In the explained how her grand- 1930s and 1940s, most parents, Sima and Europeans stood silently Nathan, z”l, returned to by as the Jews of Europe Lithuania after the war to faced increased discrimi- find the family who rescued nation and persecution at them and sent testimony to the hands of the Nazis. Yad Vashem advocating However, there were a that the Žilevičius family be select few who risked awarded the title of everything and coura- Sima Katz, 2016 Annual Tribute Dinner honoree (center); (L to R) Rebecca Levy, Rita Levy, Matthew Levy and David Levy. Righteous Among the geously chose to help Nations. The families Jews survive the Holocaust. Since Tribute Dinner emphasized the impor- The master of ceremonies for the embraced at Rebecca’s bat mitzvah 1953, Yad Vashem and the State of tant work of Yad Vashem. Starting program was Michael Bernardi, cur- celebration 17 years ago, in the very Israel have awarded more than with a powerful message thanking rently performing as Mordcha the same ballroom at the Pierre Hotel. 26,000 of these individuals the hon- American supporters by Chairman of innkeeper in Fiddler on the Roof on After the presentation of the orary title of Righteous Among the the Yad Vashem Directorate Avner Broadway. Bernardi’s father, Herschel Leadership Award, Bernardi again Nations. In his opening remarks, Shalev, the program was sprinkled Bernardi, famously played Tevye in took the stage to praise Katz for her ASYV Chairman Leonard A. Wilf with video vignettes highlighting Yad Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway and lifetime devotion to promoting spoke to the significance of the Vashem’s efforts and future plans. on many national tours. Coming Holocaust education before dedicat- Righteous Among the Nations. “Yad Director General of Yad Vashem Dorit straight from a Sunday matinee per- ing a rousing performance of “If I Vashem is committed to ensuring that Novak; Shaya Ben Yehuda, manag- formance, Bernardi explained his per- Were a Rich Man” to her. As Bernardi these examples of extraordinary ing director of the International spective to the crowd. “I am reminded performed with animated gusto, the how precious Jewish culture is. That crowd of more than 500 clapped telling the stories of Sholem along to the legendary song of Tevye IN THIS ISSUE Aleichem, when so much Jewish the Milkman. The ASYV Annual Tribute Dinner..........................................................1,2,8-9 expression has been destroyed, is in The program posthumously hon- The Holocaust train that led Jews to freedom instead of death..................3 itself a miracle. Fiddler embodies the ored Master Sergeant Roddie Hitler’s vile cretins...........................................................................................4 principles of Jewish identity that have Edmonds and Lois Gunden, the The long, twisted shadow cast by Nazi medical experiments....................5 survived.” 4th and 5th Americans ever to be rec- Jewish Avengers unapologetic for targeting Nazis after WWII....................6 he Tribute Dinner offered our ognized as Righteous Among the When a Holocaust survivor pissed on Hitler’s henchman...........................7 T guests an opportunity to mark Nations. Mary Jean Gunden spoke of “They laughed by day and cried at night”...................................................10 the passing of notable leaders within the bravery and compassion of her “If I sleep for an hour, 30 people will die”....................................................12 the ASYV community within the past aunt, Lois Gunden, who saved the The teenage girl who documented the last days of Theresienstadt..........14 year. ASYV Treasurer David Halpern lives of dozens of Jewish children in Historical “burden” shared by third generation..........................................16 presented a stirring tribute to Elie (Continued on page 2) Page 2 MARTYRDOM & RESISTANCE November/December 2016 - Kislev/Tevet 5777 HONORING RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NATIONS (Continued from page 1) esteemed honor. ASYV Executive Pechanec was the daughter of the works at Yad Vashem. France. Lois Gunden never told her Director Ron Meier introduced the first Muslim couple ever to be recog- The entire evening was a beautiful family of her heroism. As Mary Jean junior Edmonds, saying, “Pastor nized as Righteous Among the tribute to Yad Vashem from the ASYV learned after her aunt had passed Chris says his father was an ordinary Nations. During World War II, her community of supporters. Since its away, the late Gunden had con- man thrust into an extraordinary family had risked their lives to shelter inception, American donors have vinced, sometimes pleaded with, par- moment: a moment that expressed four Jewish neighbors, the Kabilio continually made up the largest ents to entrust her with their children his faith in God, fixed his duty to com- family, from Nazi persecution in source of funding for Yad Vashem’s to increase their chances for survival. rades, and demonstrated his infec- Sarajevo. Fifty years after the annual budget outside of the Israeli astor Chris Edmonds told the tious love for all.” Both Edmonds and Holocaust, when Sarajevo was under government. Pechanec concluded Pstory of his father’s awe-inspir- Gunden were honored in January at the attack of Serbian forces, her emotional address, echoing the ing service during World War II. It a historic ceremony at the Israeli Pechanec and her husband, daugh- sentiment felt all evening: was not until after his father’s death Embassy in Washington, D.C. ter, and mother, Zejneba, found “When people think of Yad Vashem, that the family learned of his President Obama joined ASYV, Yad themselves in great distress. With the they might make the mistake of think- immense heroism while imprisoned Vashem and Israeli Ambassador Ron help of the Joint Distribution ing it is just a museum. As if it only in the German Stalag IX A POW Dermer at the first ceremony recog- Committee, Yad Vashem successful- speaks of history. I hope that my camp, where he boldly stood up to nizing American Righteous Among ly appealed to the president of story shows a different side of Yad Nazi captors and saved the lives of the Nations in the United States. Bosnia to permit the family to come to Vashem. The side that is not of a hundreds of American Jewish sol- The evening’s featured speaker Israel. Since coming to Israel, past, but of a future. The side that not diers. Edmonds was the first, and provided another testament to Yad Pachenec and her family have con- only remembers the history, but only, U.S. soldier ever to receive this Vashem’s worldwide influence. Sara verted to Judaism, and she now shapes and creates the future.” BEYOND ANNE FRANK: DUTCH TELL THEIR FULL HOLOCAUST STORY Between 75 percent and 80 percent “All the major cities of Europe have Nazis used as a deportation center BY NINA SIEGAL, of Jews in the Netherlands were killed Holocaust memorials, and and is now a museum and remem- THE NEW YORK TIMES during the war, the highest rate in Amsterdam is really one of the last,” brance chapel. Western Europe. he said. “I think it’s one of the most It was also in this neighborhood that nne Frank is only part of the Although about 150,000 Jews were important projects, because so much the Nazis consolidated the A story. living in the Netherlands in 1940, happened there.” Netherlands’ Jews before deporting The diary of the young Jewish girl including about 25,000 German Jews “We know most of it only from the them to concentration camps. who came of age hiding from the who had come as refugees, only Anne Frank diary, and most people eginning in 1943, about 34,000 Nazis in Amsterdam has long been about 15,000 were counted during the associate the story with that incredi- BDutch Jews were sent to the the dominant narrative of the postwar census of 1947. ble document,” he added. “But when Sobibor death camp in Poland, and Netherlands’ experience during World only 18 survived, said Maarten War II. Hers is a story of inspiration Eddes, the chairman of the Sobibor and resistance that in many ways the Foundation in the Netherlands.