About the Righteous Among the Nations
In 1953, the Israeli Parliament (the Kenneset) passed a law which established Yad Vashem, The Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority as the sole entity allowed to bestow the Righteous Among the Nations title on behalf of the State of Israel. Since that time, Righteous Among the Nations has become not only a symbol of the gratitude to those individuals who aided Jews, but also a synonym for the highest act of civilian heroism and human solidarity.
This prestigious title has been earned by an exclusive set of individuals by dint of their incomparable bravery, integrity, and moral fortitude at a time when human decency became the exception rather than the rule. A Righteous Among the Nation is a non- Jewish person who risked his or her life, freedom, and safety, in order to rescue one or several Jews from the threat of death or deportation without exacting monetary compensation or other rewards.
The Righteous are represented by a myriad of peoples: the religious and agnostic, men and women, people from all walks of life and of all ages, educated professionals and illiterate peasants, rich and poor. The only common denominator is the humanity and the courage they displayed by standing up for their moral principles.
Since its inception, Yad Vashem has recognized, on behalf of the State of Israel, over 23,700 “Righteous Among the Nations” from 44 countries around the world. Unlike others, the Righteous Among the Nations did not fall into a pattern of acquiescing to the escalating measures against the Jews. Rather, they stood in stark contrast to the mainstream of indifference and hostility that prevailed during the Holocaust.
Those who decided to shelter Jews had to sacrifice their normal lives and live a clandestine existence. The price that rescuers had to pay, if caught, was extermination. In Eastern Europe, Germans executed not only the people who sheltered Jews, but their entire family as well.
The Righteous Among the Nations has bequeathed to us an example, par excellence, for us all to emulate. However difficult and frightening, the fact that some found the courage to become rescuers demonstrates that the freedom to choose does exist, that doing the right thing is not beyond the capacity of ordinary people, and that it is possible to transcend whatever the prevailing ethos may be.
The Jewish people owe the highest debt of gratitude to these brave souls, the Righteous Among the Nations. The True Heroes Tribute Gala was our way to express our deeply felt gratitude for the love and compassion demonstrated by these True Heroes and to spread the message that they embody to all Canadians.