Jewish and Polish kids learn from the righteous
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
The work of 300 Jewish and Polish primary school children has been displayed at a special exhibition to honour Poles who saved Jews during the Holocaust, writes Jack Mendel.
In a tribute to non-Jews who risked their lives in the Shoah by saving Jews, the exhibition features the pupils’ works, including excerpts from essays and poems reflecting on their courage and bravery.
Held at the Polish Embassy in London on Sunday, with guests including Poland’s deputy prime minister Piotr Gliński and Holocaust survivors; the display was the culmination of a series of workshops entitled ‘Learning from the Righteous’.
Jewish schools that participated in workshops included Akiva and Kerem, in addition to New North London Synagogue Cheder. Polish schools were represented with pupils from Willesden and Forest Gate.
Co-ordinater of the project, author and educationalist Antony Lishak, said: “Over the past 35 years, I have been involved in countless projects, but none has meant more to me than ‘Learning from the Righteous’.”
He added: “Often the subject of the Righteous lurks in the shadows.”
Gliński said: “It is a wonderful project, uniting Polish and Jewish youth around questions of crucial educational value.”
Witold Sobków, Polish Ambassador to the UK said: “By telling the stories of both the rescuers and the rescued, students can better understand the reality of war and significance of true courage.”
The exhibition coincided with The European Day of the Righteous. Poles constitute more than 6,600 honoured by Yad Vashem as righteous, which is the largest among any national group.
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